Top 5 Shameful Office Sins To Stay Clear Of

The workplace. It is the place we make friends and a place we make memories that last for years. This is also the place we discover who we really are.

But I am here to touch base with this other lot in the office. The arrogant ‘fools’ who feel that everybody should dance to their tunes because their mommies and daddies brought them up to step on other people’s toes without a care in the world.

I know you know of that ever lazy colleague in the next cubicle, who will never take part in a project, but will always be the first one to take credit for a good job well done. Then there is Sandra, the office slut who has slept with anything in a trouser in that office including the new interns.

There are also the Davids who is always being summoned by HR due to inappropriate behavior and their stupid dirty jokes they unleash on everyone.

That said, here are top 5 shameful office sins that you should stay clear of.

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Here Are Shameful Office Sins To Stay Clear Of

1. Absconding duties

This may not seem like such a deadly shameful office sin, but it is. Let’s face it; you didn’t wake up at 5, beat the traffic on Thika Road or Mombasa road just to come make coffee for a bunch of riff raffs.

However, if it’s your turn to do something just do it.

Believe it or not, this office sin may affect your chances of promotion in the future.

Know how you hate that colleague who never does anything in the office? Yeah, don’t be him. Nobody wants to work with someone who is too uptight to help in anything.

2. Faking illness

We have all been victims of this shameful office sin. You wake up late and decide that you would rather stay home than God forbid arrive at work at 9.

So you call your boss faking malaria or another disease that is yet to be discovered, leaving your already overworked colleagues to do your share of work that day.

Only call in sick when it’s genuine. Trust me, you won’t die.

3. Inappropriate internet browsing

Just because the office has excellent WI-FI doesn’t mean that it’s your golden chance to download all the latest movies and series.

I know many of us are victims of this terrible, shameful office sin. It’s in the afternoon, you are bored and so you decide that the most appropriate thing to do is to go to YouTube and watch all the funny cat videos you can find.

This is not acceptable and I cannot insist how inappropriate internet browsing is a total buzz kill and a waste of company resources.

4. Sleeping during meetings

I am sure most of us have been victims of this, especially during those boring meetings that we were not so enthusiastic to attend. This is not only inappropriate, but can portray you in a bad light to the rest of your colleagues not to mention the boss.

Imagine if you start snoring and falling off the seats. In as much as this has little effect on the company’s bank accounts, it is embarrassing for you.

If you know you are likely to sleep during a meeting, take a glass of water with you that you can sip from time to time.

5. Eating a colleague’s lunch

Yes. This should even be at the top of the list of shameful office sins. Unless it is free lunch day at the office, this is a no-go zone. It will never be alright to help yourself with another person’s food that they have taken their time to prepare.

This will cost you the trust other people had on you as well as that of your boss. Nobody wants to work with someone who can never be trusted.

We have all been on either side of the victim or the perpetrator of these shameful office sins. Well, now you are aware that these behaviors are not only irritating but can end up affecting your relationship with others in the office.

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Lilian is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. Email; lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke