Recently there have been several posts from Jobcasers dealing with job loss or the fear of being fired after taking a boss or co-worker into their confidence. In this era of social media it seems everyone is more and more open about their finances, relationships, political views, etc. But that is NOT wise --- and it is NOT healthy.
Guard your privacy. As you work alongside people it's natural to become friends with some. And that's great. Be cordial, be a friend, but always keep the relationship professional. Limit what you share and you'll be happier and better for it. So will your career.
Remember that -- first and foremost -- you are there to DO YOUR JOB.
Funny; my wife and I were talking about this very thing just yesterday; one of her colleague (male of course) was hitting on her he did not know that she (my wife) was married... I express to her; If you find yourself in a conversation that is turning to your personal life,(or a colleague has asked you about something that you would rather keep private), it's a good idea to tactfully sway out of the way of the question.
- Try to avoid saying something like "Sorry, but that's none of your business". Instead, make light of it and say something more like "Oh, you don't want to know about that. It's boring" and then change the subject to something you are more comfortable with.
- These deflecting techniques can help you to maintain friendly relationships while avoiding certain topics of conversation.
- If you sway away from the question and change the subject, rather than just ending the conversation, your colleague will probably not think too much of it.
- If you switch the conservation back to your colleague you will politely avoid their questions without seeming aloof or disinterested.
- You could say, "Nothing interesting is going on in my life, what about you?"
- If coworkers are persistent in asking about your personal life, you can set a boundary letting them know that you would rather not discuss it. You can say, “I know you guys really care about me to ask about my life, and I appreciate that about you, but I’d really like to leave that stuff at home.”
Great topic, that's so funny... lol!
Yes, I have been betrayed and stabbed in the back and learned this lesson the hard way. Now I share very little of my private life at work.
That is so very true. Every person is not your friend. Don't broadcast your every move or thoughts to everybody or over social media. That's bad taste.
Agreed...... millions of users on jobcase. Common sense. Also, should apply to all social media.
I agree that at work especially private things are best left at home Lois Martin !
Sharing Too Much Information With Your Coworkers Sharing too much information at work can cause problems. Here are the ramifications of TMI and tips on what to share and what to keep to yourself. .. This was a very interesting article my wife pointed out to me: post dated Sep 5, 2018 - https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tmi-how-much-is-too-much-information-524885