So I have a colleague who I’ve worked with for a while, and I would class her as a friend to some degree. Anyway, a while ago at our workplace, they consolidated our head offices due to us being a hybrid company. We now have to report to our main head office twice a week, which is about 6 miles down the road from our old office.
Our old office was right in the city centre, so it was easy to get to for those who cannot drive. The new one, however, is on an industrial estate on a main A road, so it’s a bit difficult for those who don’t drive. I do drive, so it hasn’t massively disrupted me, apart from an extra 20 minutes twice a day.
Anyway, my boss wasn’t happy with the idea of my colleague having to get two buses and walk to get there, so they agreed she could work remotely while she sorts a solution out. I think it was mentioned in her consultation that she wanted time to learn how to drive.
We work for a large corporate company, so while I don’t know the details of what’s been said, I imagine my boss really fought her corner with HR to allow this, which I agree with and was pleased about as I appreciate it was a difficult situation for her.
Anyway, I saw a post on Facebook from a driving agency with her photo, congratulating their student (my colleague) for passing her driving test back in January.
I waited for her to tell me herself (we talk a lot on Teams and have met up the odd time outside of work), but she never said anything. I assumed she wanted to give herself a few weeks to get settled with driving before saying she could now come into the office, but it’s now April and she has still remained silent about it.
I’m really disappointed, as she comes across as a really sweet person—like butter wouldn’t melt—but I find this quite devious. Not only towards my boss, who has bent over backwards to help her and be lenient, but also towards myself and the rest of the team, who have been really supportive of her situation. I haven’t heard one person complain or say things like “one rule for one, another rule for another,” etc.
I have not mentioned this to others and certainly wont be, as im really not that person, so I suppose I have come here to rant,