Negative co-worker causing stress.
July 5, 2015 7:28 PM Subscribe
Should I start looking for another job?
I started this new job a few months ago. It's only purpose is to keep income flowing so it's not related to anything that I'd like to do as a career. It's a shipping and receiving position for a relatively small company. I work with three other co-workers in small-ish room creating labels for shipping and packing items.
This one particular co-worker has been a pain since day one. Upon meeting her for the first time, she was rude and dismissive. Her position is "assistant to the supervisor", but the title doesn't really mean much. She continued not saying a word to me and only ever barking orders at me. I thought this would pass since I was the new guy so it didn't bother me much. She never says good morning or goodnight. She constantly gossips with other co-workers (whispering and such). The positive thing about her is that she gets the job done. There are times where we would be the only people in the room and there would be dead silence. Any attempt at conversation would be met with one word answers.
A few weeks pass and the owner of the company (who regularly is around us but not all of the time) took notice. She brought it up at my first evaluation and I honestly said that I have no idea why she wasn't talking to me. The owner then said that she has a "strong personality" and that she would have to trust me first before she can become friendly. I thought that was kind of odd. This co-worker has been with the company for six years also. A few months pass and she is still the way she is. Since I've made a few mistakes on the job, it's safe to say that she doesn't trust me. The mornings are the worst because she's completely quiet and negative. The only way to break the silence is if I make small talk with the other co-worker (who also is known to have a short fuse).
I'm confused as to whether or not this is a good reason to leave, or if I have to learn to suck it up and get through the job. I've brought up this problem (which also results in a communication problem within the department) to my supervisor and the owner - and they ALWAYS simply dismiss it. In my last evaluation; I was speaking very seriously about the negative environment in the department and I was met with laughs. They simply just laugh it off and keep repeating that she has a "strong personality" and that I should "avoid her in the mornings". This frustrated me a lot because I feel at times I'm being bullied by being ignored by this particular co-worker.
I'm not trying to get her fired, and I know I'm not going to get along with everyone at work - but if I have to work closely with this co-worker and communicate with her often - I can't help but complain. I'm confused as to whether or not I'm being "too sensitive". If I am, I am.
Thank you for reading.
I started this new job a few months ago. It's only purpose is to keep income flowing so it's not related to anything that I'd like to do as a career. It's a shipping and receiving position for a relatively small company. I work with three other co-workers in small-ish room creating labels for shipping and packing items.
This one particular co-worker has been a pain since day one. Upon meeting her for the first time, she was rude and dismissive. Her position is "assistant to the supervisor", but the title doesn't really mean much. She continued not saying a word to me and only ever barking orders at me. I thought this would pass since I was the new guy so it didn't bother me much. She never says good morning or goodnight. She constantly gossips with other co-workers (whispering and such). The positive thing about her is that she gets the job done. There are times where we would be the only people in the room and there would be dead silence. Any attempt at conversation would be met with one word answers.
A few weeks pass and the owner of the company (who regularly is around us but not all of the time) took notice. She brought it up at my first evaluation and I honestly said that I have no idea why she wasn't talking to me. The owner then said that she has a "strong personality" and that she would have to trust me first before she can become friendly. I thought that was kind of odd. This co-worker has been with the company for six years also. A few months pass and she is still the way she is. Since I've made a few mistakes on the job, it's safe to say that she doesn't trust me. The mornings are the worst because she's completely quiet and negative. The only way to break the silence is if I make small talk with the other co-worker (who also is known to have a short fuse).
I'm confused as to whether or not this is a good reason to leave, or if I have to learn to suck it up and get through the job. I've brought up this problem (which also results in a communication problem within the department) to my supervisor and the owner - and they ALWAYS simply dismiss it. In my last evaluation; I was speaking very seriously about the negative environment in the department and I was met with laughs. They simply just laugh it off and keep repeating that she has a "strong personality" and that I should "avoid her in the mornings". This frustrated me a lot because I feel at times I'm being bullied by being ignored by this particular co-worker.
I'm not trying to get her fired, and I know I'm not going to get along with everyone at work - but if I have to work closely with this co-worker and communicate with her often - I can't help but complain. I'm confused as to whether or not I'm being "too sensitive". If I am, I am.
Thank you for reading.
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I'm confused as to whether or not I'm being "too sensitive"
If you don't like a job, you don't have to do it. All you need to do is find another one. Given that you describe this job as just to "keep income flowing", it seems to me that finding an equivalent or better one is a good thing to do.
This is just like relationships - you can have any desire for your job that you want, it's just that your particular desires may be hard to fulfill. In this particular case, I think working in something other than silence for your entire day is a particularly easy desire to fulfill. I wouldn't expect, for instance, a lengthy discussion on Baudrillard, but a few sentences every once in a while is not too much of a burden for most people.
posted by saeculorum at 7:36 PM on July 5, 2015
If you don't like a job, you don't have to do it. All you need to do is find another one. Given that you describe this job as just to "keep income flowing", it seems to me that finding an equivalent or better one is a good thing to do.
This is just like relationships - you can have any desire for your job that you want, it's just that your particular desires may be hard to fulfill. In this particular case, I think working in something other than silence for your entire day is a particularly easy desire to fulfill. I wouldn't expect, for instance, a lengthy discussion on Baudrillard, but a few sentences every once in a while is not too much of a burden for most people.
posted by saeculorum at 7:36 PM on July 5, 2015
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posted by sacrifix at 7:31 PM on July 5, 2015 [2 favorites]