How to become everyone’s favourite co-worker (and make life easier for yourself)

We all have those co-workers that just GET it.

They’re there when you need support, clear in their communications, and respectful of your time. Even if you don’t really know them outside of work, you appreciate them. So, how do you become THAT co-worker?

Over the years, I’ve observed a few common behaviours in my favourite co-workers that can be replicated in most “office” (or virtual office) jobs:

1) They make mundane tasks easier (or get rid of them)

We all have those tasks that we simply HATE. The favourite co-worker thinks of ways to streamline these tasks using automation or eliminating non-value-add tasks. They show that they care about your time.

2) They don’t treat you like a robot

Oh, you’re late to finish a task? They don’t send you a snarky email to follow-up. They remember that you’re human. They’ll give you a call or ping you to understand what’s going on and collaborate to find a way forward.

3) They send good emails (or don’t send them at all)

They outline deadlines clearly in the subject line of an email or clearly identify action items using font colours. It’s helpful when you sift through 556 emails. Whenever they can, they skip the email and use collaborative tools to manage projects or communicate asynchronously.

4) They just really care about you

They take the time to get to know you outside of work — how your day’s been or what your hobbies are. They can tell if something’s wrong and take the time to listen to your concerns. And when you’ve needed it, they’ve stepped up to help out when you’re swamped.

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