21 subtle signs your coworkers hate you

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While some coworkers may have no qualms about letting you know they despise you, others will try to remain diplomatic and professional but hide those hard feelings.

"Most coworkers won't overtly show their disdain for you so as not to cause trouble or jeopardize their own careers," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job." "They may make life difficult for you, but they'll probably try to stay under the radar. Still, there are subtle red flags that they're not out for your best interests."

You'll want to know those signs, says Taylor, so you can spot them when they're present and turn things around before it's too late.

"Of course, it's impossible to be liked by everyone in the office," she explains.

But you should always strive to be sensitive to the needs of your fellow coworkers, remain upbeat and friendly, communicate openly, and give colleagues the benefit of the doubt.

"Those who do this have a far brighter career future," she says. "Plus, when [we] have strong, healthy workplace relationships, you will be more effective and accomplished in your job."

Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage," agrees.

"When your coworkers like you, everything becomes easier," he says. "People have your back when you need it the most, you can ask for and get favors more easily, people will volunteer to help in times of need, and you can get far better cooperation even across departments."

Being well-liked will boost your morale, which in turn will make you more productive, focused, creative, and successful in everything you do, he says.

Here are 21 subtle signs your coworkers secretly hate you. Keep in mind that you may just be misreading their body language or tone — the workplace is certainly not immune to human misunderstanding and no one's a mind reader.

But if you notice you're the only victim of these behaviors, it probably means they don't like you.

1. Your gut tells you they don't like you

If you feel like your coworkers don't like you, it could just be in your head, but it could also be true. If they treat you differently than everyone else, you're probably not their favorite person. Trust your gut and continue looking for other signs if you have a strong feeling about this.

2. They steal credit for your ideas

These coworkers could just be "glory hogs," says Taylor.

But if they go out of their way to steal the limelight from you and only you, they may be trying to drive you out.

3. They can't maintain eye contact with you

It's difficult to look someone straight in the eye when you don't like or respect them, says Taylor. If you notice your colleagues avoid eye contact while speaking with you, those are probably the reasons.

"They're afraid that you may be able to detect hostility, so the path of least resistance is for them to look away or avoid being around you wherever possible," Taylor suggests.