What is the professional way to deal with colleagues?
Generally I’ve been hanging out with three colleagues at work. We go to lunch together everyday and sometimes we give a coffee break etc. Last week, one of them told that she was going to toilet with loud noise which was obviously for me. The other one just left the room. Another one just made a murmuring sound and told she felt like having some coffee. This was her way to use another door to go outside secretly. I mean this bothered me because there is no need to fool me just to hang out without me. I really dont care whether they invite me or not. But this is impoliteness. I mean it is very easy to break the connections but it is unprofessional. By the way I am their supervisor, their tricks only made me think they are just trying to get along with me because of that. I am thinking of not having lunch with them anymore. But this action makes me look childish especially when I am right. But I felt like tricked and want to give them a lesson.
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8 Answers
Response moderated (Spam)
As a Supervisor its not a good idea to mingle with the staff as they will see this as invasion of privacy in the workplace. Perhaps they can’t be themselves with a Supervisor around.
It is nice to chat briefly but other than that you will always be the outsider in there conversations.
Seek other Supervisors or management to mingle with, or leave the area to socialize.
There is a saying that leadership is alway lonely. It’s true. Consider it a lesson learned. Find a way to socialize outside of work.
You are their supervisor, not their mother. Forget giving them a lesson. Work with them but let them spend their time without you in their free time. You are the one who needed a lesson, and there….you have it. Management and nonmanagement shouldn’t mix outside of the job, breaks and lunch hours included.
Even though I will find it more comfortable with those at my level I won’t mind having lunch with subordinates once in a while. But like said above it won’t be good idea to hang out with them all the time. They should be given free time without you being there.
Who is initiating these lunch dates?
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Response moderated (Writing Standards)
I’d say the solution is pretty simple….stop going to lunch. Come up with a work related excuse somehow. Bring a lunch and when they leave you can eat.
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