From poor hygiene to hypocrisy: What Australians can’t stand about their co-workers

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Key Points

Poor personal hygiene is the most disliked workplace behaviour, a survey has found.
Hypocrisy, micromanagement and having unreasonable expectations were the worst traits in bosses.
Reliability and honesty were the most liked personality traits in colleagues.

Annoying bosses. Smelly colleagues. Gossip.

These are just some of the workplace behaviours that Australians say make them steer clear of their workmates and could lead to them quitting altogether.

A survey from job site Indeed found 31 per cent of respondents said they’d rather have a tooth extracted rather than socialise with a colleague outside of work.

What annoys people the most about their colleagues?

Leading the list of annoying workplace behaviours is poor personal hygiene, with nearly six in 10 (58 per cent) of respondents saying this puts them off their co-workers more than anything else.

Gossiping comes next, with almost half the respondents (49 per cent) finding this an annoying trait in colleagues.

Chart shows top 5 most annoying workplace behaviours according to Australian workers

Professor Herman Tse teaches management at Monash University in Melbourne.

He said poor personal hygiene indicated a lack of respect and can lead to wider issues in the workplace.

“It leads to co-workers avoiding each other, making social interactions awkward, and eventually straining team relationships,” he said.

“What seems like a small issue can spiral into bigger problems like reduced teamwork, lower morale, and even job dissatisfaction.”

Which personality traits do people dislike most in their colleagues?

At 58 per cent, the most disliked trait is laziness, followed by manipulative behaviour (53 per cent).

Being unreliable and being rude came next at 51 per cent each, closely trailed by being a liar at 50 per cent.

Chart shows top 5 most disliked personality traits according to Australian workers

What makes a bad boss?

More than half (51 per cent) of Australian workers said hypocrisy, followed by a tendency to micromanage (49 per cent) and having unreasonable expectations (48 per cent) were the traits that made them feel their boss was a bad manager.

Tse said bad leadership doesn’t just affect individual employees — it impacts the entire organisation’s long-term success.

“These leadership traits undermine employees’ trust, autonomy and perceived fairness, all of which are key drivers of employee engagement and job satisfaction. When leaders behave this way consistently, they can create a toxic culture that amplifies stress and lowers morale,” he said.

“Over time, this leads to employee burnout, reduced performance, and higher turnover rates.”

Chart shows top 3 most disliked traits in bosses according to Australian workers

Sally McKibbin, a career expert at Indeed, weighed in on the impact of such behaviour on workers.

“When annoying behaviours become more than just pet peeves, they create major disruptions that can turn a dream job into a recurring nightmare, and in some cases, even prompt someone to resign,” she said.

What causes workers to quit their jobs?

Tse said while unpleasant colleagues can certainly be a factor, a bad boss is a much stronger reason for resignation.

“Research shows that direct supervisors play a critical role in shaping an employee’s overall experience, influencing not only daily interactions but also key aspects like career growth, recognition and job satisfaction,” he said.

“In fact, research consistently reveals that employees don’t just leave companies — they leave their managers.”

The impact of annoying colleagues extends beyond mere frustration, the survey analysis stated.

“Over half (55 per cent) of workers have felt stressed due to annoying co-worker behaviours and 40 per cent find their workplace difficult because of annoying colleague behaviour. The tension is significant enough to have driven nearly a third to resign in the past because of a co-worker’s conduct.”

So, what do people like?

Two-thirds (66 per cent) of Australian workers surveyed by Indeed said that being reliable was the top trait they like in their colleagues while 60 per cent voted in favour of honesty.

Chart shows top 5 traits most liked in colleagues by Australian workers

McKibbin explained the importance of positive traits on the morale of a workplace.

“Qualities like reliability, honesty and hard work continue to be cherished in colleagues, forming the foundation of a positive work environment,” she said.

“Effective communication and mutual respect are essential in navigating the many nuances of working with colleagues.”

Indeed conducted the survey in May on nearly 1,100 Australian employees aged between 18 and 64.

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