The office environment in any modern-day London company is extremely busy and often quite intense. You have a lot of responsibilities and work to do. You have to be able to communicate effectively with your co-workers as well. Regrettably, this is not always possible. The conflicts in the office are not uncommon at all given the intensity of the work. That is why you have to learn how to deal with difficult colleagues. This is not an easy task, but as long as you adopt some basic rules, you will improve your work performance and your communication with co-workers.
Keep it professional – this is the best advice that any human resources expert can give you. You are highly recommended not to get too personally involved with people from your office. It is essential for you not to share any job-related problems with colleagues especially if the issue concerns another one of your co-workers. This will be accepted as gossip. In turn, this will provide for the deterioration of the office environment even further. Generally, you should never gossip even if you are tempted to. Keep in mind that you are in the office to work. However, this does not mean that you should not share your work problems. Quite the opposite, you can readily discuss any issues with your friends and loved ones.
Analyze what triggers you emotionally and avoid getting disturbed – this will help you deal with difficult people at work more easily. You cannot possibly hold your emotions even when you are in the office. That is why you have to learn how to avoid conflict. As a start, you should sit down and figure out what and who makes you angry, annoyed or upset on the job. Once you have clarified the reasons for your emotional disturbance, you can readily figure out ways in which you can calm yourself down. For instance, if there is a colleague that makes critical comments about your work, you can readily decide to tell yourself that you are a great professional every time they make a remark.
Discuss issues openly in person – this is the best way to deal with any co-worker that you have conflict with. If there is any problem between you and another colleague and the issue really affects your performance negatively, you should definitely talk to the person. Again, you have to try to keep the conversation professional. You should also be polite and show that you are open for discussion. You are highly recommended to start your sentences with “I feel” rather than with “You should”.
Talk to your manager if necessary. This should be your last resort of help, but if the situation becomes unbearable, you should not hesitate to take more drastic measures. You should not worry about sharing office issues with your manager. It is their job to ensure the work in the office goes smoothly. You can readily present your case without accusing your co-worker and without describing them in bad light. You can also mention that you are looking for advice and not necessarily for mediation.