You should never talk about this at work

Don't want to end up unemployed at home anytime soon? Then you better keep your mouth shut every now and then.

Or well, it's good to know what you can and cannot talk about at work, because not all topics are equally subtle and innocent, it turns out. And as logical as it may sound, people do this. People make these mistakes and talk about it loudly at the desks. Shame. You better not discuss this at the coffee machine:

1. How stupid your previous job was

You think: that can't be too bad, a little complaining about that boss you had before and all those annoying tasks you had to do at your old job. You had to fetch coffee for your boss there. Or you had to sweep the floor after work sometimes. Complain, complain. Not so smart: you can come across as very negative to your new colleagues and that only backfires. Before you know it, sweeping the floor is also part of their job description and you're just criticizing that.

2. About what kind of job you would actually want

Another forbidden topic: don't talk about other jobs you dream of before you actually have them. Otherwise, you're already half gone before you even leave.

3. Medical issues

You can certainly share some things with your closest and best colleagues, but not in detail. Not every hemorrhoid or ringworm needs to be explained. You were sick. Period. Don't make people uncomfortable.

4. Sex

Maybe okay with certain colleagues you talk to a lot, but again: save your details for your girlfriends on Saturday night at the bar. Colleagues will look at you a bit differently on Monday morning if you told them during lunch that you cheated and enjoy Fifty Shades-like scenarios.

5. Your colleagues

Sounds obvious, but we say it just in case. Don't gossip too much about this and that colleague who works across from you, or in that department next to yours, or who you ran into in the elevator. Not about her outfit, her life, her hairstyle. It's not classy, not neat, and it is absolutely not appreciated by your boss if they hear anything. Just be nice to each other – and say it straight to someone's face if you're annoyed by how they work. And who cares what kind of jeans they wear.

6. Money

Also be a little careful: don't brag about how luxurious your hotel was in the Bahamas or that you've already been to the Bahamas for the sixth time in three years, wow. You can really offend others with that, and honestly, if you have money, people already know that. You don't need to rub it in their faces again. By the way, it's also a bit of caution the other way around: if you have some debts here and there, have a stack of blue envelopes lying around, and are deep in the red for a month... Shhh. Keep it private.

Image: Andrew Neel