My annoyingly work colleague just stood up for me and saved my job.

[Shrekk]

I've had a really stressful month at work. We've had an inspection going on all week as well as me having a number of emergencies to attend to.

There is one woman at work I just can't take too. She talks all the time, gossips, says the wrong thing all the time. We just don't get on and have nothing in common. I've overheard her say bitchu things about me. I don't like her. We just don't speak to each other now except for the odd pleasantries as I'm sure she finds me as irritating as I find her. Over the years it's become more than Indifference. It's more dislike.

In our job we have to keep all our papers in locked draws in our desk and mark names off some reports before they're filed. We also have to keep a log of all our phone calls and complete a specific report at the end of each day.

I had done none of these things as I'd just dealt with an emergency situation and I was in a state of complete stress. We were being investigated and the investigator was coming in an hour. As I rushed back to save my bacon basically I was called to another emergency.

At this point I knew I'd be in big trouble. Confidential information was lying on my desk. Names not blacked out with pen, notes not upto date, report not done. I was so stressed.

I actually felt sick when I returned to my desk. Only to find my irritating work colleague closing the draw just as the inspector came in. The papers had been anonymised, everything locked away, phone log upto date, report completed. It would have been two hours work.

I am always very professional and have never ever not done my job to a high standard before but this was an extraordinary week with much more than normal on and my stress levels were through the roof.

We work independently so if I'd been found to be inadequate that would have in no way reflected on my work colleague. She did this for me.

The inspectors found nothing of concern and left. She's not been back from annual leave since Thursday since this happened.
AIBU to think this was really lovely? Do I now try and get on better with her.

Or was this pretty standard thing to do, and I just go back to ignoring her/not really liking her?

Actually Workname has already put it perfectly. :)

I disagree about the flowers. I'd buy her a big bunch and a card and thank her publicly. She did a good thing when she didn't have to, and did you and the rest of the team a big favour. She deserves your appreciation and thanks. It will also make it harder for her to bitch about you when you've been so nice, and although she might not ever be on your Christmas card list, it might make the working environment more pleasant for both of you.

I think she values whatever you guys do ..... just as much as you do.... and therefore seeing a colleague in a situation which they themselves could find themselves in .... will bring out the loyalty for the position in most ... thank her genuinely but discreetly x

batteries has it spot on I think. She may not like you but that doesn't mean she wants you to get fired etc, knows you were just having a bad day etc. Some people have a strong sense of fairness, sounds like regardless of her personal feelings towards you , she knew it wouldn't be fair if you got into trouble.

I agree with this. I've been able to work well with people that I don't much like. As long as the are honest, hardworking and competent then I can put the personal stuff to one side.

I wouldn't buy flowers but I would say a proper thank you and I wouldn't ever forget the favour.

Or maybe she is just such an inherently nice person that it never occurred to her to do any different. Just like an inherently honest person would equally hand a dropped purse to their arch enemy as they would to a good friend.

Agree with this. I've put myself out or helped people I absolutely despise, purely because doing the 'right' thing is more important to me than my personal opinion of someone. It's a weird one.

In my case it's definitely not selfless - i do it for me and my conscience. But I suppose no good deed truly is.

A particular coworker (I'll call her 'Joan') and I actually detested each other. We could work together professionally, but that was IT. Yet when I got the call that my father was dying, Joan was the one who came to me when I was in a panic about 'but my work wasn't done' and said, "Go, I'll take care of it. You need to go right now! Don't worry". And she was as good as her word. And when she was called about her son (who had learning disabilities) by his school I told her that I owed her big time and to go. And I did her work with as much care as I did my own.

We still never got along. We still pretty much never spoke to each other. Truth to tell, we were probably too much alike to get along! But just because you don't get on with someone that's no reason you can't be 'good coworkers' if not good friends.

You need to thank her, without making a huge thing or gesture. Just look her in the eyes and say "Thank you! I really appreciate what you did!". I'm sure the time will come when you can return the favour.

It was nice of her yes but we are being Insoected at the moment and we would like a good result as a team so I'd have done the same otherwise we'd all suffer.

You sound a bit of an arse op.

Buy her a gift then maybe re evaluate the way you treat people.

You don't have to like someone to not want to see them get fired. I wouldn't want to live in a society where we just help those who we like and let everyone else sink.

As other have said, you don't have to really like work colleagues, just have respect for their efforts to do a good job. I happen to like a few of mine, but it seems unrealistic to expect that you'll enjoy everyone's company (and its not necessary, we're there to work, and get paid for that).
A couple of times the people who have helped me out have been among those I liked least - one manager who always seemed to take what i said in the most negative way possible, and put down my efforts, sorted all the paperwork when I had to rush off because my mum was dying. Another colleague I struggled with, sent me a text saying he'd finished off my task and sent it to a customer, and not to worry at all about any of it - I still find it hard to believe he had the empathy to know how I felt, there seemed no sign before that!!
You have to conclude that some people keep their more friendly, likeable side well hidden in the workplace, and that's their prerogative, but when the chips are down, they may the one who really puts themselves out for you :-).

She appears to respect you and believes you to be good at your job. She knows the position you were in and didn't feel you deserved to get a bollocking for it. She was able to do something about it so she did.
I have the opposite problem to you where I work. I have a colleague who I like as a person but who I have zero respect for as a professional. It makes working with her hard.

Some people are just good people, even if they're not our cup of tea. Perhaps she saw the situation and realised how easy it would be for any of you to get into that position with multiple emergency cases in quick succession, and did a Very Nice Thing.

Take her out for lunch or coffee to say thank you. At least acknowledge her helping you. I think flowers are a bit ott.

I don't know about the gift but do acknowledge it, not with shock, as that is a bit insulting! just acknowledge it with thanks and move on. Then do her the courtesy of viewing her through a new lens.

I've done similar things. There are / have been people at work who I don't like for whatever reason but I wouldn't be such an asshole as to let them get in trouble for one error that any of us could have made. Prefer the feeling of overall solidarity even if you don't absolutely LOVE every individual's personality.

Exactly, well put dalldogiggins

Lelly they are not a team.
op if you work for the government there must be one individual who is very senior and carries the can for data protection surely.

She sounds nice, you not so much..

She acted very professionally and could see how stressed you were and helped you. She is genuine and you should thank her.

You don't have to like people to be professional - in helping you she has also made the team look better but it was still a 'professional' gesture and she didn't view the situation as a petty opportunity to drop you in it. Thank her, tell her you appreciate the effort she made and the time she must've invested in doing your work, and presumably her own work too. You don't have to become friends but maybe you will work better together and if you ever have the chance to help her or repay the professional favour take it.

What a lovely lovely thing for her to do. As pp have said buy her flowers and thank her in person.

She did the right thing.

Get her a box of chocs to say thanks.

Just make sure she doesn't start blackmailing you!!