Getting along with the people at work is always great because it can make the day go faster and turn tough projects into something more bearable. The only issue is when certain coworkers try to cross that line of friendship and seem to force a romantic connection.
A married woman faced this when her sleazy colleague tried to trick her into going on a date with him by pretending he had invited their whole team out. She saw through his plan quite early on and decided to play into his act and eventually trap him.
More info: Reddit
When coworkers begin to cross boundaries at work, it’s important to put them in their place and show them the consequences of their actions
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that her colleague, Keith, seemed to want to have an affair, as he had suddenly taken to complaining about his wife to her
Image credits: Andreea Avramescu / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
What put the woman on alert was when Keith asked her out to a group happy hour event, but he seemed vague about who he had invited and which people were coming
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The poster felt like Keith had used the guise of a group hangout to get her alone, so she tricked him by actually inviting the whole team, so that he’d be forced to socialize
Image credits: diaj868
Just as the event was to begin, the woman faked an emergency and got out of it, angering Keith, who got trapped with the team
The woman’s coworker was clearly trying to start up something with her, which is why he kept confiding in her about his wife and how “awful” she was. Since the poster was married, she had no interest in Keith and felt that he was behaving inappropriately, which is also why she tried to keep a distance.
According to workplace experts, setting boundaries with colleagues can be difficult because it often creates an awkward dynamic. If someone is being too pushy or trying to be forceful, it’s crucial to speak to them calmly. Bringing up how you feel about their behavior early on can help protect you and make them understand the impact of their actions.
The OP hadn’t set any boundaries with her coworker, and so he was still trying to create a spark between them. His cunning plan was to trick her into going on a date with him by inviting her to a group hangout and then later pretending that people had canceled, so that they could be alone together.
It’s good that the woman realized early on what her colleague’s intentions were because she was able to do something about it. Instead of just flaking on the invite, she decided to trap him in a real group event by inviting around 15 of their team members. He didn’t know about her plan, and certainly didn’t expect a whole bunch of people to show up.
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The woman’s idea to turn the tables on her coworker definitely paid off, as he seemed to get the message. He got mad at her for bailing on the event and leaving him to host their entire team. The only problem is that there was no professional action taken against his pushy and creepy behavior, meaning that he could still act like that in the workplace.
To understand how to handle colleagues like this, Bored Panda reached out to Wendy Sellers, who is known as The HR Lady and is also the author of HR and management books. She said, “If a coworker behaves inappropriately or deceptively like this, set clear boundaries, document the interactions, and consider speaking with your manager or HR about the behavior so there’s a record of it.”
“Most companies have an anti-harassment policy, which his actions may violate. Either way, he needs to know that what he is doing isn't just morally wrong, but may cost him his job. You don’t need physical evidence to report the situation. HR encourages employees to come forward as soon as they feel uncomfortable or unsafe so issues can be addressed promptly and discreetly,” she added.
Even though the man might not have gotten reprimanded for his creepy behavior, he was certainly taught a lesson. Hopefully, the OP never has to pull a trick like this again, but if he ever tries his luck, we’re sure she’ll have another hilarious plan ready.
What would you have done if you were in her situation and had to deal with a coworker like this? Let us know your thoughts.
Folks were glad that the poster pulled the trick on Keith and felt that she should keep a record of his inappropriate behavior
