Office Situations You Need to Avoid

Whether you're interested is climbing to the top of the corporate ladder, or simply making it through the work day, there are some things it is best to avoid if you hope to keep yourself employed and a productive member of the team.

1. Grand Theft Office - It may seem like an obvious point, but swiping anything from the office, even if it is a pack of post it notes out of the office supply cabinet, is likely to be a ticket to trouble. While walking out of the company with full on office furniture might get you fired, swiping that printer paper is going to cause the boss to look at you as less than ethical - which can lead to a stalled out career over the long haul.

2. Drinking to excess at the office holiday party - The holiday party is a time for employers to say "thank you" to everyone on the team who works so hard throughout the year. And while the alcohol generally flows freely at these events, that is not an excuse to turn into Ernest Hemmingway for a night. Embarrassing yourself in front of the boss is not going to pay any dividends in the future.

3. Asking incessantly about an upcoming raise or promotion - Even if you totally deserve a big raise or promotion, nagging your bosses about it is not going to get you anywhere. Management prefers people who get the job done and let the perks and rewards take care of themselves. Remember, the squeaky wheel does NOT necessarily get the grease.

4. Gossiping about your co-workers - The office gossip may be a fun person to hang around with at lunch or by the water cooler, but talking about your coworkers is a poor representation of your character. Keeping office gossip to a minimum will help make the office a more positive, upbeat place.

5. Looking for a new job on company time - Nothing is tackier than spending your boss' money on finding a new job for yourself. If you are feeling discontented at work, the best thing you can do for your future is keep your head down, do your job well and most importantly, wait until you get home to hop onto monster.com.

6. Lying to anyone about anything - Once you lie to a boss or co-worker, there is no turning back. The workplace is not like your family, where they more or less have to bring you back into the fold. If you are running late on even the smallest project, and lie about the status, it is going to be very hard for your boss to trust you again.

7. Not putting in your hours - You may have the greatest system ever for showing up to work late or leaving early without getting caught. That doesn't mean that a) it's right, b) you won't get busted eventually, and c) you are causing resentment among your co-workers, most of who probably have to work harder as a result of your tardiness and unscrupulous behavior.