Pimp Your Finances

I just finished reading an excellent list of 13 Things Not to Share with Your Co-Workers, written by Rachel Zupek.  It’s over a year old, but just as relevant as ever.

It’s a great list of office sins to avoid.  Already in my short career, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people make these mistakes.  Everyone knows better, but they do it anyway.

You always need to be careful what kind of information you share with your co-workers.  The things you do and say can, and will, come back to haunt you.

Here is Rachel’s list of 13 things not to share, along with my insight on each of them.

1. Salary Information

This is always a sticky situation, and one best avoided.  Nothing good can ever come out of sharing your income with your co-workers.  It can easily lead to jealousy and resentment.

2. Medical History

This is an interesting addition.  To me, I thought it is best left unsaid because for most people, it’s just too much info.  No one really wants to know about the ailments and afflictions of others unless they have a very close relationship.

The article brought up another good point.  If your employer knows about all of your medical problems in detail, they may start to view you as expensive to insure and a potential liability.

3. Gossip

NEVER EVER GOSSIP IN THE WORKPLACE!  I cannot stress this enough.  First, there is no such thing as a secret in the office.  That juicy secret that you only told one person?  It probably made its way around to everyone.

It’s not fair to others, because it’s no one’s business.

It’s also dangerous to do.  Depending on the situation, gossip could be considered harassment or illegal.

Even if it’s just out of self-preservation, stay away from gossip.

4. Work Complaints

Almost everyone has to have a job.  Complaining about it won’t make it any better.  It can hurt morale, and offend others in the office (especially supervisors).

If you have a serious gripe, address it through the proper channels.  If not, just grin and bear it.

5. Cost of Purchases

It’s always a bad idea to flaunt money around the office.  It can create resentment, and may lead others to think you’re overpaid.

6. Intimate Details

Your almost always better off keeping your professional life separate from your personal life.  Don’t share any details about yours.  You could quickly become a topic of gossip, or even worse, people may try to find a way to use your personal details against you.

7. Politics or Religion

This should be common sense, but it’s surprising how many people ignore this.  Everyone is entitled to have their own beliefs.  Talking about politics or religion is almost always guaranteed to aggravate or offend someone, and you’re not going to change any opinions.

8. Lifestyle Changes

This is really part of #6.  You shouldn’t share personal information.  People may find a way to use it against you, possibly by suggesting that you’re incapable or unavailable to do your work.

9. Blogs or Social Networking Profiles

ANOTHER ONE I CANNOT EMPHASIZE MORE STRONGLY!  Nothing good can ever come out of sharing your Facebook or social network profiles with others.  Chances are, you’ll end up sharing something not work appropriate with others.  Those pictures from the night you went out and got really drunk?  The inappropriate inside joke that your friend wrote on your wall?  Everyone will see it.

I cannot believe how many people I see sharing inappropriate (and possibly offensive) information with co-workers.  This is a recipe for disaster.

Even worse?  I know a lot of people who regularly check Facebook at work.  This is doubly damaging.  Not only will you look unprofessional, but your co-workers will be able to track your whereabouts by looking at your Facebook profile.  Do you really want them to see how many times you wrote on someone’s wall when you were supposed to be working?

10. Negative Views of Colleagues

This goes back to avoiding gossip.  The list suggests that if you have a problem with someone that you strongly feel needs to be address, take it up with that person.  Don’t go behind their backs and complain to others.

Personally, I’d take it a step further.  Just bite your tongue and keep your opinion to yourself.  Unless you have a complaint that is affecting your work, just keep it to yourself.

11. Hangovers and Wild Weekends

I’m a fan of working hard, and playing hard.  But I keep them separate.  You’re may feel entitled to do whatever you want on the weekends, but don’t come in on Monday and brag about how trashed you got.

It makes you look completely unprofessional, and others may resent working with you or helping you, if they think you’re struggling because you drank too much the night before.

Again, this can lead to rumors too.

12. Personal Problems and Relationships

I thought this would fall under not giving out personal info, but there are even more reasons to keep your romance to yourself.  Some employers may view problems at home as indicative of instability everywhere.  You don’t your work to stand for itself, so keep the focus off of your relationships.

13. Off-color or racially charged comments

Offensive jokes – regardless of how funny or harmless you think they are – can be grounds for immediate dismissal.  Not only that, but they can easily be viewed as harrassment and illegal.  If you have trouble deciding if something is inappropriate, it is.  Stay away from it.

These are all mistakes to avoid.  It seems like common sense, but I see people doing these things on a daily basis.

Don’t jeopardize yourself or your job.  You could be fired, or find yourself the victim of a lawsuit for almost any one of these.

Do you have any other office sins to avoid?