Karen Takes It One Step Too Far When Bossing Coworkers Around

Author image for Sienna Varady
Sienna Varady
Dec 22, 2023 6:00 PM EST

Being in a professional setting requires one to interact with a variety of people. Some of which, we don't particularly like. That being said, it is important to remain composed at all times.  

The story below is an account of a frustrated employee who works at the hospital restaurant. It makes sense that the hungry customers would be the top priority. But today, we're going to address something bigger, and that's the subject of Sharon. Sharon is the gossip queen of the hospital. She wanders the restaurant gossiping and spreading negative energy. But when Sharon mistakenly goes a bit too far, things quickly spiral out of control. So, if you're up for a brief but satisfying read and anxious to find out everything that happened, keep on scrolling! And when you're done, be sure to check out a satisfying malicious compliance story about a bride and her nightmare of a sister here!

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  • 01
    "Karen strikes again!"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Is my [26M] coworker [48F] being toxic?
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 03
    We work in a restaurant inside of a hospital. I'll call her Sharon. Sharon and I have worked together for 3 years. I'll admit, I thought she was cool for a while but as of recently she's been rubbing me the wrong way. Sharon likes to gossip. She talks c p about A LOT of people behind their back. She has talked
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 04
    smack about our current manager about how he's not a good manager and that he don't know how to manage and needs someone above him to direct him. She talked smack about our former supervisor saying how he couldn't cook and that the food he made
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 05
    was nasty and that he wasn't receptive to criticism and always made excuses for his poor cooking. She talks smack about our one coworker who I'll call Angelina by saying that she's lazy and slow. She also talked c p about another supervisor we had by saying he
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 06
    was lazy, always messing up on ordering, talks too much, etc. She has talked smack about pretty much ALL of our managers, supervisors, and higher-ups. She always has something negative to say about them.
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 07
    I remember one time she got into an altercation with our former prep-cook over something I found to be petty and stupid. Our former prep guy was crazy and would say stupid things. One time our coworker who I'll call Janet was on vacation. Janet posted some photos on her Facebook page of her hanging out with her friends while
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 08
    on vacation. Our prep guy proceeds to ask Sharon, "Is Janet gay? Why don't she ever post any photos with any dudes?" Sharon got so offended and heated about that question. Sharon was like, "Don't be talking about my girl like that! That don't mean she's gay!"
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 09
    The prep guy goes, "That's not your girl, ya'll don't hang out outside of work". Sharon goes, "You don't know what our relationship is like!" Shortly thereafter Sharon tried to get our prep guy fired over this. I honestly didn't think Sharon needed to react like this and should've just said no to his
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 10
    question or ignored him. The prep guy proceeded to tell me one on one, "Sharon talks about everyone. She even told me one time that Janet had an S. How is that your friend, but you're telling me something so personal about her to me?"
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 11
    Another time I told Sharon about how I possibly would have to pay a $3,000 bill that my Health Insurance probably won't cover. I proceeded to also share that information with my supervisor, but he told me that he actually already knew because Sharon told him. I was a little put off that Sharon shared this information with him without my permission.
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 12
    Me, Sharon, and Janet were having a conversation one time while we were closing. They were talking about how one of our associates Renee (Not her real name) felt a little uncomfortable how our manager would come up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. Renee asked Sharon,
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 13
    "Does Joe typically do that?" Renee didn't really know our manager Joe at this point. I asked Sharon and Janet, "Did you want me to let Joe know that when he does that to people, it can make them uncomfortable?" Sharon got so mad at me and goes, "No! I should've waited until you left to
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 14
    tell Janet this! I don't want you going back to Joe running your mouth! What I tell Janet is kept between me and Janet." I tried to tell them, "I wasn't going to mention any names. I wasn't going to say ya'll said this. I was just going to bring to his attention how when he does that it can make some people uncomfortable." They
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 15
    were like, "Renee didn't really say it in a negative manner, it's not that serious. And Renee herself should let Joe know when she's uncomfortable." Sharon then proceeded to tell me, "If Joe says anything about it I am c sing you and him out." I was very put off by this. I also found it hypocritical how
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 16
    she didn't want me to tell Joe this, but wants to say everything about everyone to other people. Sharon has had issues with a few customers. We have one regular who comes in, and Sharon refuses to serve her after an incident she
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 17
    had with her. We have our sandwiches that are out on display in our display cooler. We have the rest of our sandwiches in our back cooler. When we run out of sandwiches in our back cooler, we have to grab the one out of the display cooler. All of our sandwiches are made fresh daily,
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 18
    including the ones in the display cooler. This lady accused Sharon of giving her an old sandwich because she had to grab the last sandwich out the display cooler. Sharon tried to tell her it wasn't old. The next day this lady comes in and I'm serving her and she jokingly calls Sharon out about the sandwich incident. She was like, "Your
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 19
    coworker Sharon tried to serve me an old sandwich yesterday lol." Sharon made a face and got a little smart with her. Sharon then goes, "I'm never serving her again." There's another lady she had issues with who she refuses to serve when she comes in.
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 20
    Sharon is now also on bad terms with one of the leads. According to Sharon this lead has a smart mouth and has been disrespectful towards her. They used to be on good terms for a long time, but now all of a sudden it's switched. I also think this lead was looking to become a supervisor, a position that Sharon
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 21
    was also interested in, but this lead tried to say since she has more seniority she deserves it more. I believe this also ticked Sharon off. Sharon has also been annoying me lately because I feel like she is being bossy and nit-picky. One of our specials for this week is a
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 22
    Sunday Pot Roast. One of our sides is mashed potatoes. We have gravy. I served a few customers and they wanted the Pot Roast. Now when they're getting mashed potatoes, I'll ask them if they want gravy? Otherwise I don't ask them unless they tell me. These customers I served didn't have mashed potatoes so I didn't ask
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 23
    about the gravy. While I am serving Sharon jumps in and asks my customers, "Do you guys want gravy on your pot roast?" Sharon then tries to tell me, "You should ask them if they want gravy on their pot roast." I tried to tell her, "There's already gravy in the pot roast." She said, "That's not gravy,
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 24
    that's just beef juice to keep it from drying out and it has no flavor, the gravy will give it flavor." I thought she sounded kind of foolish. Basically she's saying that the pot roast is bland and needs gravy to enhance the flavor. Adding gravy to the pot roast is unnecessary in my
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 25
    opinion. During pizza week a customer wanted garlic butter on his Stromboli. Sharon goes "I don't think we have any." I told her, "We do remember I was brushing the breadstick with it." She asks me, "Is it liquified or is it solid?" It was still a liquid. I proceeded to brush the customer's Stromboli with the
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 26
    garlic butter and he thanked me and was very happy. I only gave it to him because he asked for it. Sharon then goes, "Well if you're going to brush his you might as well brush all of them." I just feel like Sharon had been very negative and it's draining. Her gossiping, smack-talking, bossiness, nit-picking, and just
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 27
    overall negativity has been getting on my nerves. Sorry for the rant I just like to go into details and I really want to know am I overreacting or is Sharon being a toxic coworker?
    via u/DTheDude97
  • 28
    Bulky Claim 1 day ago You have overwhelming incredibly convincing evidence Sharon is wrong. The more interesting question to me is if His High Lordship The Spaghetti Monster
    via u/Bulky_Claim
  • 29
    The Spaghetti Monster Himself manifested and told you Sharon was actually right, is there any sort of argument you would accept?
    via u/Bulky_Claim
  • 30
    Top-Turnip-4057 22 hr. ago Sharon isn't so much a person as the spirit of a sh ty co-worker made flesh. We all work with Sharon. And for some people... we are Sharon.
    via u/Top-Turnip-4057
  • 31
    dogswelcomenopeople · 15 hr. ago If she's talking about others, she's talking about you. Don't engage with her except for work stuff. If she starts talking smack, walk away. If she asks, tell her you don't want to be involved with gossip.
    via u/dogswelcomenopeople
  • 32
    schweindooog 4 hr. ago Well time to start recording your conversations with her. Also never...ever....tell her anything you don't want EVERY single person at work to know.
    via u/schweindooog
  • 33
    Her telling your medical/financial history to your boss is crossing a line. Not just stepping over it, but driving past it in a race car and not hitting the brakes. That's
    via u/schweindooog
  • 34
    so fking wrong on every level and she should've been fired for that alone. I hope you work on getting her fired cause she's f d
    via u/schweindooog

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terrible coworkers customer service friendship loyalty bossy employee reddit story relationships restaurant karens in the wild Horrible Bosses Reddit tales from your server karen gossip
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