17 signs your coworkers secretly hate you
"Most coworkers won't overtly show their disdain for you so as not to cause trouble or jeopardize their own careers," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job." "They may make life difficult for you, but they'll probably try to stay under the radar. Still, there are subtle red flags that they're not out for your best interests."
You'll want to know those signs, says Taylor, so you can spot them when they're present and turn things around before it's too late.
"Of course, it's impossible to be liked by everyone in the office," she explains. But you should always strive to be sensitive to the needs of your fellow coworker; remain upbeat and friendly; communicate openly; and give colleagues the benefit of the doubt. "Those who do this have a far brighter career future," she says. "Plus, when have strong, healthy workplace relationships, you will be more effective and accomplished in your job."
Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," agrees. "When your coworkers like you, everything becomes easier," he says. "People have your back when you need it the most, you can ask for and get favors more easily, people will volunteer to help in times of need, and you can get far better cooperation even across departments." Being well liked will boost your morale which in turn will make you more productive, focused, creative, and successful in everything you do, he says.
Here are 17 subtle signs your coworkers secretly hate you. Keep in mind that you may just be misreading their body language or tone - the workplace is certainly not immune to human misunderstanding and no one is a mind reader. But if you notice you're the only victim of these behaviors, it probably means they don't like you.