You can do a lot of things at work, good and bad, that can affect how management and your co-workers treat you. But here are the top ten things that can really get you into trouble.

1. Blaming someone else for your mistakes. This creates an instant dislike towards you, not only from the person you blamed but from other co-workers and your superiors. It shows that you are irresponsible and not trustworthy.

2. Inter-office flirting and dating. This is always shunned because most offices like to operate as a friendly, compatible team, not as a dating centre. If two people see each other romantically outside the work place, it creates issues within the team, especially if the two people break up. Offices like to avoid this stress.

3. Personal phone calls. We all need to make them periodically but when the office phone gets used for frequent personal calls the company doesn't like it and will often prohibit any further calls. This could be inconvenient especially when the occasional one is necessary.

4. Sending offensive E-mails to co-workers. We all like to joke around and send funny E-mails to each other once in a while, but sometimes workers get carried away and send sexually explicit or threatening ones. These are wrong in every way and most companies will not tolerate the abuse.

5. Late arrivals and early departures. This shows your co-workers that you think that you are not subject to the normal obligations of the company. They could take offence with the fact that you aren't doing your full part and causing them to need to cover for you. As well, your boss could view this as stealing time.

6. Improper language. Using profanity and swear words has become a norm in many walks of life, but it does not have a place in the work force. Such language could be an official reason for dismissal.

7. Stealing. Sometimes workers attempt sneaking out those expensive items that the company has several of, and other times it's taking a few dollars from the petty cash or taking other minor supplies that no one really sees. Regardless, companies take a very dim view of workers that steal and it could be an instant dismissal when you're caught.

8. Long and frequent breaks. This shows your co-workers and your boss that you aren't able to keep up with the workload, and so you require these breaks. This is not acceptable for a team player.

9. Never giving that extra minute. Sometimes it would be best if you could stay just a few minutes later or come in a few minutes earlier to complete a specific task. If you never comply to this request and always leave it to someone else to do because you feel it's an invasion of your personal time, it can greatly affect how the company and you co-workers respect you and treat you.

10. Improper dress code. If you don't wear the complete selected uniform or if you dress contrary to what is expected of you, you show disrespect for the company and for its protocol, and you could be reprimanded for it.

Learn more about this author, Sara Bradley.
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