Your colleagues can make a world of difference when it comes to liking your job. Even if it’s not the right one for you, having nice people around makes it just a little bit more bearable. And vice versa, irritating co-workers can make you dread going to work, no matter how much you used to like it. Unfortunately, it’s usually difficult to go through life without meeting at least one of the latter kind.

When it comes to annoying colleagues, they find a million ways to get on people’s nerves. Some check how long it takes until someone else cleans up their mess in the kitchen or snaps about it. Others leave their belongings all over the place, or even create safety hazards for their fellow workers. We have found pictures covering all of that and more, showing just how frustrating some co-workers can be. Scroll down to find them and make sure to appreciate the people at your workplace that don’t do any of the things you see in these images.

In order to get a better understanding of how important relationships at work are and how they affect both the employees and the company, Bored Panda has reached out to Dr. Janice Presser, originator of Teaming Science and inventor of the technology that measures collaboration between team members. You will find her thoughts in the text below.

#1 My Coworker Crossed Out Holocaust Remembrance Day So I Erased The Line And Used Sharpies So It Bleeds Through The Whole Calendar. That Way She Never Forgets It

Image credits: Solarscars

Most employees would likely agree that people you work with matter. Those who have ever worked with a friend, or at least a co-worker they get along well with, know that they often become more than just good company for lunch breaks, especially considering how much time we spend at work.

That’s also the reason why it might be so difficult to co-exist with colleagues you are not equally as fond of. Continuously dealing with their irritating ways can make even the most patient of people lose their cool. And that can be detrimental to both the employee and the business likewise.

#2 My Coworker Ned Always Kicks My Ladder Over

Image credits: Groovy_Grav_

#3 My Mom Confronted Her Coworker About How She Parked On Top Of Her Car. She’s Claiming Not Only Is There Space Between, But Has Been Bullying Her Since

Her other coworker, who is friends with this one, claims there is space between too.

Image credits: hayhaydavila

An architect of technology that measures collaboration in teams and an author, Dr. Janice Presser, pointed out that there’s nothing more annoying than someone who interferes with you doing your best job.

“It just distracts you and makes you part of the annoyance cycle,” she told Bored Panda. “You’ll end up annoying someone else, because you’re not focused on doing what needs to be done, and that will cause them to lose focus, and on and on and on.”

“If you’re spending your work time dreaming of getting revenge on your annoying colleagues, how will you ever be productive? And, all those unpleasant feelings carry over to your personal life,” she added.

#4 My Coworker, Ladies And Gentlemen

Image credits: nicknack860

#5 My Colleague’s Desktop (She Says She Keeps Them There So She Remembers To Read Them)

Image credits: Moeman101

Dr. Janice Presser emphasized that the relationship between people at work is super important for two big reasons: “First is that at most jobs you need at least one other person to actually accomplish anything. Often one of you does the front end, while the other does the finishing. For example, one person loads the truck and another one makes sure the stuff gets to the right place.

“The second reason is that we spend so much time working, life is much more satisfying when we enjoy those interactions,” she said.

#6 Coworker Wants Me To Go Out And Get Her Dinner All Because She Had An Operation Only Two Weeks Ago

Image credits: fandangooo_

#7 Gave A Coworker My Screwdriver (Not The Work’s) To Use For Literally A Day And This Is How It Came Back

Image credits: Substantial-Title-25

#8 Inspired By The Other Cigarette Butt Post. I Give You My Coworkers

Image credits: Klaxon722

Harvard Business Review (HBR) pointed out that we spend roughly nine years of our lives at work; that’s what makes having cordial colleagues all the more important. It also emphasized that maintaining good relationships with them is beneficial not only for the colleagues, but the business as well. According to HBR, having a close friend at work positively affects the company’s profitability, safety, inventory control, and employee retention.

#9 How My Coworkers “Clean” The Washrooms

Image credits: Upper_Wishbone_4036

#10 Coworker Asked Me To Cover Her Shift Over A Week Ago And Now, The Day Before, Demands It Back

Image credits: budderrr

#11 A Coworker’s New Ink

Image credits: Computrsaysno

Harvard Business Review also revealed that colleagues who are on good terms tend to be more committed, they communicate better and encourage each other more. In addition to that, they provide much-needed social interaction, whether it’s face-to-face or remotely (which was especially important during the pandemic). HBR pointed out that such employees are more likely to recommend their workplace to others, less inclined to leave, and showcase a higher overall satisfaction with the workplace.

#12 An Old Coworker Thought This Was A Good Idea For Halloween

Image credits: reddit.com

#13 I Have A Coworker Who Glues Down Dollar Bills And Coins/Fake Coins And Laughs At Homeless People Struggling To Pick Them Up

Image credits: Mmm510916

#14 The Mess I Watched My Coworkers Left. To Those Of You That Say I Should Have Cleaned It Up, I Am Not Cleaning Someone’s Mess On My 20-Minute Break

Image credits: DarkAngelGamer69

Expert of collaboration in teams Dr. Janice Presser told Bored Panda that good relationships at work sometimes also develop as a “side effect” when employees are encouraged to work on what they like and do best.

“The one piece of advice I’ve given every business leader I’ve ever worked with to improve their organization is this: people do best what they like best, and they like best what they do best,” the expert said. “Try reconfiguring what you need done so that everyone gets to do what they like. Every. Single. Day. The side effect will be an increase in collegial cooperation, synergy, and your bottom line.”

#15 This Guy Always Comes Into My Work And Asks My Married Coworker For Her Number

Image credits: cclbj

#16 This Coffee Cup My Boyfriend’s Colleague Uses

Image credits: dinglebop69

#17 My Coworker Drags The Front Of His Foot When He Walks

Image credits: PhilsPhoreskin

Data provided by Wildgoose revealed that nowadays employees prioritize happiness over salary, and nearly 60% of them agree that having a “work best friend” makes the job more enjoyable. Just over 20% of employed people say that such a colleague makes them more productive and more creative as well.

#18 The Way My Colleague Leaves The Sink Every Time

Image credits: astardB

#19 I Work With Savages

Image credits: dal0512

#20 What A Wonderful Day For Malicious Compliance

At the counter where I work, there’s a box of Kleenex.  I used a couple yesterday to blow my nose, and they turned out to be the last two.  The person I share a chair with (he on days, me on nights) left me another of his sparkling notes I get if a pen was left 2° out of alignment.  Apparently, he was kvetching all day over it.  I decided, well, I did use some, so I must fix this.

Image credits: devo27

Wildgoose also pointed out that as much as 15% of those surveyed admitted they don’t have a friend at work even though they’d like to. Another survey found that not all employees are equally willing to make friends with their colleagues; some would rather leave the company altogether. Fast Company revealed that as much as one in three workers have considered quitting because of a co-worker they can’t stand.

#21 The People I Work With

Image credits: Bf_109E-7

#22 I Love My Job And The People I Work With

Image credits: Yodel_li

#23 2nd Time My Coworker Has Had To Ask People Not To Eat Her Lunch Out Of The Fridge. We Have No Clue Who’s Doing It

Image credits: chungoglungus

The situations captured in these pictures are likely to be the reasons some people hate their co-workers. Having to clean up others’ messes at work, whether quite literally or not, is tiresome and annoying at best. It’s also quite disrespectful towards the colleagues, which doesn’t really help with building the foundation for a friendship as well.

#24 My Coworker Puts His Coffee Creamer In Breast Milk Bags In The Common Fridge

Image credits: ProudTacoman

#25 A Department Manager Did This To My Bike When I Had It In The Back For A Single Day

Image credits: AutismAsylum

#26 The Staff Microwave At My Work After Hiring A Bunch Of 15-Year-Olds With No Manners

Image credits: DarkAngelGamer69

The infuriating colleagues responsible for these pictures are far from the only annoying employees people have to deal with. If you’d like to see proof of that, browse these lists previously shared by Bored Panda of people having a miserable day thanks to their evil co-workers or of people who are not meant to work with others at all.

If you’re looking for something more positive, click here for some actually wholesome things co-workers do for one another.

#27 Former Coworker Asks For Theme Park Tickets In A Birthday Text. Classy

Image credits: shay_bot

#28 My Coworkers Open A Water Bottle And Just Put It In The Fridge Without Labeling It. There’s So Much Wasted Water

Image credits: johnnylover

#29 The Keyboard That I Have To Use Was Passed Down To Me By The Previous Technician

Image credits: FraktalFire

#30 I Let My Coworker Borrow A Drill Bit And This Is How He Returned It

Image credits: misterboris1

#31 My Coworker Always Sits Like This In My Work Truck

Image credits: Phishphrog

#32 The Way My Coworker Saves Gum

Image credits: gamerzups

#33 A Coworker Broke The Break Room Microwave By Zapping A Camera. When Confronted He Said He Was “Making A Troll Post”

Image credits: Huggens

#34 I (30-Year-Old Male) Participated In Secret Santa At Work, Asked For Sport Equipment, Got This Instead

Image credits: gonehalohunting

#35 My Coworkers Are Built Different

Image credits: ODIUM29A

#36 Messages From A Coworker That I Hadn’t Seen Or Talked To In A Year And A Half

Image credits: poizunman206

#37 I Work With The Best And Brightest

Image credits: TheSlopingCompanion

#38 The Way My Coworker Makes Up Boxes

Image credits: olive-bernie

#39 How My Coworker Eats His Pizza

Image credits: err404unkwn

#40 The Way My Coworker Opens The Resealable Bags

Image credits: Easily_distractd

#41 Boss Brought In A Few Cinnamon Rolls To Share. One Of My Coworkers Did This

Image credits: Firefliesfast

#42 I’m A Hairstylist And My Coworker Cut My Hair Today

I trust her and I didn’t look at the back until later. I don’t know what happened, she is usually very good. My boyfriend said I must have pissed her off to deserve this.

Image credits: gamercouplelolz

#43 My Coworkers Left The Dumpster Area Like This. Help Me Come Up With An Angry, Yet Professional Message For The Group Chat

Image credits: Deep-Discipline-7441

#44 Waxed The Floors Yesterday, And Today Coworkers Took The Lift Out Through The Gym When There Is Another Way Out

Image credits: Jonnyboii321

#45 Old Coworker Of Mine Bashed Me For Getting A New Job And Now Wants My Employee Discount

Image credits: SupremeSaleem

#46 My Coworkers Are Too Lazy To Replace The Trash Bags

Image credits: HowlingWolves24

#47 What Kind Of Monster Do I Work With That Leaves A Single Slice Of Cheesecake And Cuts Into A New One

Image credits: rowenstraker

#48 Cleaned This Car 3 Weeks Ago Inside Out. This Is How My Coworker Left It When He Went For Holiday

Image credits: aatsipoppaa98

#49 Person Complains About Coworker Buying Plain/Glazed Donuts To Work As A Gift Instead Of Frosted Ones

Image credits: the-friendly-squid

#50 A Colleague Went On Holiday And Left His Drink For Us To Clean Up Days Later

Image credits: CplThomas2000

Source: boredpanda.com