How To Deal With Fake Coworkers Professionally

Are you having issues with some colleagues that may praise you in your presence, then say rubbish behind your back? Here in this article, you will find proven ways to deal with fake coworkers.

It is not possible to be treated fairly or loved by everyone at your place of work. A few annoying ones will always be their usual fake self.

It is very annoying having such a person in your place of work. You might not know what to do to such a person.

You might be asking yourself whether you should pretend like you don’t know, Be phony as the person, report to your boss, or confront such person outright.

Continue reading to find out the best way to deal with a fake coworker and how to make your life at your workplace better.

Signs Of Fake Coworkers

There are a lot of signs that will let you realize your coworker is fake. Below are the main signs you will see;

  1. In one way or the other, they will indirectly tell you how exciting and fun your work is compared to theirs.
  2. You might often help them when they are stuck but when you are, they will claim to be too busy.
  3. They will always mock you instead of congratulating you when you get recognition from your boss.
  4. They might resent, gossip, say bad things about you or openly condemn you.
  5. They fail to invite you when they have dinner, coffee, or a party with other colleagues.
  6. Some fake coworkers may ignore you when you talk to them.
  7. They most times disagree with you or fail to cooperate with you.
  8. They blatantly lie against you.
  9. They purposely omit you from emails or meeting notifications just to see you receive queries.

How To Deal With Fake Coworkers

Below are proven ways that will help you deal with two-faced coworkers in your firm;

Make Sure Your Suspicion Is True

Before crucifying this colleague, make sure what you actually think is true. Let not be hearsay that this colleague is behaving like this.

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Make sure you witness the suspect doing this. Rather than acting on assumptions or conclusions, make sure your facts are straightforward.

This will save you from a lot of trouble that you might encounter if the rumor is not true.

Interact Less With Them

The less you interact with them the better your peace of mind. Know that you only get to keep your distance if you have confirmed your suspicion.

Keep your interactions only work-related and professional unless the need otherwise arises.

If you are certain that your co-staff is sneaky or after your job, there is no need to reveal personal matters to them.

And to also keep a neat trail, you need to avoid gossiping about others. Usually, anything you say about anybody might likely get back to the person.

So it is better to make yourself look like the better person by avoiding gossip too.

Have A One-on-one Private Chat

To clear up things faster, you might consider talking to this coworker privately. To do this, you can invite him or her to lunch or coffee.

Explain the reason for this meeting. Tell him or her what you found out and allow him or her to explain the reasons for such action.

Ignore Their Behaviour

Another thing you can do concerning how to deal with a backstabbing coworker is to ignore their behavior.

If you can pretend as if nothing is happening or you don’t know about what is happening then that is also good.

It is better to brush this behavior off since you cannot control everything that a coworker does. This is only if this act is a minor one.

Document Every Encounter

If you think this coworker is out to make your life a living hell, then you should keep a record of everything negative or misleading that occurs.

Whether you end up reporting this to your superiors or talking to the two-faced coworker directly, you must provide proof to show how authentic your complaint is.

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These proofs can be in form of call logs, emails, recordings, and text messages. You need to also have proof to counter their attack on you.

Because there is no need to fight for something if you are truly a defaulter.

Indulge With Other Coworkers

If you are certain about the particular fake coworkers, then try indulging with other colleagues. Have lunch and coffee with them when you guys are free.

This will help reduce the dread of coming to the office daily. At least you will have other things to look up to instead of hatred.

Talk To Your Boss

This might be your last resort when every other thing on how to deal with a backstabbing coworker fails.

Without presenting evidence of your complaints to your boss, your complaints might not be taken seriously.

Request for a private meeting with your boss or HR and lay a calm and detailed complaint. They might just be able to help you tackle this situation.

Find A New Job and Avoid The Revenge Trap

If you have tried your best in the ways I have listed above and the situation seems to increase and is unbearable, then it is time to start searching for a new job.

You might be tempted to same behavior on your fake colleague. But it is better to leave all revenge and find a new job if need be.

This might be difficult, but working in an unconducive environment is even worst. You are very likely to find coworkers that will love you without being two-faced.

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FAQ

Below are some of the frequently asked questions that you might be also seeking answers to and their answers;

How Do You Spot Fake Coworkers?

Spotting a two-faced coworker is very easy. Below are some simple tips on spotting them;

  • They try hard to be liked.
  • They want to attract attention.
  • They are ostentatious.
  • They constantly gossip about everyone.
  • They judge only.
  • They quickly forget those who supported and helped them.
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How Do You Deal With Fake Colleagues?

There are many ways to deal with your fake colleagues but your best bet is to start directly with the person who’s causing the problem.

Request to schedule a sit-down with him or her where you both can have some private and quiet space to talk you don’t need this to turn into a recess-fist-fight scenario.

Instead, just bring up the behavior that’s been bothering you.

What Are The Signs Of A Jealous Colleague?

Below are the ways to tell if a coworker is jealous of you;

  • In one way or the other, they will indirectly tell you how exciting and fun your work is than theirs.
  • You might often help them when they are stuck but when you are, they will claim to b too busy.
  • They will always mock you instead of congratulating you when you get recognition from your boss.
  • They might resent, gossip, say bad things about you or openly condemn you.
  • They fail to invite you when they have dinner, coffee, or a party with other colleagues.
  • Some fake coworkers may ignore you when you talk to them.
  • They most times disagree with you or fail to cooperate with you.
  • They bluntly lie against you.
  • They purposely omit you from emails or meeting notifications just to see you receive queries.

What Are Toxic Or Fake Coworkers?

Toxic or fake coworkers are colleagues who are rude, disrespectful, aggressive, blame others for their mistakes, and are always greedy or unsatisfied.

Conclusion

Going to work every day with the knowledge of someone hating you for what you have no control of is dreadful and dealing with two-faced coworkers can be very difficult.

In the end, the choice is yours if you wish to put up with this coworker, deal with them in the ways above, or the end, leave the job for them.

References