Prying into your coworker’s personal life
Anything you say can and will be held against you. It’s not something you only hear in the movies, it’s real life and whatever you say at your workplace makes no exception. For example, if you ask or say something that might offend a coworker or cause distress to a subordinate, you might be held liable by your company and even sued or fired, warns Dowgul, even if you meant no harm.
“You may think it’s nothing more than playful banter or good-natured ribbing but someone else may see it as discrimination or a hostile work environment,” he says.
What you can do instead: Make sure what you say is courteous, professional, and can’t be misinterpreted. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk with your coworkers about their holidays or recent weekend but beep things cordial and don’t meddle in someone’s personal life more than you are allowed to.
