Making friends at work can be the best solution for tough days and a tiring job, but it can also be fraught with problems. Even though it might seem like everyone is kind and friendly, the issue is that you won’t know who’s two-faced until it’s too late.
This is what one man realized after trying to help out a new hire, who then turned on him and reported him to Human Resources. He then learned his lesson and did his best to avoid her, but that’s when she played the single mom card to get him to help her out again.
More info: Reddit
It can be difficult to know who to trust in a workplace, as some cunning people might turn on you for their own personal gain
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that even though his job required very specialized knowledge, his company hired a new worker who seemed to have none of the necessary skills
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The man went the extra mile to help his new coworker out and showed her the ropes, but she ended up randomly reporting him for inappropriate conduct
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After the issue with his coworker, the man began avoiding her and also turned his colleagues against her, which affected her job
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Since the woman realized she might be at risk of getting fired, she asked the man for help, but he didn’t feel comfortable doing it anymore
Ever since the woman was hired to work in the OP’s office, he realized that she didn’t have the necessary skills to do the job, which is why he decided to help her out. Over time, they developed a mentor-mentee relationship, and she also became friends with him and their other colleagues.
As researchers point out, helping a coworker can benefit the team and the company by fostering goodwill and improving productivity. Although it seems to be a wonderful thing to do, it can also prove to be problematic by putting more pressure on the helper to manage not only their job, but also their colleagues’ queries.
In this case, the man realized why he shouldn’t have done so much for the new hire after he got called in to Human Resources, who said that a complaint had been filed against him. He was accused of inappropriate conduct, and he found out that the woman he had been helping out so much had made this absurd claim.
In situations like this, where a person might be in hot water in the workplace, experts advise documenting their side of the story and checking in with colleagues who can corroborate the evidence. It’s also important to keep a distance from the individual who might have filed the complaint, and not to engage in any debates or disagreements.
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The OP was baffled that the new hire would make up such a claim about him, so he confronted her about it. That’s when she explained that she felt he was “laying it on thick,” whereas he had been doing nothing of the sort and was just trying to help her out. So, he decided to keep his distance from her, which would help make sure that nothing else could go wrong.
Eventually, the other colleagues must have found out about the woman’s complaint, so they also started icing her out. This led to nobody wanting to help her, which meant that she couldn’t manage to do her job well enough. That’s when she decided to approach the OP, despite getting him in trouble.
Although it might be kinder to forgive and forget in situations like this, when it comes to one’s career, it’s sometimes important to set clear boundaries instead. Professionals explain that if a toxic colleague tries to reconnect, it’s best to take this issue to your boss and ask them for guidance or support on the matter.
Though the poster didn’t go to his supervisor about the issue, he decided to avoid his coworker and not give in to her pleas. She still tried to get him to change his mind by saying that she was a single mom and really needed the job, but he didn’t waver and stayed firm in his decision.
What would you have done if you were in the man’s place? Do share your honest thoughts down below.
People sided with the man and told him it’s better that he protect himself rather than get into more trouble by helping the lady out
