While everyone else in the world may be concerned with romance and Valentine's Day and if office romances are a good or bad idea - women seemed to be more concerned with other things going on in the office: collenemies. While that may sound like some sort of bowel disease, it's actually a combination of the words "colleague" and "enemy" (think 'frienemy'). I'm sure we've all had to deal with this sort of situation. That one person in your office that sucks the air out of the room with their entrance, or drives you to the verge of insanity with their obsessive use of antibacterial hand gel.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen has written a brilliant article about this subject in The Times, and explains just how toxic these coworkers can be on our ability to carry on and do our job efficiently, and that one bad seed is enough.
For example, on "toxic coworker" that "does not do his or her fair share of work, is chronically unhappy and emotionally unstable, or who bullies or attacks others – can be the catalyst for workplace dysfunction". Plus, if you've had a "hostile confrontation" with a coworker that can "reduce" your "commitment to the organization" and cause you to "put less effort" into your work. Yeesh.
[image via someecards.com]