Colleague at work crying - what is the right thing to do?

[Z064life]

So I am in the kitchen today and a work colleague in another team walks in and then complains about her workload and catching up on work. She was away for two weeks (obviously knowing that taking leave inevitably means you will be behind on work to an extent duh).

Anyway, she looked like she was in tears or about to be and I walked off. Was this a bad thing to do? Is it my problem and not her manager's? This was a girl that complained about me just for me saying I couldn't help her with something as I was too busy (something I explained before).

Other advice is I should delay and come late to my own meeting I had at the time just to help her! In my department, you will not win any respect or sympathy for a good Samaritan act.

Thanks!

[CoolHands]

If she’s previously complained about you, stay a mile away! She walks in / you walk out.

[Lostprophet]

If it's anything to do with you then stay well away!!

If it's not then flag it with HR. Let them manage it.

[caelite]

https://youtu.be/tIQCnEx5fHI

[anonymous-user]

Best thing to cheer her up, slap her arse and say 'fancy a curry'.

[ATG]

Z064life said:

In my department, you will not win any respect or sympathy for a good Samaritan act.

That's a pity. Is that the way you want to work?

[Mr2Mike]

ATG said:

Z064life said:

In my department, you will not win any respect or sympathy for a good Samaritan act.

That's a pity. Is that the way you want to work?

Sounds like a pretty toxic environment.

[Johnnytheboy]

Women in offices always moan about how busy they are; it's their primary success metric.
I'd suggest paraphrasing Monty Python and saying "look, I hate to see a grown woman crying, so shove off out of the kitchen."

[Shuvi McTupya]

What would your reaction be if it was a man that was crying about his workload ?

I thought that in these modern enlightened times, women have earned the right to be treated the same way as men, this really shouldn't be an issue!

[Evanivitch]

Z064life said:

Other advice is I should delay and come late to my own meeting I had at the time just to help her! In my department, you will not win any respect or sympathy for a good Samaritan act.

Thanks!

Yep a bit of compassion to a colleague having a breakdown should always depend on the kudos you get from your colleagues.

Sounds like a crap place to work.

[crofty1984]

Z064life said:

This was a girl that complained about me just for me saying I couldn't help her with something as I was too busy (something I explained before).

I'd stay well away. Not out of spite, but you don't know if tomorrow she'll be complaining about you...
In my experience a lady I work with burst into years so I did the correct thing and blurted out "I'll get you a cup of tea!" and ran away (to get the tea).

[C0ffin D0dger]

PMT?

Whatever the reason run a mile (especially if the above)

[edc]

Lostprophet said:

If it's anything to do with you then stay well away!!

If it's not then flag it with HR. Let them manage it.

Why should HR manage this? What is the purpose of a line manager if not to manage their employees?

[Lostprophet]

edc said:

Why should HR manage this? What is the purpose of a line manager if not to manage their employees?

What's the point of HR if they don't manage human resource.

Managers aren't social workers.

[berlintaxi]

Lostprophet said:

edc said:

Why should HR manage this? What is the purpose of a line manager if not to manage their employees?

What's the point of HR if they don't manage human resource.

Managers aren't social workers.

Tiny bit bitter about something?

[Rich_AR]

caelite said:

https://youtu.be/tIQCnEx5fHI

[Type R Tom]

It's an interesting point about leave, should your work for the year take into account 4 (or so) weeks annual leave or not. If not is it really leave if you are just squeezing 12 months work into 11?

I guess the same argument applies to hours in the day, if you are paid for 8 and need 9 to complete the work either you aren't very good or your manager isn't for giving it to you to much.

[Mr2Mike]

Type R Tom said:

I guess the same argument applies to hours in the day, if you are paid for 8 and need 9 to complete the work either you aren't very good or your manager isn't for giving it to you to much.

What a load of bks, loads of highly skilled people work well beyond their paid hours. The last part of your sentence doesn't make sense either.

[KrazyIvan]

What is the right thing to do?....nothing, if their crying it's their issue to deal with. If there a friend then I would chat with them, but as you said colleague, she clearly isn't. I would hardly expect HR to hold it against you because of someone else's inability to control their emotions, particularly over a trivial matter.

[anonymous-user]

Managing workload is about prioritisation. You could spend 24 hours a day generating email traffic with colleagues about complete rubbish or going to meetings then moan about how busy, stressed you are. Most of it is just noise created by busy fools. Rise above it, concentrate on only the stuff that’ll get you fired if you don’t deal with it, then ignore the rest.

I’d always take time to talk to somebody if they were in distress. It’s only 5 minutes out of your day but it means an awful lot to them. Get over yourself - nobody cares if you are late to your own or any other meeting.