How to be a better co-worker

Remember when L.C. and Whitney "worked" at Teen Vogue 

You're finally out of the unemployed recent grad category. You found a new job - maybe it's exactly in the field you wanted, maybe it just pays the bills. Either way, your co-workers are going to be the people you spend most of your day with. Seriously, I've seen our I.T. Bob exponentially more that I've seen my dad in the last few months, and Bob is literally always hiding. Being a good co-worker is essential to maintaining a healthy work environment which in turn leads to increased productivity and a less stressful day (I don't have stats but my personal experience will suffice here). Co-workers don't have to be your friends, however being friendly can improve workplace interactions. I've been working since I was 15 (when is retirement, y'all) and I've made and continue to make many mistakes in the co-worker field. Here are few lessons I learned that helped me become a better co-worker:

1. Always say good-morning - Your parents would be proud and so would the Head Nun from your primary school (again, trust me, from personal experience). A co-worker can see you walking by their cubicle and not saying high as you being rude and already form a negative opinion of you. So say hello to everyone, it cost nothing and takes like 3 seconds out of your day. At one internship I would simply rush to my desk and hide from everyone and I overheard people sayinh I was rude, but really I was just shy and felt like an unimportant intern.



2. Be aware if something is happening and their life - On my birthday at my first job, everyone wished me happy birthday, except for my boss. Of course, he probably didn't know it was my birthday but I remember being feeling hurt. If you know it was someone's birthday, send them your best wishes. Likewise if you heard they lost someone, send condolences.

3. Participate in work activities -  I  once had an upcoming trip down South for which I booked all kinds of beauty appointments on the same night as a work dinner. You cannot go to Miami looking basic. I skipped the work dinner thinking my absence wouldn't be noticed. Wrong. My boss mentioned it casually many times after the dinner. "Well since you didn't come to the dinner...". Even though you have left school and attendance checks aren't performed, they are still very much a tool used by employers to evaluate you.

4. Tell your coworkers  about your life - I'm not saying to let them know about all the mundane details of your weekend or your kid's soccer game (don't do that, it's boring) but things such as you your engagement or you got a new dog are safe. If all of a sudden you request time off to take your sick dog to the vet but never mentioned you had a dog, it may look fishy.

5. Inform your coworkers that you will be away - When I went on the aforementioned trip down south, I didn't tell my coworkers and simply booked a couple days off. The day I was leaving, my boss invited me to a sports game, great seats, with other senior members of our company. Pretty exclusive invitation but I had to decline since I would be away. Safe to say I have never been invited to the game again. Since most of work is interactions, it's necessary to let others know when you will not be available.

6. Let go of the little arguments - Honestly, it's not worth it. If the person is jeopardising your chances of advancing within the company, then that's different and you may diplomatically confront them about it. If the person (Bob from I.T.) never covers his food in the microwave and it leaves major stains, let it go.