Everyone wants to be liked at their workplace. It plays a crucial role in both career success and maintaining healthy relationships with coworkers. However, there are certain behaviours that, if unchecked, can make you less likeable at work. It’s important to recognise these signs early and take steps to address them.
Here are five signs that you might be becoming less likeable at the workplace, along with tips on how to reverse the situation.
Lack of eye contact
If people at work usually avoid making eye contact with you, there might be something wrong with your behaviour, says entrepreneur and investor Jinay Savla. To overcome this, he suggests directly asking the person who is avoiding eye contact with you, the reason behind it. “When your colleagues don’t tend to look you in the eye and talk - that’s when a person isn’t liked at all. Overcoming this is simple - just go and speak with those who are avoiding eye contact and ask them what’s wrong and how I can become better. Such things happen when you are not being disciplined about your work. Since no one will come on the fact and tell the person that he/she is taking a salary for nothing, but they will start keeping a distance,” Jinay shares.
Constant complaining
If most of your conversations revolve around complaints about work, management, or colleagues, it’s a red flag. Constant negativity can create a toxic atmosphere, making others avoid you. To combat this, shift your focus from the problems to finding solutions. Cultivating a habit of gratitude and bringing positivity into your interactions can make a huge difference in how others perceive you. Priyanka Sachdeva, Head of Human Resources, lendingplate, Unifinz Capital India Limited, says, “When it comes to work, colleagues or generally life, those people who constantly vent out their disappointments might come off as pessimistic. Always try to think about finding solutions and good sides of situations so you can stop complaining all the time.”
Lack of trust
The reason why you have been hired is to be reliable when it comes to work. One of the reasons why people don’t like you at work can be that you are being unreliable. Ridhima Kansal, Director, Rosemoore, says, “Reliability is a key aspect regarding how others view you. For instance, if you are missing deadlines, coming late to meetings or not following through on commitments it could be affecting their liking of you. Your colleagues expect you to be trustworthy and when that trust is broken it may breed anger and disapproval.”
To overcome this, she suggests spending more time working on your ability to manage time to enhance productivity at the workplace. It should include prioritizing what needs to be done first, setting realistic goal dates as well as being honest with oneself about what can be done and by who. “By constantly meeting the requirements of others we will gain back their faith in us hence developing our reputation.”
Negative body language
Your body language says a lot about your attitude. Crossed arms, avoiding eye contact, or a flat tone can make you seem unapproachable. Simple gestures like smiling, maintaining an open posture, and engaging in active listening can go a long way in improving your relationships with co-workers.
Lack of empathy
It is important to be social with your co-workers and have a sense of empathy towards them. Amit Bansal, Founder, of BharatLoan, believes individuals who become more involved in office politics or struggle to adapt to change may also find themselves less well-liked. To counteract this, it's important to enhance communication skills—practice active listening, ensure your messages are clear and considerate, and engage more with your team. “Additionally, actively participate in company initiatives, showing that you are invested in the company’s success. Building strong relationships and being transparent can go a long way in improving workplace dynamics,” Amit adds. Also, if you are perceived as indifferent to others’ feelings, it can distance you from your peers. Empathy is crucial for building strong bonds at work.
