Knowing how to deal with frustrating people comes in handy in all areas of life, especially at work, where we spend the majority of our precious time. However, addressing problematic behaviors of colleagues often requires confidence, courage, and a dash of creativity, which is a combination that isn’t always easy to channel when confronting someone.
To help out those who might be struggling with dealing with difficult coworkers or just need a bit of a push, we’re featuring ways other people managed to do so that worked wonders. Scroll down to find these instances below, and don’t forget to upvote ones that truly deserve a nod of respect.
#1
I work in a kitchen with all men. One throws a fit over EVERYTHING, full tantrums. One day I said “big feelings huh buddy? Do you need help calming down or can you work it out on your own?” And he has Never thrown a tantrum around me again (though I hear they still happen just not around me) I take it as a win. Mind you he is 41 and I’m 32 😂😂😂
Image credits: cassafrass_
#2
My ex boss was on a weight loss journey and hated me. So everyday at lunch I brought back her favorite candy bar and offered her one
Image credits: chantell83
#3
I arrived early, took a screenshot of her desktop, then removed all the icons on her computer and replaced the background with the screenshot. She called IT to the office. It took all day to “fix.”
Image credits: midgardian_april
85% of working people have faced a frustrating coworker, according to Kickresume’s 2024 survey. This means that tips and hacks on how to deal with them should be useful for a lot of us out there.
That’s why we previously reached out to workplace culture experts Connie Kurczewski, Robina Bhasin, and Josh Hart to ask for some guidance on how to manage difficult colleagues.
#4
“is this something you plan to do for the rest of your career?” but in a concerning way that makes them actually question themselves
Image credits: marinapasto3
#5
I introduced myself to him every single week.
Image credits: sparkleprofessor
#6
I (fake) befriended him at work, gaslit him into thinking he’s way too good for here and he’s wasting his talents, kept sending him job offers, within 5 weeks he was gone
Image credits: casserole_queen
“You want to start by observing patterns and writing things down,” said Kurczewski. “It is easier to have a productive conversation when you can point to specific examples. If you are a peer, speak up respectfully and directly. Be clear about what is not working.
If you are a leader, do not wait. The longer you let it go, the more damage it causes. One of the most common mistakes I see is avoiding difficult conversations. But those conversations are what protect the culture, the team, and ultimately the business.”
#7
I had a boss with serious Napoleon (short man syndrome). He belittled everyone else. When he went on vacation, I removed all the furniture from his office and replaced it with doll’s house furniture.
Image credits: themisfitmedium
#8
Always offered to cover their holidays and would speed through their work load & then complain to the manager that they weren’t working efficiently & show them the amount of their work I completed.
Image credits: iessv
#9
I played nice, so nice, that they’re really nice to me now too. But I haven’t forgotten. I’ll always remember. Waiting…waiting
Image credits: mermaidsrule420
“It’s important to be clear about what’s bothering you and how it affects your work,” Hart proposed. “Setting clear boundaries and getting support from HR or a mentor can also help. And keep track of any incidents, just in case you need to show a pattern of behavior to someone higher up.”
#10
I just stopped speaking to them unless absolutely necessary legit just pretend they don’t exist unless I have to
Image credits: antisocialbinch
#11
She hates Starbucks for personal reasons so when I buy it I make sure the logo of the cup is facing her way.
Image credits: jennsalas05
#12
When they say something ridiculous, I look them dead in the eye and say ‘what an odd thing to say’ and hold that stare just a little too long. The sheer panic is my reward.
Image credits: carriebethan
Meanwhile, Bhasin added by saying that, “Except in situations where an employee has been abusive toward other employees, I typically begin by seeking to understand where the person is coming from – what does the world look like from their perspective?
With this insight, I help them deepen their self-awareness and see the impact of their actions on others. With this greater self-awareness, the employee often chooses a path of self-improvement to build more positive relationships with colleagues. And if they are not willing to make changes, there is a separate conversation about their future in the company that needs to happen,” she concluded.
#13
Be professional to an extreme and completely impersonal. No pleasantries. No small talk. Not an ounce more than what is required.
#14
I was ignored, isolated & gaslit for 5 years. Bought my time played nice pretended I didn’t notice until one day I dropped a bomb. Went direct to the top massive complaint, 5y of evidence. Stayed Long enough to watch the fall out. Then handed in my notice citing ‘toxic workplace’
#15
Found out she hated the smell of eucalyptus. Got the eucalyptus set from bath & body works and. WENT. TO. TOWN. I’m talking using the body wash & lotion every day & the room spray every 20-30min She stopped coming into that office space and would only send me emails. Didn’t lay eyes on her for like 3mos 🤣 honestly my stress decreased so much
Image credits: craftypawssb
#16
I found out my supervisor was insecure about her thinning hair so once a week i would ask her if she had done something different to her hair, but have a confused look on my face.
Image credits: alyram1005
#17
I tell them made up stories cause I know they’ll tell everyone. Then when someone asks me about it I tell them I have no idea what they are talking about & show them evidence proving it’s not true.
Image credits: thelandlessfarm
#18
They hired guys that peaked in Highschool who kept trying to bully me, so I stopped taking adhd medication and started drinking half a pot of coffee every shift … the chaos was glorious
Image credits: echoesofgreen
#19
“Just the facts please” when they start to rant. Say in mid sentence for bonus points.
Image credits: stfu.toni
#20
“you’re not good enough at your job to have an ego that big”. worked a treat.
Image credits: jp.mang
#21
We were 2 person team. He was a deadweight, I carried the team alone for 12 months. We won Best Team of the year, he smiled too widely and it filled me with rage. I quit. They fired him 2mths later.
Image credits: gochu16025
#22
I put my two weeks in and said I was quitting because I couldn’t stand working next to someone who doesn’t work and they fired the other person to keep me AND bumped my pay $20k a year
#23
I gentle parent grown adults. ‘Hey buddy, they’re some big feelings you’re having’ ‘it’s ok to mad but it’s not OK to be mean’ ‘are you angry or sad? do you know why? because you didn’t do your job?’
#24
Plugged in an extra wireless mouse where they couldn’t see the fob. I’d move the curser when they were in the middle of things so that they’d have to retype it jump all over the screen
Image credits: its_elle_jay
#25
learned how to cry on command so next time he said something outrageously rude i turned on the tears, made him panic and feel super guilty for like a week
#26
I would get in before them and lower their desk chair all the way to the ground and move their keyboard a foot to the left, and raise the monitors. I would gaslight them and be like “no that’s how “No that’s how your desk always is”. They quit after me doing this 2 months straight every day.
Image credits: sarah_taylorsversion_
#27
I applied for every weird job available and used their work email and our bosses phone number to call him.
#28
I worked at a school, she was a teacher that made my little sister cry during her class. I quietly went in and whispered the most unhinged stuff to her and then smiled politely and walked out……
#29
1) I keep stealing the staples out her stapler, 2) stole the page measurer thing from her punch hole, 3) put her last in the list of names in email, 4) never answer her phone, 5) got a better job!
Image credits: vjw_x
#30
Look up micro pettiness.
Image credits: hmg_87
#31
He was homophobic so i said i was gay, set my phones wallpaper of me and my best friend kissing and i made like a whole new personality only for him. He hated me so much. I enjoyed every second.
Image credits: idameamimosa
#32
I made my manager cry during my performance review. I ended up telling him that I felt he would be happier in a different position outside of our organization.
#33
She trauma dumps every day I finally had it and said “you should talk to a therapist not us , they’re the professional”
#34
Replied to every one of their passive-aggressive emails with ‘per my last email’ and CC’d their boss😇
#35
I’m uncomfortably direct. “I feel like I’ve noticed some tension in our working relationship and I’m wondering if i’ve done something to upset you” (I didn’t- tehe) and just watch them panic.
#36
If you gotta snitch on them DONT SHOW ANY EMOTION. Basically say “i followed protocol and received this response. May you provide feedback on how to deal with these cases?”
#37
intentionally misspell their name…gets em every time
#38
I did t do this but I had a colleague who would refuse to interact directly with this one guy and would make him interact with a glove puppet This may or may not or may have happened on the london trading floor of a Swiss reinsurance company in the 1990s.
#39
I did an egg cleanse that showed negativity all around me and eyes watching. I did a return to sender spell and, all of a sudden, my frenemy coworker had a long run of bad luck. coincidence?? 🤔😂🥺
#40
One lady stomped thru the office when she’s mad. I said FEE-FI-FO-FUM HERE SHE COMES! When she came to me I told her no one cares about the tantrum you’re having. She quit 👋🏼
#41
Do petty things that they get mad over but cant express their anger because they will be seen as the villain. While being nice in their face
#42
Positive gossip! If they are badmouthing you behind your back people will ask you about them to find the tea, just be respectful, compliment them (don’t over do it) and they will look bad instead
#43
I would do my face shift in front of him- if I was smiling I would make eye contact and stop, if I was scowling, I would make eye contact and remove all expression- psychological warfare 😂
#44
sign them up for the most unhinged subscriptions on their work email. also flyer subscriptions if you know their address, or if they have a personal work box, even better.
#45
I put this goose app on his laptop that steals your cursor and he’s bad at his job, bad at technology, and too on his high horse to ask for help so he hasn’t managed to fix it (it’s been 3 weeks)
#46
I would stare at someone’s forehead because they got massive frown lines whenever they had a tantrum, it used to throw them off 😅
#47
Malicious compliance
#48
I started offering him small treats every time he saw me and conditioned him Pavlov style to like me. He was confused and didn’t know why he got excited to see me. And then I started being extremely cruel and crushed his spirit. By the time I quit, he couldn’t look anyone in the eye.
#49
My coworker would do NOTHING, literally no work.. and would steal my work to take credit with clients. So I password protected it all and cc’d her into EVERY email as point of contact. Then eventually she had so much work, she kept asking for the password. She missed deadlines and got sacked finally
#50
every single day i’d ask her if she was okay because she looked like she’d been crying (she didn’t)
#51
Never let them finish a conversation. Always walk off before it’s over so they know that they’re wasting my time with their presence
#52
She’s a narcissist so I trigger all of her narcissistic traits
#53
Became their boss. they HATED that.
#54
i kinda just go nonverbal lol
#55
Stay friendly, but document every time they are unprofessional at work, include witnesses and dates. Report findings to leadership when necessary.
#56
I just act delusional like they have no problem with me. It forces them to show everyone what type of person they really are and they fall on their own.
#57
I keep asking what her role is…and remind her that she isn’t my manager when she answers
#58
I asked her often when she was retiring
#59
I stopped masking my autism randomly when we worked together. 😁. Just with her nobody else.
#60
Pushed her to apply for a promotion she was woefully under qualified for. Watched her fail for three months before getting fired