From Coworkers To Strangers: Navigating Workplace Betrayal

Here I am, on a cold Monday afternoon, clocking into work and signing into my computer. I noticed a task wasn’t completed before I clocked in. This task prevented me from getting work done. I sorted it myself but sent a brief message asking my coworkers to please make sure to complete this task in the future before I come in.

Little did I know this one friendly reminder message I sent would completely change my work environment.

One of my coworkers decided to take this comment personally. They began to gossip about my job, spreading rumors that I was sabotaging them and that I was a snitch. This led to colleagues I was once cracking jokes with completely icing me out. I had to complete just the tasks I knew the answer to because I felt uncomfortable asking questions. I felt miserable, like I had suddenly lost a whole group of friends.

These were the friends I used to plan to hang out outside of work. These were the friends with whom I had come to celebrate my birthday and who knew every part of my personal life. I began to second-guess everything I told them, from my family issues to silly things like one of my previous work crushes.

I was the one that always brought a laugh at work. 

I’d print out silly memes and plant them around the office. You could hear the laughter down the hallway as people in different departments became jealous of how we’d all have fun while working together.

I didn’t truly know the line between a professional and personal connection.

I went to my manager immediately, asking them to meet with me. From there, I showed them screenshots of what happened. I explained to my manager that my colleagues pretended I didn’t exist. While my manager understood my comment and that it wasn’t intended to be harmful, she also explained how I should have worded it better to prevent hurt feelings. When I asked my manager how I could improve my communication in the future, she couldn’t answer me.

At that point, I asked my manager if we could meet with her and the other colleague to discuss things. All I wanted to do was fix the problem. I was willing to sit down and apologize while finding ways to communicate better in the future. However, this colleague was apparently too upset and unwilling to talk things out. 

All I was trying to do was find a solution, but I was a problem to everyone instead.

I decided I couldn’t do anything but be in survival mode until I found a new job. I was so isolated at work that my supervisor had to create a schedule so I knew what I was doing every day because my coworkers couldn’t even tell me that. 

At this point, I unfriended all of my colleagues on Facebook. I took back the narrative and realized how important it is to separate your personal and professional lives. 

So, if you’re in a similar situation, just know you’re not alone.

Featured image via Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels