7 Things You Should Never Discuss with your Colleagues

There are some topics you shouldn’t discuss with your co-workers because they can create tension in the workplace. Of course, it’s natural to develop relationships with co-workers. After all, you spend so much time with them during the day. However, talking about politics, personal health issues, family problems, or career goals could ruin your reputation.

There’s an adage that ‘there’s a time and a place for everything’. While you might want to talk with a close friend about a personal matter, there’s a difference when talking with a friendly colleague. Also, some subjects may come up in a formal setting. For example, someone may have health problems that could affect their performance at work. So, that could be a topic to discuss with HR.

In this article, you will learn about seven things that you should never discuss in an informal setting at work.

1. Politics

Politics is a subject you should avoid talking about at work. What starts as an innocent chat about current affairs can suddenly flare up into a heated political debate. Talking about politics often forces each side to take hard positions—something that can ruin a relationship.

A study found that most people have a bias blind spot. Researchers found that people generally assume they know ‘how’ and ‘why’ they make decisions. But the study showed that biases are unconscious processes that are difficult to control. Even when someone is told they are biased, they often still refuse to change their opinion.

So, it’s best to keep your feelings about politics to yourself. Arguing about politics will only result in strained feelings between you and your colleagues.

2. Religion

Religion is a subject that can quickly cause heated arguments. And for the same reasons as to why you shouldn’t discuss politics at work. Actively promoting your beliefs or talking negatively about others’ opinions will only alienate you from your co-workers.

Of course, it’s normal to be open about your beliefs and what you do to observe them. But there’s a fine line between telling what you did on Sunday and forcing others to accept your viewpoints.

3. Personal relationships

Personal relationships are a topic that you shouldn’t bring up in informal chats during coffee breaks. Very few people are interested to hear about an argument you had with your partner. Or that your mother-in-law is giving you a hard time.

You should never talk about personal relationships because you don’t know how the listener interprets what you’ve said. For example, discussing family problems could make your boss wonder if it’s affecting your performance. Others could think that you are weak. Or your personal life may become the hot topic for gossip in the office.

4. Career goals

It’s usually best to keep your career goals to yourself. While it’s OK to use your current job to climb the career ladder, talking about where you want to be in a few years isn’t going to make you popular.

Discussing your career hopes could make your boss question your loyalty. You could also come across as dissatisfied with your current job. The result could be that you find it challenging to move up the company’s ranks.

5. Confidential information

If you are privy to confidential information, you should never talk about it. Depending on your position, you could know about salaries, human resources files, or company plans. It could be tempting to share that information with close colleagues.

It’s always a mistake to reveal confidential information—even to a spouse. In some cases, you could breach the non-disclosure agreement you have. In most cases, you will certainly lose the trust of your co-workers and damage your reputation.

6. Health problems

It’s only natural to be concerned about health. And having health issues—physical or mental—is nothing to be ashamed of. But going into detail about your condition is rarely a good idea. Of course, you may choose to be open about your health. But it’s wise to know who to talk to and how much to reveal.

7. Office gossip

It’s never a good idea to take part in workplace gossiping. It could be tempting to share some “juicy” information that you’ve heard on the office grapevine. But spreading gossip is only going to hurt your reputation.

There are several reasons never to be part of the workplace rumour mill. First, no one trusts gossips. After all, if they talk to you about others, what are they saying about you behind your back? Second, you could end up spreading misinformation or lies if what you say isn’t true. Third, workplace gossip is a tactic that bullies use to intimidate or hurt the reputation of others.

What Can You Discuss with Your Colleagues?

In the workplace, it’s best to stick to safe subjects and stay away from controversial ones. Topics that most people love talking about are food, fitness, travel, and music. So, there are plenty of things to chat about to build camaraderie with your fellow workers.