Five ways to deal with negative perception at work

Are you stressed because your colleagues have a low opinion of you? Get down to the ottom of why this is the case, and figure out ways to change this. Anjali Venugopalan gets you tips from the experts.

1. Get to the bottom of it
Is it something you did? Perhaps you delivered a report late twice in a row, or offended someone unknowingly. If it’s your fault, change your behaviour.


Sometimes, though, it’s just a bad day that causes it. “You may have been seen in the wrong light on a trying work day or amidst a personal crisis, but it can be salvaged if you know what led [to it],” says Lalit Mehta, co-founder, Decimal Technologies.

2. Don’t get defensive
Whether it’s your fault or not, there’s no point getting defensive. “No matter what people at work think about you, do not let it affect your demeanour,” says Swati Bhargava, co-founder, Cashkaro. Continue to be positive, friendly and helpful towards your colleagues, and soon those who may have formed an inaccurate opinion of you, will start appreciating you, she says.

3. Confide in someone
“If the negative perception people have of you is hampering your peace of mind or affecting your performance at work, it may be a good idea to confide in a team member or your reporting manager,” says Bhargava. A good support system at work helps you combat crisis and overcome it.

They will also be able to help in case someone else with malicious intentions is creating a negative perception about you.

4. Don’t overdo it
“Often, we subconsciously make a problem appear to be larger than it actually is,” says Mehta. So while you’re confident that you’re being perceived negatively by someone, it may simply be that your colleague is dealing with challenges of their own and that’s what’s making them appear less warm and friendly towards you.

Moreover, the perception changing process should not be taken up as a task and forced upon people. “Sometimes the harder you try to take control of a situation, the more out of hand it gets, so take it easy on yourself,” says Mehta.

5. Continue your work
A foolproof way of combating negative perception is by being great at what you do, says Bhargava. Colleagues and friends at work will always think highly of you, if you are on top of your game. This will also make you feel more self-assured and negative perceptions will not matter as much when you are performing well.