When To Go To HR About A Coworker – 11 Must Situations

Written By Aleena

Everyone has that person on the job who drives them up a wall. You know, the slacker who doesn’t pull his weight, etc. Well, you might wonder: “when to go to HR about a coworker”?

Going to HR is essential if you want to get rid of that person. However, you do not want to accuse someone without being sure that your case is solid and foolproof.

When To Go To HR About A Coworker – 11 Must Situations

The first thing to do is confront your coworker about his inappropriate behavior.

If he denies everything, that’s the time when you should think about going to HR. We will discuss what sort of behavior is unacceptable:

1. If Your Coworker Is Stealing From The Company:

These people are experts at what they do, and most likely, you won’t be able to catch them. However, if you do, and the evidence is overwhelming, your case against them will be much stronger.

lying employees

When someone steals from the company, the HR department will not only look at them, but they will also look at you.

If they find out that you knew about it and did nothing about it, they will certainly punish you.

2. If Your Coworker Is Harassing You:

It’s tough to prove that someone is harassing you, but if he has already done something illegal towards you, take note of it and consider talking to HR.

The following are behaviors that constitute harassment:

– Making comments about your appearance

– Insulting you in any way

– Spreading rumors about you

– Asking you out on a date and not taking no for an answer.

If you find out that your coworker is trying to sabotage you, this would also be harassment. These are all enough reasons for HR to intervene and take the necessary actions:

– If he’s stealing from the company

– When he is harassing you

– If he’s discriminating against you because of your race, religion, etc.

3. If Your Colleague Is Not Pulling His Weight:

We’ve all had those days we wish we could sleep in late and skip work altogether.

It seems like there’s always one person who takes advantage of this feeling and shirks his responsibilities as soon as it gets tricky.

This behavior doesn’t only affect the morale of your team, but it also affects your work. Unfortunately, the only way to resolve this issue is by going to HR.

They will talk with both of you to figure out who’s at fault here and what sort of actions you should take. This coworker might end up reprimanded or even fired.

However, it would help if you didn’t jump to conclusions when talking about it. They want to get an idea of what happened first before deciding on any action.

4. If Your Coworker Is Not Doing His Work:

Sometimes you’ll find yourself stuck doing someone else’s job instead. Your coworker isn’t supposed to be doing anything strenuous but ended up taking on a lot of work.

It’s essential to remember that this behavior isn’t only about laziness. It also has an impact on your productivity when you’re stuck doing someone else’s job.

dont give up

If your coworker wants to take advantage of their position by doing very little, then it’s up to HR to put a stop to it.

But, if they have too much work and your coworker doesn’t pull their weight because of this, let them know how you feel about it.

If they refuse to stand up for themselves, then it might be time for you to go over HR’s head and talk with your boss.

5. Your Coworker’s Actions Are Making The Rest Of The Team Unhappy:

Sometimes everyone on the team will get fed up with an individual problem child. When everyone starts complaining about one person, it means that there’s something wrong.

They will let HR know how unhappy everyone else is and figure out what to do. It depends on the situation on what steps HR will take, and whether they will let your coworker go or not.

If you’re having problems with a coworker, make sure you document every instance.

If it’s done right, then everyone can enjoy this new change and move forward together under a new set of rules.

6. If Your Coworker Bullies You:

Unfortunately, some people pretend they do not know when a coworker is being bullied. Many people would rather look the other way instead of getting involved.

They do not want to get in trouble for doing something wrong. It is the type of behavior that everyone needs to change if we move forward from this problem.

Bullying has been a problem for a very long time. It’s still happening everywhere. Mostly are those places where there aren’t any strict policies against bullying.

It might be hard for someone who has never been a victim of bullying to understand. At times it feels like there’s no escape from it.

It can lead them into depression or leave them feeling hopeless. Before it gets too bad, you should try talking with HR.

Tell them what your coworker has been doing to you or make it clear that this type of behavior is not okay.

7. Your Coworker Is A Liar:

Sometimes people will feel that they need to lie about what is happening at work. They think it’s the only way they’re going to get ahead. Unfortunately, lying is never the correct answer.

Everyone needs to know what type of behavior is unacceptable in the workplace. It can affect your career if HR catch you doing something wrong.

When To Go To HR About A Coworker (2)

If it becomes a habit, you’ll have difficulty finding another job anywhere else.

If you find out that one of your coworkers has lied about something serious, then try talking with HR.

8. Your Coworker Hurts Your Productivity:

Sometimes an individual problem child can be a massive distraction at work. It means the rest of the team will have difficulty getting anything done.

They may enjoy being disruptive. They may not know any other way to behave in a professional environment.

If this behavior becomes a regular thing in your office, then it might be time for HR to step in and take action.

If you’re having problems with a coworker, make sure you document every instance. Talk to HR about it as soon as possible.

9. If You Have Personal Conflict With One Of Your Coworkers:

Sometimes, people are in the middle of a personal conflict with their coworkers. It means they are unable to work together on anything.

When you feel like there’s no way to resolve this type of behavior without causing more problems, bring it to HR.

Unfortunately, some people will create more problems for their coworkers. This type of person does not care about anyone else.

They don’t even consider what they’re doing as a problem. Everyone who works in the office should know what is acceptable behavior and what isn’t.

If you can, try talking with HR yourself. Go to HR before bringing up the subject with someone who has more authority.

10. Your Colleague Gossips Too Much (Or Brings Up Personal Matters):

If someone in your office discusses a personal matter or gossip about others, go to HR about it.

You should know that if you are the type of person who enjoys gossiping, it might be better to find a new job.

The following company will appreciate your positive attitude. They won’t mind if you don’t love gossiping about people behind their backs.

When To Go To HR About A Coworker

If someone is bringing up personal matters at work but refuses to stop, try talking with HR yourself. Don’t give up on this problem completely.

11. If Your Colleague Is Verbally Abusive Or Physically Violent:

No matter the reason for someone being verbally abusive, it’s not acceptable. Even if you can’t understand why anyone would ever lash out like this, it’s still not okay.

Inform HR if someone calls names or gets physically violent with another coworker. Verbal abuse is never okay, and it can hurt the rest of your team.

Unfortunately, some people will do this for sport. This behavior is not acceptable under any circumstances.

However, unfortunately, these people always think they’re in the right. If you feel intimidated or threatened by someone else at work, then talk with HR as soon as possible.

Conclusion:

It’s always better to talk with HR about your concerns before getting the issue out of hand. A big part of HR is preventing problems, not solving them.

If you find yourself in the middle of a personal conflict with one of your coworkers, then try talking with HR. If it becomes a habit, you may not be given a chance to solve it yourself.

If someone in your office is emotionally or verbally abusive, it might be time for HR. Let them get involved and set some boundaries.

Gossiping too much about personal matters at work is never okay. If one of your coworkers does this all the time, then give them a chance to stop.

However, it might be time to bring up the matter with HR if they refuse.

Last Updated on 2 years by Shahzaib Arshad

Aleena

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