Are all work places going to be slightly toxic or have that one person who is slightly against you?

[alldaysarethesame]

I started my new job a little over a year ago and there is lady there that started not long before me.. and I think she either has it in for me a little or is just trying to be better than me..

I got pulled into the managers office today and told off about my internet and phone use.. now for the first time in a long time today I was on the internet for five minutes.. if that! And I don't use my phone or go on the internet as much as anybody else in the office does. Now the only person who saw me doing this was the lady that sits behind me, so she has obviously gone and told the manager. This is the same lady that is always on her phone, posting on instagram, has taken selfies and even once said to me 'I feel like dossing, let's doss for a bit no one needs to know' whilst it was just us at our desks whilst the team leader was in a meeting. She's the kind of lady who sucks up to the team leader and manager.. she's a nice lady buying everyone Easter eggs and always buys gifts for people but I also get the impression she wants to be on top. Coming up with 'ideas' or trying to take charge but the manager actually used one of my ideas for everyone to take on board. She's the only one who can see what's on my screen in the day so I know full well she saw what I was doing for a second and complained.. I always see her pick up her phone or she's making a purchase on the internet but I never say anything. I was so close today when I was being spoken to but didn't want to look petty but felt it was so unfair.. AIBU to be annoyed as I felt like it was so unfair. I do all of my work and I've even created ways of working that have been passed on to the other members of the team. And this one time I'm picked out because of it.. I'm so upset because I always feel like there is that one sly person in the office that acts like they are everyone's best friend but really just keeping their enemies closer..

In my experience there’s always one certified fool at least, sometimes a group of little pigeons all brown nosing each other. Just put a wall up, acknowledge them as little as possible but watch right back so their mistakes are noted also

@Notinthemood12 she often makes work mistakes which is why I'm thinking she's trying to 'pull me up on mine' but I'm going to make damn sure she has nothing else to say anymore..

It's a bit of an own goal for her to report something that can only have come from her, as you're less likely to cover for her out of goodwill in future.

My last workplace was lovely and positive, supporting each other when it went wrong for someone. 8 years of naively thinking this was normal. Now, I have “Sarah” who is insecure as hell and will throw me under the bus to make herself look better. Thankfully, my work has shifted and she’s not actually sighted on most of it so now our head of dept sees what I’m doing and realises I’m actually competent. It has taken 18 months to get to this point and I will never trust Sarah. She’s being lovely to me right now because she needs someone on side. It’s honestly exhausting.

Yup, it's absolutely like that. Dog eat dog and super political

I would never actually trust anyone that I work with

Ever

I was just in a big training, people from across the globe, very different positions, countries, teams etc. And pretty much every one of us had this ONE person. Yes, it's a thing.

@coxesorangepippin it's so sad that it's like this. The manager was saying how it's lovely that we all 'gel' really well and whilst we all get along.. there is always someone who's totally in it for themselves. I'm so upset because now I look like the bad person but others are just as bad but I don't say a thing.. if I did I know that they would be spoken to the same but I am just not that person and cannot be a grass to make myself look better!

@G5000 it sucks because management don't see what they are doing.. they see them as the proud worker and the person they are 'grassing on' as the villain!

Yes, my experience of workplaces {and I have worked in many} is that there is nearly always a toxic person or persons or cliques of people who have a specific agenda. I appreciate that we all have our differences which need to be respected but there are some people whose behaviours or actions negatively impact in the work situation. I have also been fortunate to work with some truly lovely, genuine, transparent and hardworking people.

No toxic people in my team at the moment (8 of us, I’m the manager). One slight ‘problem child’ in terms of productivity. My boss and his boss are also fab. I’m lucky and I know it!