Have you been having problems at work, namely problems with your boss or your coworkers? If you have, you are not alone.

Workplace conflicts are common worldwide. When faced with a workplace conflict, you need to be careful. Your your actions may have consequences. When it comes to handing workplace conflicts, there are a number of different factors that you will want to take into consideration.

• Does the coworker's behavior affect others, or just you?

• Does the coworker have a history with the company, good or bad?

• Will supervisors listen to you if you complain, or will you just be seen as a "troublemaker?"

Does the coworker's behavior affect others, or just you?

Sadly, companies are often willing to let a lone workplace victim suffer. Perhaps management sees it as a one-of-one conflict that should be resolved individually. The problem here is that there may be no power equation here that gives an individual any leverage to change the offensive behavior. Offensive people tend to have extremely thick skins. Try speaking privately to the bad actor. Speak to the person more than once if necessary. Always document the approaches so that you can call them up later if you need to.

Does the coworker have a history with the company, good or bad?

It is true that a coworker's or colleague's history with the company matters. Good or evil, if the offending coworker has "been with the company forever," this is a strong indication that management has tried, and failed, or has no interest in changing the person's behavior. If the offending person has powerful or high-up friends in the company, this may affect how you are treated and perceived if you complain. Try talking with the coworker privately first, as we suggest. However, a number of workplace rules exist now to protect workers from hostile and toxic work environments. No one has to sit and suffer as they did at one time. Management know well that there are legal penalties and civil liabilities that accrue to companies that allow workplace misbehavior to go on. The bad news is that it often has to get pretty bad before thing get to that level.

Will supervisors listen to you if you complain, or will you just be seen as a "troublemaker?"

This question is one of the horrid "risk versus reward" type of questions. The answer is difficult to call, and once tagged as a troublemaker, a number of things could happen: 1) you could become the target of the offending person's anger; 2) you could become the target of the company's wrath; 3) everyone will love you for trying to get rid of someone who making everyone miserable, but who will not speak forward or lift a finger to help you; or 4) you will be a hero, and once you break the ice, everyone else will pile on to support you.

Personally, we would not lay great odds on the last speculation. Otherwise decent people can turn to jellyfish when their livelihoods are at stake. Most people are going to be willing to let you take the hit, even those who are cheering you on.  Nevertheless, if you have decided that you need to do so, take your concerns to your boss in a pleasant and professional way. Avoid, at all costs, sounding like you are immature, spiteful or vindictive. Make sure that you have not exacerbated the problem by gossiping about the coworker or spreading ill will on your own.

In sum, take a deep breath, or a few of them, and assess the situation over time. Once you become aware that a potential serious problem is developing, start documenting your interactions and/or conversations with the offending coworker. If the person's actions are extreme, public, and potentially harmful to the workplace, document those events, even if they do not involve you personally. The point is to record the problems while they are fresh. Do not write nasty notes. This documentation is not on par with your Dear Diary entries in grade school. You may have to share these notes at some point with the company, or a lawyer.You may need this documentation if you have to file, anything, a complaint, a lawsuit. At all points, it is critical that you act professionally when handling any workplace conflict.

If the problem is not so serious at first, the private "speaking to" may have wondrous results. Remember, in speaking with a problem coworker:

1)  do not "tell off" the person in front of other coworkers, colleagues, or management. This action may be unbelievably satisfying, but once you do this, you cut off your options to professionally deal with this coworker, and you beome "part of the problem;"

2)  if you have safety concerns about this private conversation, take someone along who is at or near your same level at work; go somewhere private, like a conference room, but not somewhere remote, like a bar outside of town;

3)  prepare for this conversation as you would a job interview so that if the coworker gets emotional or vindictive, you can stay "on message,"

4)  if the coworker attempts to escalate what you have handled as a professional, nonvindictive interaction and tries to pick a fight, stop the conversation. Just stop.

Going to The Boss:

Now it is time to go to management. In taking this step, make sure that you have your backup documentation, a clear synopsis of what the problem is; a clear voice an eye when speaking to the bosses; and a tough backbone to withstand the result.

Two issues on going to the boss:

1) Do Not Go to the Boss' Boss - No matter what your best friend, minister, your favorite TV show host has told you, DO NOT go over your boss' head. Should I repeat that? Do NOT go over your bosses head. No matter how inept, inefficient, and maddening this person may be, the management of the company has put this person there for a reason. The major reason is so that they have someone between you and them. Breach this maginot line, and you will be sorry. This sounds archaic, but I find that it continues to be true. If you take every possible step to inform your supervisor of the problem, and if you believe that there are serious physical, financial, or ethical issues involved, a letter to management on the way out the door is the only exception to this rule. HR (human resources" is not management in this case. Even if the head of HR has a vice president's title, human resources is not considered management in the instance of workplace problems. HR should be third, or fourth, on your list of options, but you should feel free to let HR know what is happening if you are dealing with a serious problem, In fact, you need to inform HR. If the problem escalate, and the person is fired, moved, demoted--or worse, you are fired, moved or demoted, a meeting with or letter to HR serves as notice to management.

2) Be Ready to Move - Moving does not have to be as drastic as leaving the company. Moving may involve moving to a new cubicle, a new part of the work space floor, a new department. What ever moving entails, you must be ready to move. For management, moving is a great option. They can shuffle around a few desks and be done with it. In it's extreme form, moving may involve getting a new job. This option is the next to the last one and should be considered very carefully. You cannot make a career of moving every time a bad coworker is in the mix.

trouble does not have to be as drastic as leaving the company. Moving may involve moving to a new cubicle, a new part of the work space floor, a new department. What ever moving entails, you must be ready to move. For management, moving is a great option. They can shuffle around a few desks and be done with it. In it's extreme form, moving may involve getting a new job. This option is the next to the last one and should be considered very carefully. You cannot make a career of moving every time a bad coworker is in the mix.

3) Be Ready to File - Moving is the next-to-last option; filing is the very last. The only thing that a company hates worse than someone who complains to management is someone who files against it. This is the real world. Still, you need to be ready to file, something--a complaint with HR, a letter to the city human resources commission. The point is not to be a troublemaker or whiner, but you need to be ready to stand up for your right to work in relative peace and at a realistic level or harmony, or soon you will find that you do not have any rights. Managements often prefer to kowtow to, or ignore, workplace offenders. Dealing with these bad actors is too often left, to their victims.

Dealing with difficult coworkers is one of the number one problems in the workplace today. Make sure that you do everything you can to make your workplace a decent place to work and conduct business, and do not become the victim of an workplace bad actor.

Good luck!