The people working beside you can make or break your job satisfaction. Good managers and coworkers can turn even the worst jobs into something bearable.
Contrarily, bad coworkers make coming to the office a dreadful nightmare.
14 Superb Tips To Deal With A Coworker Who Lies
One of the hardest people to work with is lying coworkers. There can be reasons behind their lying.
But regardless of these reasons, it’s quite frustrating to work with someone who lies at work.
You should stay cool and calm when you have to deal with such coworkers.
Here are some tips to approach this situation in a way that doesn’t destroy the work environment.
1. Dig In The Reason Behind His Situation:
When you find out that a coworker is lying, try to understand the situation.
Find out why the person is behaving this way? What made him lie in the workplace? Is it fear or performance anxiety?
No one is born dishonest or a backstabber. Certain situations change the person into someone he didn’t want to be.
You should not go behind your coworker’s back and spread the word about his behaviors.
2. How To Deal With A Coworker Who Lies – Make Him Realize The Result:
Of course! It doesn’t mean that you can change a person in a couple of seconds. But if realization gets brought into his head, he can change.
Showing him the devastating consequences of lying and dishonesty can help a lot.
Such a realization will make your coworker see his faults. And he might try not to make the same mistakes in the future.
Bringing his behavior into his account is critical, so he realizes and does not ignore the issue.
3. Take Him To A Good Counselor:
It might cost you some money when you take a coworker to a counselor. But it would help to contribute to the betterment of society.
Taking the person to a counselor will help to open up his mind.
A counselor can better deal with it. He can make him understand his mistakes and what are the potential risks.
It’s a professional way, and the person won’t even think of repeating the same mistakes.
4. How To Deal With A Coworker Who Lies – Bring Him To Some Chit Chat:
Sometimes a simple chat will do the trick. Finding an individual while lying, it’s preferable to talk it out about it.
Let him know what his mistake is. It might be an awkward conversation, but it can be an eye-opener for everyone.
During the talk, tell the person how his behavior is affecting the people around him. Conversation can be a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but it would bring relief at the end.
Because the talk will do the magic and the person will try to forbid the mistake.
5. Keep Your Mind Open – Don’t Judge Them:
If you stay understanding during this situation, it will remove the process’s hurdles.
Also, the coworker will be comfortable opening up and tell his side of the story. He might have reasons for acting in this way.
Researchers say that people lie because of the difficulties they faced in life.
Your understanding of behavior can play an important role here. The person will open up about his feelings and. Also, it’ll give him the strength to fight the dishonesties.
6. How To Deal With A Coworker Who Lies – Avoid Bashing Him:
It’s human nature that when we find someone lying, we start to accuse him even more.
It won’t help him to feel better. Instead, he will start to feel even lower. Accusing isn’t going to help anyone. It will make your coworker feel even more miserable.
He won’t be able to come out of that and live a real life.
Accusing will also make him not open up about his situations. Thus making it all a mess!
7. Keep Your Secrets Closed In A Box:
It becomes difficult to trust such people. Thus, you shouldn’t give such coworkers big tasks to avoid any inconvenience in the future.
Give them small tasks so that even if they make some mistake, it’s easier to handle.
It cuts the effect of lying coworker’s destructive actions on the organization.
You should trust such coworkers within limits. If you tell them everything, they can distort the information into their interests.
So never trust lying coworkers with your secrets.
8. Avoid Personal Grudge While Dealing With Lying Coworker
Confronting a lying coworker won’t help to solve the situation. Involving personal grudges in such cases will add more fuel to fire.
You should be a problem solver for your organization instead of a problem creator.
So when such a situation arises, don’t let your conflict make it space into there.
You should avoid taking the lying coworker personally. If you accuse that person of so many of his mistakes, it will turn into an ugly fight.
9. You Should Not Start Gossiping:
It’s not a professional attitude to go behind your coworker’s back and talk bad about him. You shouldn’t keep telling other people about how this person behaves badly at work.
It will only give birth to gossips. Rather than talking behind his back, discover some solutions for this problem.
There can be some frustration in your coworker’s mind that’s making him lie in this pattern.
10. How To Deal With A Coworker Who Lies – Have Proof Of The Lie
The lying coworker doesn’t like this part, but it becomes inevitable at times. When you confront your coworker, and he continues to lie, then it’s necessary to provide proof.
It’s recommended to start collecting proof of the coworker’s lies. You can keep documentation in physical forms like emails.
Any document that provides physical evidence of lies can help to solve the matter.
11. Keep Your Evidence Ready To Deal With It:
When you think of discussing this issue in the office, have the proofs readily available.
Keep the collected documents in a safe place. So when you need them, these are readily available.
Physical evidence will let your coworker know that there are other aspects of the story and it’s not just an assumption.
12. Beware Of What Will Happen Next:
When you understand what impact the lies of a coworker is having on the workplace.
You can take preventive measures to stop it from doing the destruction.
Knowing the impact of the situation will also help you to discover ways to deal with it.
13. Get In Touch With Your Boss Or Human Resources:
If nothing works, you should bring that issue to your boss or HR’s account. However, approach this situation with care.
Use this approach only if their lying is impacting your or other’s performance at risk.
You can get to the roots of the problem if you calmly approach your boss. Be professional and use a non-accusatory tone.
14. Move On With Your Life:
During all this mess in the office, you must be wanting an enclosure. If you’re tired, you should put an end to it by not getting bothered much.
It would be better to stop this situation from further affecting your life in any way.
If you think you can’t do anything about it, you need to move forward in life.
Yet, dealing with this situation professionally helps in your personal development.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Deal With A Dishonest Coworker?
Show empathy and understand the motive behind their dishonesty. Try not to shame them for their acts. You can ask for help from an ethics expert. And you must set clear expectations from this situation.
How Do You Anonymously Report A Coworker?
Companies have a silent witness online reporting form for such kinds of issues. Also, there's a 24-hour anonymous tip line that lets employees solve these issues. Writing an anonymous note and slipping it under the manager's door is also the right way.
What Do You Do When You Observe Unethical Behavior By A Coworker?
If you have to report your coworker's behavior, you need to go to your supervisor. If it's your supervisor, then go to someone above them. If no one is responding, then you should report to the hierarchy of the company.
How Would You Handle An Employee Complaint Against Another Employee?
Listen thoroughly and carefully to the complaint. Ask questions as much as possible about the incident. Advise the employee to keep this issue to themselves and don't spread rumors. Ensure immediate action.
Conclusion
Protecting your reputation and peace is most essential in all these situations.
Whether you deal with a lying coworker or let it go, protecting yourself becomes critical.
Having a witness attest to what the liar said is the best way of doing so. Also, interact with the liar via emails or messages to keep a written record.
Proofs can’t make sure to protect your interest, but these can help you fight the battle!
Share your experience in the comment section below.
Last Updated on 4 hours by Assma Riaz
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