In the open space, at the cafeteria or during the January team building: you have tried many times “hang“With Juliette. The problem? She insupports you to the highest point. Everything, in her, revolves to you: her tics, her way of chewing her chewing gum, the way she has to swing her foot under the table and her thousand and one anecdotes on her wedding organization. Misfortune, in all this story, is that you are forced to work with her, 08:00 per day,” Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, shares us valuable advice.
Conflicts and work: a bad combo
Relations tense between colleagues can have significant consequences on productivity and well-being at work. A study by OpinionWay thus reveals that French employees “lose average 3 hours per weeke “to manage conflicts at work, about”20 days per year“.
A substantial financial loss, which is accompanied by physical and mental disturbances: according to another report, 33 % of employees see their motivation decrease due to conflicts, 32 % feel a deterioration of their mental well-being, and 16 % use sick leave following these tensions.
Unresolved conflicts – with one or more colleagues – can also lead to increased stress, again decreasing (personal) performance within the company.
How to collaborate effectively, when you don’t like yourself?
Many surveys agree that employees are increasingly disillusioned, reduced to working “fair” for their salary. But when there is an exhausting, unented or simply exasperating office comrade, it can be difficult to perform in its conditions. Confirm that our clinical psychologist, Amélie Boukhobza confirms.
“Work with someone that we do not appreciate … It happens. Sometimes the situation can be very uncomfortable, even frankly painful. The important thing is to keep in mind that the objective is not to build a friendship, but to collaborate effectively. So to avoid that this collaboration does not poison everyday life”, says the expert.
However, there is no need to force a dummy bond. “But to flee the contact or to ruminate in his corner, it often ends up in vicious circle: all that the other does annoy us, to the point of not being able to see it at all”, she warns.
“The idea is rather to install a minimum … but functional communication. Place a clear frame – which we have to coordinate. What we expect. What we will not – and stick to it, without irony or implied”, advocates the psychologist.
No need for affection so, just respect. “Work, time, limits. Sometimes these elements are enough to defuse many tensions”, concludes Amélie Boukhobza.