I apologize if this isn’t allowed, but I wasn’t sure exactly where to put it. Just let me know if it’s inappropriate and I’ll delete. Thanks.
I’m a loner, so my life is basically just work and the internet. Two of my coworkers are among my favorite people in the whole world, but one of them doesn’t like the other one and will complain to me about how they don’t like them.
We work incredibly closely together…only a few feet apart for hours on end. Our job also necessitates that we frequently communicate with one another. In the beginning, I absolutely loved it and there was no conflict.
Now, I often get my one coworker complaining to me that the other is lazy. And I’m not going to lie, the “lazy” one definitely takes more breaks than everyone and doesn’t at all work as hard as the others. But that doesn’t really bother me because she’s a super incredibly nice and friendly person.
But over time it has bothered my hardworking coworker more and more and driven a wedge into what I would have once considered to be a friendship between the 3 of us.
It never gets to the point where there is yelling or arguments or anything, but it absolutely ruins the mood and then I hear about it later.
I interact with these people for hours on end every single day and I’m just not sure how to handle it. I’ve been struggling to know how to deal with it for months now.
To top it all off it gives me endless paranoia that the hardworking coworker secretly resents me and hates me too. This stuff never used to happen before, but know I feel like it’s all that happens.
Take the hardworking co-worker aside. Say:
“Hey, this situation has been difficult for me. I enjoy working with both you and Lazy, and I miss the days when everyone got along. I don’t want to invalidate your frustrations, but it’s stressfull to hear about how lazy Lazy is being. It doesn’t bother me that Lazy does less work, but the tention between you two does bother me because I enjoy both of your company”
And see how Hardworker responds. Then go to Lazy.
“Hey Lazy. Hardworker seems upset that you take more breaks than they do. Do you think you could talk to her and try to clear the air? I enjoy working with both of you, but the tension between you two is upsetting”
And again, see how they respond.
It’s entirely possible that neither of them will respond well to this, so bare that in mind. If it’s stressing you out, though, you have an obligation to yourself to try. Just also be aware that it could backfire. So be sure to weigh whether or not it’s worth it to get involved