'We're coworkers, not friends': Introverted coworker gets their wish after ungraciously declining invitation

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    "We're coworkers, not friends."
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    Posted by u/Solution Independent7 9 hours ago Ostracized because I drew my boundaries with the wrong words. I work in a team environment and we have a lot of downtime between duties. People watch TV, play cards, bring potlucks, and generally spend all day socializing. Not my vibe, but I don't hate. I think it's cute they all have their little cliques and clubs. It's just not for me. I'm not about it, but I like to sit outside with headphones on and spend my time drawing on my iPad. The break roo
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    I'm not unliked at work, and I am friendly with people as we do our jobs. I've been invited out for dinner/drinks with the team before, and never found it difficult to decline with a "no thank you" or "oh, not tonight. Thanks." This time, 4 people from the team came outside to my table and stood next to me until I took my headphones off. "I'm having a wedding announcement party at my place tonight!
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    Dinner and drinks are already there, so you just have to show up", said the leader of the pack. "Oh, sorry. Not tonight, thank you" I said with a smile. I went to put my headphones back in when another from the group protested "we've worked together for years, and we invite you all the time. Why don't you ever come out with us?"
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    I didn't have a response. I just didn't want to. I don't want to go to a social event if I don't enjoy socializing. I was on the spot and everyone was looking at me waiting for my answer. "Because we're coworkers, not friends" is all I managed to shake out of my mouth. Now I can feel the tension at work. Nobody talks to me anymore. They've even stopped saying "good morning", which I generally would be OK with, but it's the sudden transition. I can tell they're all feeling some sort of way about
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    I guess I'll just continue to do my job and mind my business. People should really calm down with their feelings at work. We didn't know each other when I started, and we're not going to know each other after I leave. Just keeping it professional. EDIT: I'm not upset that they're leaving me alone. I prefer it. I guess I'm just making the observation that they got so turned over a simple boundary. for them. They should leave their feelings at home.
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    deathfaces 7 hr. ago This is less anti-work, and more anti- coworker 1.3k Reply Share 586 ●●● hipposheadisred 6 hr. ago Lol exactly, like yall get paid to play cards, gossip, listen to music, and have office drama? My coworkers bother me for free! Reply Share
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    SolutionIndependent7 OP 6 hr. ago In my 10 hour shift, we might do 4 hours of real work. The rest is downtime just waiting for things to happen. It's... got it's pros and cons. I basically get paid to doodle on my iPad for 6 hours. 228 Reply Share
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    SJReaver 8 hr. ago You wanted them to leave you alone. They are leaving you alone. 1.1k Reply Share Broad_Respond_2205 6 hr. ago it's a guide 109 Reply Share ●●●
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    Astartes40000 6 hr. ago edited 5 hr. ago the notion that "I keep work separate from my personal life" is such a double edged sword. it's true that the people you work with do not have to be your friends. You are not obligated to spend time with them and associate with them outside of your working hours. That is a valid boundary.
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    Unfortunately... the reality is that this costs you a rapport with the people you work with. No, you don't have to hang out and drink after hours but it's like any relationship you have with any other person.. when you choose to do these things together you invest in each other. Ideally y'all will get along and it becomes easier, if not more natural, to support each other in the workplace.
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    I've worked in environments where most people stick to that boundary as well as environments where people don't necessarily have that boundary. I have to say that I feel much better in an environment where people aren't afraid to be copacetic, it makes me feel like I can rely on them and I want to do the same in return. 299 Reply Share
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    Cha_nay_nay · 5 hr. ago Wow, I feel so personally attacked. I am that keep work seperate to personal life person Your words are so true. I'm an Introvert and work in the office twice a week in a team of 10. I am always friendly with my co-workers and speak when spoken to but I do not
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    join their social events and group lunches and multiple daily discussions about life and coffee chats every morning. And yes it costs me a rapport with them, they stay polite but have learnt to live me alone. And tbh, I am so thrilled and relieved that they live me alone. Tbh again, I am one of the most productive people in the team.
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    and my Manager knows it. I ace my performance reviews too. So I stopped caring what they think because I do my job well. But its still hard being an introvert in such a social world 74 Reply Share ●●●
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    LittleWhiteGirl. 4 hr. ago I'm an introvert but I value my coworkers being on my team, so I go to just enough social events and stay long enough to be able to be in on things. That's just kind of the price of wanting that kind of relationship. There's middle ground between going out with
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    them every night and.. whatever OP has fostered. Give up 45 of your precious after work minutes once or twice a month and you'll break down walls easily. If you want people to be friendly you have to act like a friend. The hard boundaries some people in this sub set would turn me off too, that's fine if that's what they want but it's not fair to turn around and be upset that people aren't buddy buddy with them at work as a consequence. 22 Reply Share ●●●
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    TheRealMrJoshua56 9 hr. ago Well yeah, you just told a group of people they're not your friends. Do you expect them to keep being friendly? Reply Share 605
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    justanotherl_urker_ - 5 hr. ago Ostracized? You don't have any interest in being friendly with them, and you've made it clear. Why WOULD they want to talk to you?? You're allowed to have boundaries, and they're allowed to have opinions about you because of it. 4212 Reply Share ●●●
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    wasntworthitnope. 5 hr. ago Easy fix: "Hey I'm sorry about the other day. I'm introverted and really try to establish boundaries between my work and private lives. I'm sorry how I replied the other day, and thank you for considering me for the invite - I was caught off guard and didn't know how to phrase it appropriately. I do enjoy having you as coworkers and I hope you won't hold this event against me." Or, you know, just keep posting on reddit about it. 154 Reply Share
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    darkprism426 hr. ago I'm also "on the spectrum" and what you describe is relatable. Let's think of it from their perspective. The person who invited you to their wedding announcement was making an effort to include you and get to know you better. They had a major life event (wedding announcement) and they wanted you to be a part of it. When you rejected their invite you also re-framed your relationship to exclude the possibility of friendship.
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    For some people this might feel like a mean-spirited rejection. Instead of essentially saying "I don't want to be your friend" you could say "it's not you" and explain that large social groups are uncomfortable for you. Maybe you'll be too anxious to have a good time. Maybe you'll risk having a panic attack and passing out. If you're comfortable sharing that, anyway. They might try to pressure you anyway. "We'll have plenty of alcohol! It's a social lubricant! You'll be fine!" 61 Reply Share
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    tlm0122 6 hr. ago . Is this just a venting post? Because based on your responses it doesn't seem like you're interested in solutions or in hearing that you're potentially in the wrong here. Seems like there have been some pretty solid, polite responses and you just keep digging your heels in. I guess I don't get it. 136 Reply Share
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    Consistent_Sector_19 6 hr. ago The phrasing OP should have used was, "I like to keep my work life and my social life separate." That's no help to OP, but it's a common enough situation that other people should have that phrase ready to go. 28 Reply Share 3 Solution Independent7 OP 6 hr. ago Yeah, had they not caught me off guard and put me on the spot I probably could've prepared something a little more gentle for them. ●●● Reply Share
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    Illustrious-Total489 · 7 hr. ago "People should really calm down with their feelings at work." Take your own advice, friend Reply Share 160 Kidd 911 5 hr. ago OP took their work feelings home And put it on Reddit 45 Reply Share
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    Beginning-Break3327 8 hr. ago . It kind of sounds like a cultural thing. They probably expected you to participate anyway and were shocked that you refused. If anything its a learning experience for you to be more diplomatic. You can come up with an excuse to use whenever they come up to you. Tbs, it sounds like they may have given up on trying to include you in the social group now. 63 Reply Share
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    Shanester79. 6 hr. ago I think it's worth clarifying to them that you just don't like to socialize and that it's nothing personal. Just my $.02 to help keep the peace at the office. Reply Share 11 ↓ ↑ 11
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    4vulturesvenue · 5 hr. ago We had a new nurse come to work for us and the first thing she said to everybody was, "I'm not here to make friends". 6 months later she was sitting in the bosses office sobbing and saying, "Nobody likes me!". ↑ 50 ↓ Reply Share
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    Poetically Predicted · 6 hr. ago . You were acting like you've been to them and now they're 79 Reply Share 1 to them
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    lycosa13 7 hr. ago I mean... They're treating you like a coworker, not a friend. Soo00 what's the problem? 482 Reply Share Xhillia 4 hr. ago Am I taking crazy pills? I don't expect people to be little rays of sunshine at all times but if someone says hello and the other one doesn't even acknowledge it, then person 2 is 6 ●●● You don't need to be friends to be friendly. Reply Share ●●●
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    cornerdweler 6 hr. ago I think you actually do care. Reply Share 39 thedreamtimemachine · 5 hr. ago Oh for sure. He cares so much he made a whole Reddit post and is continuing to reply to people who point this out to him to say how if he were the coworkers, he'd be over it by now. Lol. 22 Reply Share
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    CAT-Mum 6 hr. ago . Part of saying "sorry not tonight/today" leaves you open for future invitations. There's a way you can tell them (the coworkers) that you enjoy them at work and appreciate them. But once you're off the clock you prefer to spend your down time privately. 4:3 7 Reply Share
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    DaBigNogger 5 hr. ago You should just tell them that you aren't good in social settings and prefer to be alone most of the time. They currently believe that it's about you not liking them. (Your phrasing really was quite bad) 48 Reply Share ●●●
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    treefrog_surprise - 6 hr. ago Are you... upset that the people you told "we're not friends" aren't acting so friendly? You hurt their feelings. This isn't about setting boundaries with "work social events," this is about you declining to go to someone's wedding announcement party because you told them in no uncertain terms that you don't like spending time with them. You don't have to want to be friends with your coworkers, but bruh, you reap what you sow, socially. 25 Reply Share
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    Xtrasloppy 6 hr. ago Leave their feelings at home. Says the guy telling 2 million strangers about his feelings on a public forum. Reply Share 51 Bob_Nices_Boytoy · 2 hr. ago Well duh. Because THEY do. I, however, am not confined to such rules and get to do whatever I want. Not them though. Vote Reply Share
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    M Wokester_Nopester 5 hr. ago I'm not unliked at work I call BS 28 Reply Share anonareyouokay. 3 hr. ago I wasn't unliked at work Vote Reply Share
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    SerendipitousVoyage 5 hr. ago Here's the thing. If you work on a team, then you need to get along with the team. If you don't, you'll be the first to go. It's fine to not go to whatever they're inviting you to... but saying "we aren't friends" is just 1. The correct answer was, "I really just like to go straight home after work," or "I have other obligations, sorry," or just "Like I said, I can't make it tonight." Delivered with a smile.
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    Really, you're the one who didn't "leave your feelings at home." Unfortunately, there's a very real chance you won't have a job much longer... you need to be able to work cohesively with others if it's a team-oriented workplace, and being unpleasant isn't the way to do it. (Also, most adults do, in fact, make friends at work... it's where you spend half of your waking hours. There's nobody at work you click with?) 14 ↓ Reply Share

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