Back to work after sick leave. How to handle colleague?

[SquashyPumpkin]

Been off for 4 weeks with work stress due to workload and slacker colleague. Mainly due to colleague who I absolutely hate working with.

Had hoped to find another job and not go back at all but nothing has come up. I can't afford to resign with no job.

It has been decided (finally, took me being signed off to do it) to separate mine and colleague's work so it will be obvious how little she's doing. Before I took on most of the work.

There is a large element of the job which she absolutely hates, has made excuses not to do so I was doing it, and she will now be solely responsible for.

She will obviously be informed of this and will know that I have complained about her. She is the type to be confrontational and will be extremely pissed off.

Any tips on how to handle her?

If she raises it with you is that the dick leave?

Stomach bug... shit leave?

Take as little notice of the dick as possible, and record any and all confrontation, obnoxious behaviour and little digs. Send them to yourself or your manager in an email. I like email because it's date and time stamped.

@SquashyPumpkin
You are in the right and backed up by facts.
Memorise a couple of retorts, so that you’re ready for if/when they try to start something (which may not even happen!).
”You need to talk to the manager, not me”
”This isn’t something I’m prepared to discuss- please take it up with manager”
Then change the subject or just continue working. If they persist, calmly repeat the same sentence as many times as necessary- don’t get drawn in to saying anything more.

(I hate and dread conflict and confrontation and this is how I prepare myself for potential run ins - which rarely go as badly as I imagine they will)

All good advice here. To add, hopefully she will either be too busy with her new workload, it will be highlighted how little she is doing, or she will leave. Also have found getting out for a walk during break can help. Good luck.

She will obviously be informed of this and will know that I have complained about her. She is the type to be confrontational and will be extremely pissed off.

Any tips on how to handle her

Tell her if she has any questions about the work to talk to the manager. Don't engage with her.

Your manager absolutely should not have told her why the work has been rearranged. I think you should express your concerns about her being confrontational and ask the manager how this change in work is going to be communicated.

Google grey rock technique and apply it
it works wonders

Ignore her. If she gets confrontational or defensive tell her to take it up with a manager and they can sort it out.

Omg your post was funny 😆 pick up slack, rise to it , couldn’t handle it .

I wonder if you work with an asshole is it anal-ual leave if you are off.

I get gardening leave now, it’s when you don’t have to work with pricks and dirtbags, it’s all becoming clearer.

If she mentions anything, you say,
'yes, that is how it was explained to me at my back to work interview.'

'I am just doing what I am told to do. I really need to get back to it now.'

'Look Sue, if there is anything you don't understand you will have to talk to Joan. Must catch up quickly with what I have missed.'

'Hmm well, that sounds like exactly how it has always been done. Can't chat, loads to do.'

Fingers crossed she will do her own job hunting

She is the type to be confrontational and will be extremely pissed off.

Any tips on how to handle her?

"Colleague, maybe you are having a bad day, but you are coming across as rather confrontational. If you have a problem with the way the workload is now set up, please will you take it up with Manager X, & not take it out on me? Thanks."

Then turn away, walk away, whatever, & DO NOT RESPOND if she continues any goading. Just put your nose into your screen/whatever.

Also - record every incident of her being pissed off at you. Time, date, situation, dialogue. Just in case.

The flip side is that she says nothing, just leaves things undone so you need to be sure someone has your back and it's clear it's down to her not pulling her weight.

I had a colleague like this - an absolutely lazy incompetent idiot who management did nothing about and who cost vulnerable people money by his incompetence. It wound me up so much that he got away with it that I just left with no job to go to. At least it sounds like your management have acknowledged there is a problem.

haha.... Freudian slip there...

Be really nice and start off afresh. She will be a bit surprised but may take the hint and want to get on with you better. It may seem unlikely but there is nothing to lose and you may just feel more able to work with alongside her after all.

@PayPennies I do apologise but pleased that I have not perished alone.

Op, everyone has a cock colleague (cockleague?) and your best bet is to grey rock the fucker as a PP suggested.

I would simply have a notebook or your phone handy and any aggressions or micro-aggressions, document date and time and be really fucking obvious about it. Send through to HR. He/she will get the hint really quickly.

Just don't speak to her. Now your work is separate, you don't need to speak to her? If she speaks to you and becomes argumentative/aggressive, tell her you don't want to have that conversation and put the phone down/remove yourself. Document exactly what she said.

Totally agree with all the advice about 'speak to management about workload decisions,' keeping a record and open dialogue with your manager, but just in case this needs to be said too - be really strict with your job tasks.

I'm the worst for not wanting to let other people down that I used to step in to pick things up when they hadn't been done even when it was technically someone else's. All that taught people was that I would do their work if they put it off long enough.

I had to learn how to stop that - so that my workload was bearable and also so that people (clients and colleagues) saw how truly lazy the others were and could take action.

If her not don't the task she hates but now has sole responsibility for impacts on your ability to do your tasks, flag it early, with her and management, clearly setting out a reasonable deadline and the impact of not making it. And then sit back. Do NOT under any circumstance pick it up.

Wondering if dick leave applies to dickhead husbands or just dickhead colleagues....

More seriously don't engage, don't explain, polite nothing responses unless it's something you need to respond to for work purposes. Keep a factual record with dates and times, refer her to the boss/HR if she complains.

All the best op

She will obviously be informed of this and will know that I have complained about her. She is the type to be confrontational and will be extremely pissed off.

OP i read this bit again. Let's give your management a bit of credit, since they have reacted to what happened (you had sick leave because of her actions) and are doing the right thing. So any conclusions she comes to are out of her own head - she knows she was in the wrong, in other words.

And refuse to engage. Persistent behaviour? I like the idea of reporting to management, verbally if you can with a follow up email to confirm what you discussed. And put yourself in bcc, or print it or something so you have a record that can't get lost.

Would she necessarily know it came from you OP? I might be more worried that she'll try and offload the bits she doesn't like.

I would deny all knowledge “I don’t know, Sue - I just came back off sick leave and this is how they’ve arranged it. If you are unhappy, I think you should talk to <manager name>. Now, I must get on”.

I highly doubt your management would have dropped you in it and said that “Things have got so bad for Squashy that she’s being signed off because you are a lazy cow!”

Look on the bright side - when management realised just how crap she is, maybe she will be sacked and you won’t have to look for a new job!!