“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives,” wrote Annie Dillard. For most people, a large portion of each day is spent at work — roughly 90,000 hours over a lifetime, or more than 13 years, and even longer for those who regularly put in overtime.
That’s a sobering statistic if you don’t enjoy your job. A 2013 Gallup study covering 142 countries found that only about 13 percent of workers worldwide felt engaged and committed to their work. That leaves a lot of unhappy employees.
So what helps? Higher pay, longer breaks, or free office snacks might make the workday more bearable, but research shows that one of the strongest drivers of workplace satisfaction is positive relationships with coworkers. One survey even named good relationships with colleagues as the number one reason people stay at a job.
If your coworker relationships aren’t great, you’re far from alone. Social media is full of stories and jokes about workplace annoyance, and Twitter in particular has supplied a steady stream of moments that capture the range of coworker dynamics — from petty revenge to outright absurdity. Below are examples of those moments, grouped by the mood they capture.
When Revenge Is Social
@amishschool / Twitter
A little LinkedIn mischief — the professional version of pranking a sibling’s phone.
When You’ll Do Anything to Spice Up the Day
@OhNoSheTwitnt / Twitter
One small edit to an email signature can change the whole office vibe.
When You Just Can’t Relate
@online_shawn / Twitter
Some sentiments are better left to greeting cards — and they don’t always land at work.
When You’ll Do Anything to Avoid Them
@Ndeshi_M / Twitter
Occasionally inventing an imaginary contact is the only way to dodge an unwanted conversation.
When You Just Want to Eat Your Lunch in Peace
@AndyAsAdjective / Twitter
Small talk rarely pairs well with sandwiches.
When You Just DGAF
@FussySaffa / Twitter
Some things cross a line for certain people; for others, they’re entirely inconsequential.
When You Go Along With It
@MissMalbec / Twitter
Modern tech makes it easy to play along with workplace antics—just hope your colleague isn’t online.
When Some Light Relief Is in Order
@RuinMyWeek / Twitter
When the Internet Is Better
@AksharPathak / Twitter
Sometimes colleagues act like they know everything; more often than not, Google still wins.
When You Don’t Want to Get Personal
@envydatropic / Twitter
Oversharing about personal dislikes — especially about colleagues’ families — is almost always a career-limiting move.
When Revenge Is Vile
@Quartzjixler / Twitter
Office food theft sparks strong feelings. If you’re not sure whose lunch it is, don’t take it.
When You’ve Heard Enough
@Swishergirl24 / Twitter
Sometimes the best choice is to plug in and get on with the work.
When You Tell Them Straight(ish)
@heyJuliaJohns / Twitter
A candid line delivered politely can clarify boundaries — swap the beverage if you prefer.
When You Get the Last Laugh
@WoodyLuvsCoffee / Twitter
When a colleague’s comment reveals the truth, you’ll know how to respond next time.
When You Can’t Help Yourself
@suesmith666 / Twitter
Sometimes people speak without a filter — and it can be painfully obvious.
When You’d Rather Have Puppies
@dafloydsta / Twitter
Puppies won’t argue back, though they might help themselves to your lunch.
When You Don’t Do Small Talk
@mdob11 / Twitter
Offices aren’t exactly known for deep conversations. If small talk bothers you, working remotely might be better.
When You Want All the Donuts
@dhumann / Twitter
Who’s to stop you from enjoying a dozen donuts? Let others bring their own.
When It’s One Card Too Many
@pencilcasey_ / Twitter
Office cards circulate constantly; it’s easy to confuse occasions when you’re signed up for everything.
When Earbuds Aren’t Enough
@TheCatWhisprer / Twitter
Open-plan offices amplify chatter. Earbuds help, but not always enough.
When the Holiday Weekend Is Never Long Enough
@joshoholic / Twitter
No one needs a public reminder that the holiday weekend is over — coworkers know.
When Someone Just Won’t Thaw
@VicTORIaLeigh73 / Twitter
Some people simply remain distant no matter how long you’ve worked together.
When Their Laugh Makes You Die Inside
@chewypupmom / Twitter
Returning from vacation can be tough — especially when an annoying colleague is waiting.
When You Gotta Make it Official
@CLAYMOORE / Twitter
Complaining about coworkers rarely wins friends — but strategic complaints sometimes advance careers.
When You’re More Than Just Co-workers
@LoKarloFollow / Twitter
Office relationships are complicated. If one survives the workplace, it can survive a lot.
When You Actually, Weirdly, Miss Them
@MarkAgee / Twitter
Working from home changes the dynamic; sometimes you miss the people you once couldn’t stand.
When Their Habits Are Just Ugh
@lmwortho / Twitter
Basic office etiquette would solve many small daily frustrations.
When You Really Don’t Care About Their Kids
@IamKickz / Twitter
Parents often overestimate how entertaining their kids are to colleagues.
When You Talk in Foodstuffs
@Rachele_F / Twitter
Pastrami on rye, anyone?
When Baby Shark Attacks
@AndrewNBC12 / Twitter
Leave children’s songs at home — nobody needs them echoing through the office.
When You Need a Fake Office Twitter
@Im_0n1 / Twitter
Sometimes anonymity is the only safe way to comment on office life.
When You Just Don’t Gel
@Cameron_H93 / Twitter
Not every meme lands — and not every joke should be shared at work.
When You Feel Like a Fraud
@TheCatWhisprer / Twitter
Impostor feelings are common; many of us privately worry we’re the only ones who don’t have it all together.
When They Play You For a Fool
@AudMannerberg / Twitter
No one likes feeling manipulated or taken advantage of by a coworker.
When Rules Are Rules
@CoreyRadio / Twitter
Breaking multiple workplace norms will earn you a reputation — usually not a good one.
When Your Bathroom Timing Is Way Off
@daniellloyd1 / Twitter
Bathroom timing can be an awkward minefield — and you’ll likely be blamed regardless.
When You’re a Philistine
@PhantomRat / Twitter
Some office behaviors read as charming from older generations but cringe-worthy among younger coworkers.
When They See Everything
@lvanden1 / Twitter
They notice it all — and they’ll tell you about it.
When You Rarely Make Eye Contact
@Fort1st / Twitter
Avoiding eye contact is a quiet symptom of how office culture has shifted.
When the Office Bathroom Is All Over the ‘Gram
@Jenniiiiiiferr / Twitter
First-world office problems: some people treat every space like a photo op.
When You Can Pee, But You Can’t Hide
@DanAaronKing / Twitter
Some things are simply impossible to keep private in an open workplace.
When Everyone Is Too Polite
@hellakyra / Twitter
Occasionally, politeness prevents people from taking what they want — like the last donut. Just take it.
When You Can’t Swipe Them Away
@jurisdoc741 / Twitter
If only workplace annoyances were as simple to remove as a phone contact.
When They Literally Infect You
@edjohnson7 / Twitter
When They’re Too Fake
@gabriellecoffee / Twitter
Look after your own well-being first — and maybe keep an eye on the office hamster too.
When You’re Too Nice to Say No
@cheyenne_creek / Twitter
Being helpful is great, but people-pleasing can leave you with unwanted obligations — and unwanted cake.
When Open Plan Is a Bad Plan
@zarawesome / Twitter
For many, open-plan offices sacrifice focus and privacy for the illusion of collaboration.
When You Just Want to Eat Your Lunch
@botaders / Twitter
Some coworkers simply love to hear themselves talk — whether you’re listening or not.
When You Just Want to Get on With Your Monday
@DragonflyJonez / Twitter
When They Don’t Get You
@gerryhallcomedy / Twitter
Sometimes a coworker just doesn’t understand — cut them some slack, and maybe they’ll come around.