Want to get on your manager’s good side? Don’t let the details slide. In a new survey by staffing firm Accountemps, more than one-third (35 percent) of CFOs cited lacking attention to detail or sloppy work as the most annoying behaviour by co-workers. For 28 percent of respondents, gossiping or engaging in office politics was their biggest pet peeve, marking a five percent increase from a similar survey in 2011.

When asked respondents, which of the below co-worker behaviours annoy the most, they said:

“Staff members shouldn’t rely on others to catch their mistakes,” said Bill Driscoll, a district president for Accountemps. “Organisations benefit when employees slow down to review a project carefully before submitting because there is less need for revisions later and reduced risk that uncaught mistakes damage the companies’ reputation. Hitting the ‘pause button’ allows professionals to think about how they work, and whether there are better and more innovative approaches they can take.”

See: Are you displaying adolescent behaviours at work? Reality Check!

To meet expectations for work quality and avoid earning reputation as a sloppy worker, here are few tips to manage workload and stay away from demonstrating annoying behaviours at work:

• Reduce distractions.Checking emails, proofreading a critical report, perusing social media or when performing complicated calculations stay less or if not at all distracted as this can lead to embarrassing mistakes. Set aside dedicated time to focus solely on a task, while avoiding outside “noise” like texts and emails.
• Simplify big projects.Large and complex assignments can be overwhelming which can, in turn, lead to procrastination. In the mad dash to meet a deadline, mistakes can easily be made. Avoid this scenario by dividing work into smaller, more manageable tasks.
• Take a break.Spending long hours on the computer can be exhausting. A short pause during the workday or stepping out of the office can help give fresh perspectives when returning later to the assignment.
• Enlist help from co-workers.Build time into the process for a trusted colleague to provide a “second pair of eyes” to check accuracy and work quality. Be sure to acknowledge the person’s contributions and reciprocate in the future.
• Take time to assess expectations.Meet briefly with your manager at the start of a complex assignment to discuss goals and clarify any outstanding issues.

Also read: Dealing with Arrogant Employees: How to Manage Them