Rude co-worker help. What to say to them?

Question

When it is someones birthday at my office, that works my shift, i decorate their desk with birthday streamers, a banner, and confetti stuff. (I leave it at work and recycle it every time someone has a b-day.) We have a morning and an afternoon shift. So, today it was a co-workers birthday, who i am friends with outside of work as well. I was decorating her desk with the birthday decorations before our afternoon shift. Well, this other lady, who works in the morning, walked by a few times, looked at me and twice said "No one decorated MY desk when it was MY birthday." So after she said it the second time, i looked at her and said "Well the only person who ever decorates my desk is Sara." Which is true. (Sara and i are good friends, she works in a different department.) And she said back "Well that isn't Sara's desk..." really sarcastically. She wasn't joking around. Do you think that was rude of her? Because i do.

I know she is going to bring this up again tomorrow or at another time. She will act like she is joking, but she won't be. Should i just ignore her or should i tell her straight up that she is being rude? What should i say?

Answer 1

This is just me, but I always ignore stuff like this.  What I've found is that people with an attitude only become more annoying when you given them ammunition.  I agree that it was rude, and with an attitude like that, no wonder her desk didn't get decorated.  I'm not suggesting you should stay quiet if things escalate, though.  Just for catty stuff, I always find it's best to let it go.  I can blow off steam to friends about it, but as far as stir up drama with someone who's begging for it...I'd rather not.  Good luck!

Answer 2

I would tell her, well when your birthday comes around again maybe I'll decorate it, but sarcastically put emphasis on the word maybe.

Answer 3

I would ignore her or brush her off. She doesn't seem to be worth the energy.

Answer 4

She seems to be jealous of the person who's having his/her birthday.

If she raised her voice and was really sarcastic, then, yes, she was rude.

Next time ask her straight if she has a problem with you decorating your other coworkers desk at their birthdays. If she responds rudely, then tell her she's being rude, otherwise leave her, she has issues.

Answer 5

if she keeps on saying things about it, politely tell her that you are sorry that he feels that way. and that by decorating your friends desk you are in no way trying to hurt her feeling. and then go on to say that you feel a little offended at her remarks. but use 'i' statements instead of 'you' statements. for instance instead of saying you are making me mad because you are being rude, you might say i am a little uncomfortable and i would feel better if you just came to me and told me how you feel. people tend to be less defensive that way.  

Answer 6

I'd come right out and tell her.  Maybe if you were nicer to those you work with they would "decorate" your desk for your big day too!!  

Answer 7

I would just ignore her. She is just hurt because no one decorated her desk and she is taking that hurt out on you in a "joking" manner. She needs to grow up and get over it.

I don't recommend this (lol) but sometimes I like to be immature and childish I would say something like "Well if you weren't so rude maybe I will consider decorating your desk next year...." but say it as if you were talking to a 6 year old. lol

Answer 8

LOL .. sorry for laughing BUT .. I know the kind of person you are writing about .. we have one at our work too ...

The thing is .. maybe she DOES feel left out when she sees people's desks decorated and hers never is ... that's understandable.. .BUT .. do other people KNOW when her birthday is .. ? Or ... perhaps she isn't the kind of person who's desk you would want to be bothered decorating ( i mean If she's a sow of a person and she has made herself unpopular WHY would you want to waste your time)

Unfortunately though.... she may have the right to take this to management and whine about how she is being EXCLUDED  ( shaking my head at that myself ... but it is one of the definitions of what workplace bullying can be) .. so becareful....

The people I work with and for are a wonderful bunch of people... but there are two people there who have caused unpleasantness and issues... and who then wonder why people don't want to hang around with them ..  

     :(   perhaps this lady is one of THOSE kind of people.. ?

Answer 9

I sense some jealousy. You should tell this co-worker that you are decorating this certain girls desk because it was your friends birthday. And you don't have to be rude about it, but you can just say that she is your friend and you are just a co-worker, in so many words. Or you could even say, "Well my desk wasn't decorated on my birthday either." Even though it was, it obviously wasn't decorated by this co-worker. So it should all just kind of backfire on her. Good luck!!

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