If you want to make a lasting impression in your career, there are plenty of ways to do it. You can take initiative by suggesting fresh ideas, for one. Earn the respect of your boss and colleagues. Maybe try improving some KPIs.

Or, you could take a more unconventional route, like this Redditor’s coworker, who attempted to sabotage him out of pure insecurity by tampering with his client reports. It’ll surely get you noticed—just not in a way that moves you up the ladder.

The man assumed he was making mistakes in his work

Image credits: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Until a surprising discovery exposed the real culprit

Image credits: SHVETS production/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Infinite-Chocolate46

85% of people have an annoying coworker

Image credits: RDNE Stock project/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Work is where we spend most of our waking hours, so the people around us play a big role in shaping our mood and mental well-being. With a friendly team, the days can feel productive and even enjoyable. But when the office is full of “Stephanies,” things can quickly turn unbearable.

Sadly, very few of us have the privilege of working in an environment entirely free of friction, as a survey by Kickresume revealed that a staggering 85% of employees have dealt with an annoying coworker, 58% of whom report that these behaviors significantly impact their productivity.

The data points to these as the most frequently mentioned types of irritating coworkers:

• Credit Stealer (33%)
• Micromanager (32%)
• Chronic Complainer (30%)
• Personal Space Invader (30%)
• Lunch Thief (27%)

Despite these frustrations, many people prefer to handle the situation passively. The survey found that a third of employees choose to distance themselves from annoying colleagues rather than confronting them. Meanwhile, 41% admit they wish they could tell their coworkers exactly how they feel, and others even fantasize about more drastic solutions, like getting them fired.

Peter Duris, CEO at Kickresume, explained to Forbes that this avoidance of confrontation often reflects a lack of effective communication training and conflict resolution resources in the workplace.

“Fixing these issues could make employees happier and create a more supportive work environment,” he said. “Our findings are quite concerning, so we want to highlight the importance of creating a harmonious workplace where these behaviors are addressed. This could involve diplomatically making staff aware of how their actions affect the team. Doing this will help build a more united, friendly and efficient workplace.”

Readers couldn’t decide what was more outrageous—the coworker’s actions or that she didn’t lose her job

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