can friends be your colleagues?

Singapore
June 3, 2012 2:21am CST
I used to work with a colleague who was actually a good friend. I joined the firm first and she joined not long after. I was doing very well in that firm before she got employed. She has the same level of experience as me and she also started on the same level. However, as time goes on I realised that my colleagues started to turn cold towards me and instead I find them more warm towards her. She doesn't put in a lot of effort in her work but she seemed to get better pay and better bonus (that's what she had been telling me even though I never bothered to ask her) and everyone just seemed to want to have lunch or dinner appointments with her. The worst of it was that the bosses started to give her more projects to do. But she's not the one doing it. I ended up doing the work while she partied all the time with the rest of the colleagues. I felt terribly used and very unhappy with the way things were going. Please let me know what I should do in such a situation? I have thought of leaving many times but I felt that it's not worth it as I had been here way longer than she has and I have taken quite good remunerations and bonuses. If I leave, would it mean that I had allowed my friend / colleague beat me in the game? If I leave, I think I would leave my years of value to the firm and also the privileges that comes with it.
1 person likes this
2 responses
smurfysmurf
@smurfysmurf (651)
• Philippines
4 Jul 12
Hi there Berry, I think the best thing to never do the work in favor of that friend. I know she is your friend...but I don't think she is considered as a good one. And just practically, I don't think leaving would be the best option. You might have a hard time finding another one especially these days that many people would want your position of being employed...as if there's a lot of competition going on. I think the rapport from those colleagues and bosses made her that level. Anyways, all the best.
laniekins
@laniekins (4579)
• Philippines
22 Jun 12
Stop doing his job, makes an excuse like you are busy with your work or you cannot do her work. Don't let her grab the credit while you do the job. If you are compensated well and get a good benefits why leave? I also have a friend who become my officemate, she first enter me on the office where she work part time. In the end I become regular while she remains do part time work if we need a worker. I can feel there is somehow competition but I never heard anything bad from her. Later on, I resigned to that company and got another job, this time I help her enter a job from where I work. She got the job and it was fun to work with her, she never ask me to do her job but ask help which I gladly do. Now she still working in that company while I landed another job. It's kinda hard to work with your friend than being friends with your co-worker. There is some awkward moment that I can't explain, like it's awkward to tell her if she do something that is not right cause she reports indirectly to me.