Don’t Let It Rub Off On You: The 5 Types Of Co-workers You Should Avoid

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Sometimes, co-workers can easily become our friends. Other times, co-workers can make us consider quitting our jobs. Some co-workers we feel neutral about and some co-workers we forget even exist.
The relationship you have with your co-workers is partially up to you. But how you behave in the workplace to your co-workers is mostly up to you. And we’ve all known a few co-worker types we’d rather not engage, and probably should avoid becoming as well.
Here are a few of the worst ones:

1. The Gossip
As much as everyone likes to know the person who always has the 411, it is in your best interests to not become the person who is always dishing out everything about everybody. Sure, everybody likes you because they can always come to you to know the juicy details that nobody else knows. But rest assured, that when things get real or go south as far as gossip becoming scandal, you will be on of the first people thrown under the bus.
2. The Slacker
We all have ups and downs. Nobody can be on top of their game 100% of the time. But if people can tell that you’re not putting in any effort, and you’ve not been putting in any effort for a while, they are going to resent you. People do not like to feel like they are working hard while the person next to them isn’t, and you’re both collecting paychecks. Most likely, people will avoid helping you in any shape or form if you become this person.
3. The Manager Wannabe
There is nothing quote like the co-worker who is in a similar position in the company as far as responsibility or decision-making goes, that goes around thinking thy are the manager. Giving you orders, setting deadlines, or making decisions for people that nobody asked them to. The only thing this will earn you is a lot of side-eyes from people. Sure, you might want to show the real manager you can be a leader but you won’t get there by alienating your other co-workers.
4. The Boss’s Pet
The Boss’s pet is the one who tries to suck up to the boss with absolutely no shame. Always being a tattle-tale, running to them with everything under the sun, and always looking to score cheap points. They’re not particularly interested in working or working their way up. In that way, they’re  different from The Manager Wannabe because they’re only real goal is to be in good standing with the boss. They are the ultimate “yes man,” and they make everyone’s life harder because of it.
5. The Glory Hunter
Chances are even if your job primarily involves you accomplishing things individual, you probably work in some sort of team. Teams fail together and teams succeed together. Teams get angry at each other and teams celebrate together. Unless of course you want to be this person who is always searching for every opportunity to take credit, even when things are clearly a team effort. It’s one thing to want to be recognized for your work, it’s another to completely be searching for it in every place possible at work.
What other types of coworkers should we avoid becoming?