Overworked employee requests coworkers take on some of her workload, they refuse, leading her to take a month-long sick leave instead: ‘Now her tasks are being reassigned to us’

When working with a team, there is a delicate balance between doing your individual work and fulfilling your part as a teammate. We all want the team to be successful and a good fit for everyone, while still putting ourselves first, which is not an easy challenge.

If a coworker approached you today and asked you to help them with some of their tasks, would you have agreed, even though that is not your responsibility?

The reality is, that both answers to this question are completely valid. If you feel like you are up to helping your coworker, and it won't affect the performance of your own tasks, it is highly appreciated if you say yes. It might also benefit you in the future if you ever need a hand yourself. But even if you feel like taking on more work is not something you are capable of, saying no is also completely fine. After all, it is not your responsibility to make sure your coworker is completing their tasks, that is where your manager should step up.

The situation in this Reddit story is the perfect example of just how complicated it can get when a coworker asks others for help, so keep scrolling to read the full tale.

Like what you see? Follow our WhatsApp channel for more.

01

via Yan Krukau

^{This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.}
Advertisement
02

via Keepitlocal90
An overworked employee asked a coworker for help with completing some of her assignments, and the coworker, who was already busy with their own work, decided to refuse that request. This spiraled into a series of unfortunate events that possibly made the coworker regret not helping that employee when they asked. But is it really their fault? Keep reading to determine that yourself.
03

via Keepitlocal90
04

via Keepitlocal90
Advertisement
05

via Keepitlocal90
06

via Keepitlocal90
07

via Keepitlocal90
Advertisement
08

via Keepitlocal90
09

via Keepitlocal90
10

via Keepitlocal90
11

via Keepitlocal90
Advertisement
12

via Keepitlocal90
13

via _I_like_big_mutts
14

via queengirrl
Advertisement
15

via queengirrl
16

via rainbowroosy
17

via rainbowroosy
Advertisement
18

via user_is_suspended
19

via Specific-Chest-5020
20

via One_Aspect9465
Advertisement
21

via One_Aspect9465
22

via Pristine-Mastodon-37
23

via Zieglest
Advertisement
24

via JellyfishDull3783
25

via Krazzy4u
26

via Crazy_Life61