An exasperated woman cries for help on the phone, circa 1940. Fox Photos/Getty Images
Ask A Manager

What to do when a colleague gets on your last nerve

Marketplace Weekend Staff Feb 6, 2018
An exasperated woman cries for help on the phone, circa 1940. Fox Photos/Getty Images

Unless you work alone, you spend more time with colleagues than your own family.

What does this mean? Well, there are the upsides; enjoying witty banter that breaks up the day, having an ally to compare notes about the boss with or being able to share a high-five for a job well done.

There are, of course, downsides to spending so much time with people at work. You know, the co-worker who likes to share EVERY detail of their life, when you ask a simple “how are you doing?” Or how about the person a couple of cubicles down who monopolizes meetings? And can we talk about the colleague who just hangs out next to you while you’re trying to work?

Ask A Manager’s Alison Green is back with the Marketplace Weekend team to answer your questions about dealing with annoying co-workers, and what to do if you suspect you’re the one getting on everyone’s nerves. Oops.

You can leave your story on the voicemail line 1-800-648-5114 or add a comment in the box below, and one of the Marketplace Weekend team will be in touch.












There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.