Think You're A Great Employee?
You might think you're nailing it at work by hitting deadlines. But there's a whole world of behavior HR experts are quietly watching. So, are you building your career or sabotaging it without even knowing?
Lying On The Resume
Everyone wants to shine in job applications, but padding a resume with fake skills or inflated job titles is a gamble that rarely pays off. People often justify it by thinking, "I'll figure it out later". The problem? HR departments are increasingly using skill verification software to catch lies.
Trash-Talking Your Boss
Maybe it feels good at the moment. You've had a rough day and venting to a coworker seems harmless. But workplaces have long memories, and word gets around faster than you'd think. Managers don't need microphones when Slack threads and shared lunches do the job.
Refusing To Own Mistakes
Mistakes happen. But passing the blame? That's when coworkers start to distance themselves. It's a defense mechanism people use when they're afraid of looking weak or incompetent. Ironically, it does the opposite. HR professionals often note that employees who show accountability are more likely to be promoted.
Blowing Off Safety Rules
Skipping safety training or ignoring health protocols might feel efficient, especially if you've "done this a hundred times". However, the moment you dismiss them, you put yourself and others at risk. HR doesn't see forgetfulness. They see negligence.
Oversharing Personal Life Details
We get it—you're going through a breakup, and your landlord just raised the rent. But here's the thing: coworkers aren't therapists, and oversharing puts them in an awkward spot. It usually starts with a "quick update" and spirals into weekly emotional downloads at the coffee machine.
Being Late All The Time
Chronic lateness doesn't scream "I'm busy and important". It quietly says, "Your time doesn't matter to me". Repeated tardiness can wear down goodwill with the team. Most individuals aren't late on purpose but they underestimate commute time or simply lose track. Whatever the reason, it has consequences.
Taking Credit For Others' Work
Sliding someone else's brilliance into your own performance review might seem like a shortcut. But taking credit, even passively, is one of the fastest ways to burn bridges at work. People might not even realize they're doing it. A casual "we" instead of "they" in meetings can do enough harm.
Overpromising And Underdelivering
Do you say yes to everything? This might feel like the path to looking competent. However, when the deadlines start stacking, people remember. Overpromising involves fear of looking lazy. Still, consistently missing the mark, even with good intentions, makes colleagues and managers second-guess your word.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com, Pexels
Violating Someone's Privacy
Peeking at someone's screen and snooping in shared folders? That's not curiosity. It's a breach of trust. Most often justify it as a concern, but it's invasive and unethical. Moreover, it's illegal. Break it once, and other employees may never fully trust you again.
Being Negative About Everything
There's always that one individual who finds the flaw in every plan and rolls their eyes in meetings. At first, it might just seem like personality. But over time, constant negativity becomes draining for teammates and leadership, too. Colleagues start walking on eggshells and ultimately, leaving you out.
Ignoring Feedback
Feedback isn't always fun, but it's part of the deal if you want to improve. Brushing it off or blaming others are all signs that you're not interested in growing. It's tempting to think, "They just don't get how I work," but that mindset can stall career growth.
Talking Over Others In Meetings
Cutting people off makes you look like you're trying too hard. Many folks do it without malice, especially when ideas are flowing fast and excitement's in the air. But constantly interrupting coworkers, especially those who speak less often, sends a negative message.
Using Sarcasm To Sound Clever
Sure, sarcasm can be funny. Nevertheless, in a work setting, it rarely lands the way you think. It might sound witty in your head, but it can come across as dismissive or just plain rude. If you're constantly making sideways comments in meetings, employees might stop taking you seriously.
Ghosting On Emails
We've all done it—marked that one message as "unread" so we can deal with it later. But when "later" becomes "never," people notice. Ignoring emails, especially from team members who rely on your input, can stall projects and sour relationships. It's often caused by email overload, but radio silence reads as disrespectful.
Getting Too Comfortable With Your Boss
Your boss laughed at a joke once, and now you're inviting them to your cousin's barbecue. Slow down. Some employees try to build a personal bond to feel secure or gain favor, but HR knows where that can lead—blurred lines and favoritism accusations.
Complaining About Work On Social Media
It's tempting to tweet, "My job is slowly stealing my soul," especially after a long Monday. But before you post, remember that screenshots are forever. According to a CareerBuilder study, more than half of employers have dismissed a potential candidate for social media content.
Timothy Hales Bennett, Unsplash
Micromanaging Everything
Hovering over the team's every move doesn't make you a strong leader. Most micromanage because they want to avoid mistakes. But when you watch every keystroke or rewrite every email, you send a clear message: "I don't trust you". And trust is the currency of good teams.
Bragging About Working Long Hours
Pulling all-nighters and sending emails at midnight might make you feel dedicated. But to everyone else? It signals poor time management and unhealthy work habits. The grind culture trend is losing steam as people now admire those who know how to get things done and have a life.
Snoozing Through Training
Do you think it's not that important? Mandatory training sessions can be dull, but treating them like nap time tells employers that you don't care. Whether it's cybersecurity or inclusivity, these sessions exist for a reason. HR sees who's engaged and who's just clicking through slides.
Treating Admins And Interns Like They Don't Matter
Some of the worst behavior HR flags doesn't happen in meetings—it happens in passing. Dismissing junior staff and ignoring admin teams is more revealing than you think. Often, this comes from those trying to climb the ladder fast and focus only upward.
Leaving Slack Status On Green While Doing Nothing
Remote workers, we see you. Slack "green" doesn't always mean "working". Sure, everyone occasionally takes a break. But using your status to fake productivity? That's a different story. Some employees think it's harmless, but managers and peers catch on fast.
Playing Favorites As A Manager
You don't have to say it out loud, as individuals can feel when you have a favorite. Maybe it's someone who reminds you of yourself or who always says what you want to hear. Playing favorites creates division. HR often hears about this before managers do.
Treating Company Property Like Your Own
Laptops loaned to cousins and printing 300 flyers for a side hustle doesn't scream professional. Some treat work gear like it's theirs because of convenience and entitlement. Either way, it's not a good look. Companies track this stuff more than you think.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com, Pexels
Pretending To Know Everything
Acting like the smartest person in the room shuts conversations down. Why ask questions if you've already got all the answers? Most do this to save face, yet it blocks learning and creates distance. Ironically, the most respected professionals are the ones who ask good questions, not just answer them.
Flirting At Work
A compliment here and a playful comment there might seem harmless until you get that HR call. Some employees flirt because it feels like a confidence boost. Still, what feels like fun to one person can be a red flag to another.
LightField Studios, Shutterstock
Refusing To Adapt To Change
Who doesn't like change? A lot of folks. When systems evolve or new tools are introduced, there's always someone who wants to go back to the old ways. Resistance to change slows down progress and frustrates your team. Adaptability is now one of the most valued soft skills.
Using Jargon To Sound Smart
If you're circling back to leverage synergies while optimizing bandwidth, stop. Overusing corporate jargon can make you sound like you're trying too hard—or worse, like you're hiding behind buzzwords. It's often done to sound experienced, but clear, simple language is far more powerful.
Letting Jealousy Steer Your Behavior
A coworker got the praise, and it stings. Letting jealousy leak into gossip doesn't level the playing field and often comes at a high price. The healthier route? Learn from what they did right, and focus on your own path.
Showing No Interest In Company Culture
Skipping every event and ignoring team celebrations doesn’t make you seem too focused. In reality, it often reads as disengaged. Some workers feel above the culture stuff, or they're just introverts trying to survive. But culture matters.
Bringing Up Salary Too Soon
Money talks but timing matters. Asking about pay in the first interview or bringing up raises right after a small win can signal impatience, not value. People often do it out of excitement or pressure. However, it makes it seem like you're only there for the check.
Delegating Everything
Delegation is part of leadership. Handing off every task and every follow-up isn't. Most team leaders will do it because of poor time management. Yet, others will go down this route to avoid responsibilities. In both cases, HR will frown upon this behavior.
Bringing Politics Into The Workplace
You should have opinions, but keep them to yourself in the workplace. Constantly turning breakroom chats into debates or plastering cubicles with hot takes can alienate more people than you realize. Politics are personal, and workplace culture should be inclusive and not divisive.
Forgetting To Say "Thank You"
Gratitude is professional glue. Failing to thank a teammate or assistant might not blow up immediately, but it chips away at relationships. People notice who acknowledges effort and who treats it like a given. Appreciation isn't fluff. It's fuel.
Refusing To Accept Diverse Perspectives
Not every opinion that's different from yours is a threat. Shutting down ideas that challenge your worldview, especially in a diverse, modern workplace, limits innovation and damages inclusion. If your response to every new idea is defensiveness or dismissal, you're not being efficient.
Acting Like The Rules Don't Apply To You
You ignore the dress code or park where you're not supposed to. It might seem small, even harmless. However, others are watching and wondering why they follow the rules while you get a pass. The more often you act exempt, the more coworkers lose respect.
Always Being Too Busy To Help
Being swamped is understandable and even admirable at times. When "too busy" becomes a default response, employees stop coming to you. Over time, you stop being seen as a teammate and start being viewed as inaccessible. Saying no with care is different than brushing people off.
Stirring Up Gossip
You hear a rumor, and you repeat it, maybe to bond or to feel in the loop. Either way, you've just entered slippery territory. Gossip is rarely about the truth. Eventually, it circles back. And when it does, you'll be seen as someone who can't be trusted.
Turning A Blind Eye To Harassment
Even if you're not the one doing it, ignoring harassment complaints makes you complicit. Staying silent when harassment happens, even in subtle forms, tells others it's okay. It gives toxic behavior room to grow. If you see something wrong, speak up. It's uncomfortable, but necessary.
Dressing Like It's Casual Friday
Style is subjective, but every workplace has a code, whether written or not. Dressing too casually or provocatively can make coworkers uncomfortable or send the message that you don't take your role seriously. Most people underestimate the vibe.
Bringing Strong Odors To The Office
That leftover fish curry? The extra-garlicky chicken wrap? Your signature cologne that could knock over a potted plant? These things linger in cubicles and meeting rooms. They also find their way to HR's inbox. Scent-related complaints are more common than you'd expect.
Getting Involved In Workplace Bullying
Piling on someone and using power to intimidate might feel like venting or "just being honest". Yet, it creates a hostile environment and damages morale. People bully to feel control or deflect attention. But HR calls it what it is: unacceptable.
Using Aggressive Language
There's a difference between assertive, and aggressive and some people blur the line without realizing it. Barking commands and snapping at coworkers under pressure might feel efficient, but it breeds fear, not respect. It shuts down collaboration and creates tension that lingers.
Leaving In The Middle Of Meetings
Sometimes emergencies happen—no big deal. But walking out of a Zoom or slipping away from in-person meetings without context? It's you saying, "This isn't important to me". Maybe you're overwhelmed, but unexplained exits feel disrespectful to everyone else at the table.
Never Following Through On Small Promises
Nothing is too small or insignificant when it comes to things you promised. You said you'd send that file or update the doc, but you didn't. Those little lapses pile up, and eventually, people stop counting on you. Consistency matters.
