Preply asked Poles about the traits in their co-workers that bother them, and which ones deserve respect. A vast majority of respondents, 76%, mentioned that they don’t like negative behavior from their colleagues. The most common complaints were about…complaining, gossiping, and shirking responsibilities. So what attributes do we value most in our colleagues? Let’s find out!
Workplace Atmosphere More Important to Poles Than Career
A study conducted in August, “Poles at Work – In the Context of Displayed Behaviors”, revealed that half of Poles view their job primarily as a source of income. Nonetheless, 59% admit that work is an essential element of their life. More than half of the respondents (54%) claim that they find satisfaction from their work. One of the most crucial aspects is the workplace atmosphere, and negative behavior from colleagues can significantly deter us.
So, what ruins the atmosphere and weakens our motivation? Poles most often point to laziness and attempts to avoid responsibilities by co-workers. Over 30% of respondents admit that observing others shirking their tasks decreases their own productivity.
How those around us behave also significantly influences our mood. Among the behaviors that most often temper our spirits are snitching on colleagues (44%) and lack of respect (40%).
The effect of having toxic work colleagues? A whopping 13% of respondents openly admit that they don’t like the people they work with.
Want To Be Liked At Work? Stop Complaining And Gossiping!
Preply’s research shows that Poles always find a reason to grumble. Half of the respondents reported having to listen to their colleagues’ complaints. What are these gripes about? Mainly wages (33%), management and the company (9%), and work overload (8%). Interestingly, 9% of those asked about the most common causes of their colleagues’ complaints pointed to… everything.
Gina Sole, digital PR manager at Preply, commented on this. “The results confirm a stereotype, but at the same time, it is evident that Poles are starting to feel uncomfortable being branded as a nation of complainers. We don’t like listening to other people’s complaints, yet we can’t stop ourselves from doing it. In an international environment, excessive complaining is not appreciated.”
For Poles, another undesired workplace behavior is gossiping (49%). Following closely behind is laziness, pointed out by a third of respondents, and jealousy ranked third (27%).
Behaviors that warrant little attention include: taciturnity (15%), intolerance (17%), lack of humor (18%), and tardiness (21%).
Honesty – The Highest Value
Preply also asked respondents about the traits they value most in colleagues. Almost 40% pointed to honesty. A third of respondents admit that they value reliability and commitment to responsibilities.
Poles are famous for their hard work and thoroughness. Therefore, it’s not surprising that we expect the same from others. However, reality doesn’t always meet our expectations. As the study reveals, honesty and reliability are less common than one would hope. On the other hand, communication skills and a sense of humor are traits that are easy to come by.
Source: Preply
