Spending an awful amount of time at work and interacting closely with co-workers can create the perfect atmosphere to share and divulge information about yourself. However, one must be careful to not blur the line between appropriate information and building confidences that might be detrimental to your career.
Whether you’re a veteran in the industry or a fresher, similar rules apply. Here are five things that you don’t want to share with your colleagues.
1) Rants about your boss, colleague or workplace
It’s become a trend to display our personal life on public platforms like Facebook and Twitter. While opinions around that may differ, one thing is certainly taboo- posting negative comments about your work. It is tempting to vent your frustrations out and feel pushed by the press of the ‘Like’ button, but try to keep your dirty office talk to your closest circle outside of work.
2) Controversy causing opinions
We can’t stress enough on the importance of keeping mum about controversial topics related to the workplace. No good can come from discussions that ruffle some feathers among your peers. So, be warned.
3) Sickness Talk
While it’s nice to boast that you work out five days a week, be very careful while discussing ailments and health related problems. Not only can they make your colleagues uncomfortable but also come in the way of your future prospects at work.
4) Home and relationship troubles
Nobody likes negativity of any kind, especially when it revolves around your personal life. Your boss may have second thoughts about your promotion if he/she is aware of unfavorable conditions at your home. He/she may think you are not ready to take on additional workload. While there is nothing wrong in sharing a little about yourself and your family and other relationships, know when you are crossing the line.
5) How much money you take home
If you’re hoping to find out how much the guy sitting across the cubicle makes by sharing your own salary, you may be getting yourself into trouble. Revealing details about your payslip can cause resentment among your co-workers. The management may have its own reasons to pay different amounts for the same job but the employees may look at it as bias or prejudice.
When it comes to disclosing personal details, less is better. It leaves little scope for gossip and discussion and allows you to focus more on doing better at work.
