Could you pretend to like someone at work if your job depended on it?

T here are always going to be people in our lives who we just don’t like. “Absolutely,” says Jerome Blaine, a mortgage specialist in Lexington, Kentucky. “When I was a kid, my mom used to tell me I had to like everyone, that I had to find something — even if it was something stupid like the way they signed their name — to like about everyone.” And now? “Forget it,” says Blaine, 37. “I can name 10 people I don’t like right off the top of my head.”

Blaine says he held on to his mom’s find-good-ineveryone advice for years. “All the way through high school and college,” he says.

But Blaine says that changed on his first day of work out of college. “I was working for an insurance office outside of Dayton, Ohio, and some guy called me ‘Li’l Abner,’” Blaine says. “I laughed because I didn’t know who that was, but when I told someone about after work, they told me he was basically calling me a hillbilly, a hayseed. I just met the guy. What kind of person does that?”

Blaine says he learned to answer that question many times. “A jerk,” he says. “That’s the kind of person who does that. A jerk.”

Blaine worked with that “jerk” for four years and says he never warmed up to him — a situation that exemplifies many interoffice relationships, according to Darlene Evans, a social worker and workplace consultant based in Rochester, New York. “We think of our coworkers as our extended family, which they are,” Evans says. “And just like in a family, there are going to be people we just don’t like.”

Evans says the difference is that as adults, we don’t have to see family members we don’t like on a daily basis. “You can’t avoid your coworkers, especially if you’re in the same department or involved in the same project,” Evans says. “It’s not like your sisterin-law, who you only have to see on Thanksgiving and Christmas. You have to work with these people. You can’t escape them.” Work through it

If you’re in a daily situation with people you can’t stand, Evans says there are ways to get past your inherent dislike for your coworkers. Here are her suggestions: Keep your distance: “You don’t have to hang with everyone in the office,” says Evans. “It’s possible to coexist with a coworker who isn’t your particular cup of tea.” Be professional:

“You’re working together, not planning your wedding,” Evans says. “As long as both parties remain cordial and respectful, it’s possible to accomplish work-related tasks without tearing each other to pieces.”

Don’t take everything in the relationship so

seriously: Remember, you’ll go home to your family and friends at the end of the workday, so there’s no need to clench your teeth all day while you’re working. Use the relationship to your advantage:

People who dislike each other work together for years — and in many cases are successful because of, not despite, their differences. “There can be a competitive advantage to working with people who aren’t in your circle of friends,” Evans says. “Some people will continually push themselves to outdo their peers, so in some settings, a little discord among coworkers can be a good thing.” Keep your feelings to yourself:

“Work gossip is the worst,” Evans says. “Not only does it plant seeds of ill will with your coworkers, it ruins relationships and impacts others. If you don’t like someone, there’s no need to broadcast your feelings to the entire office.” Seek help:

Sometimes HR will help clashing employees work through their problems. “If there is a lot of money at stake, your company is going to want to help you work things out,” Evans says. “It’s possible to work with a third party to help negotiate strategies, boundaries and more.” Move over:

“Your boss doesn’t want you to sabotage an assignment simply because you can’t have a respectful conversation with your coworker,” Evans says. “Ask to be moved to a different department or project if the relationship is ruining your work.” Move on:

If all else fails, look elsewhere. “If your job is affecting you negatively in a number of ways, it’s time to find a new job,” says Evans. “No one has to be a martyr at work. People leave companies for a variety of reasons. People may not admit it, but getting along with other employees is probably near the top of the list.”