15 Coworker Conflicts That Might Be Messy Enough for Reality TV

Workplace relationships have a way of taking one on an emotional journey. From disagreements to confrontations, it can get quite tense. But how conflicts are handled among colleagues and groups can leave you with a positive story of growth, a good laugh or sometimes just the need to vent over the theatrics of office life. Either way, the people below have stories to tell at their next job interviews.

1. Lightbulb moment

I do construction and maintenance. And we installed all new LED lights, and my coworker told me his light was emitting so much heat that he was going to have a heat stroke.

I told him over the weekend we swapped out the light, but we didn’t, and the following week he said thank you so much that he could tell a major difference. © SpeedRevolutionary29 / Reddit

2. Age-old battle

In my first job, I was the youngest staff member by a lot of years, and I was really anxious and nervous to get everything correct. Most staff members were very kind and welcoming, but one woman just had some sort of vendetta against me.

She would nitpick every single thing I did, and speak to me in the most condescending tone, constantly. It got to the point where I called in sick a few times when I knew I had to work with her because the dread was too much.

One day, we finally went head-to-head when I basically said, “I don’t like the way you’re talking to me and especially in front of customers.” I was visibly upset, and she tried to justify herself at first, being quite hostile with her words. However, the issues stopped after that, and she made an extra special effort to be nice to me. © princessjah- / Reddit

3. Badger complaint

A young girl lodged a complaint because people were making fun of her because she didn’t think badgers existed, and said that everyone was planting information to trick her into believing they were real. © foxhill_matt / Reddit

4. Side-lined wedding guest

So a woman in my department got married. Everyone in the department (10, excluding bride) was invited, except for me. I was personally told the wedding was being kept small as they didn’t want to spend extravagantly. The others were told that I couldn’t attend.

At a department meeting following the wedding when the bride was back from the honeymoon, everyone was talking about the wedding. A coworker commented it was a shame I couldn’t attend; I remarked that I wasn’t even invited. I could see the brides face visibly change, and now she is mad at me and our working relationship is cordial at best. © WilliamBHuggins / Reddit

5. Not friends

Got reported to management for unfriending a colleague on Facebook. Needless to say, management told me and laughed. © Slow-Razzmatazz-4005 / Reddit

6. Open door drama

One of my coworkers quit work yesterday because the night before they started an argument with another worker in the crew room (screaming about doors being left open — of all things). The other worker was calm and not aggressive, walked away.

The angry co-worker went to duty manager and lied that the other worker pushed her. Despite the fact that there was a room full of witnesses who saw what actually happened.

The worker who claimed being pushed was sent home and the next day, she had written a letter of resignation. I guess she realized she had made a scene and couldn’t face everyone. © Nopedontsaythat / Reddit

7. Food fights

A coworker called me out for leaving food to rot in the shared fridge. It was my first day there, and I hadn’t even unpacked my belongings yet. © idontdigdinosaurs / Reddit

8. Prove it.

During college, my workplace was a small building with 4 floors. Guy 1 worked on floor 4, Guy 2 worked on floor 2. They were clashing in the cafeteria, and they got separated — HR wanted to find out what was going on.

Guy 1 yells, saying Guy 2 has been putting thumbtacks on his chair on the 4th floor. Sounds outrageous right? Floor 2 Guy going up to floor 4 just to put a thumbtack? They fired Guy 1.

Three days later, Guy 1 comes in with a cop to pick up his stuff, and behold, Guy 1 had hidden a camera above his cubicle, plugged it in and watched the footage of lo and behold, Guy 2 putting a thumbtack on his chair. HR lady sees this, tries to butter him up, instead he hands her the lawsuit papers. He won. I have no idea how much, but let’s just say half the employees got laid off. © Darkbalmunk / Reddit

9. Borrowed money dispute

Back at the end of January, a coworker of mine (early 40sM) asked me (25F) for money. At first, I was cautious but told him I could lend him some and made him sign a written contract saying he would need to pay me back by the end of March.

He ended up requesting 2k... 2k!!!! And the pushover that I am agreed to it. When I reminded him of the deadline in mid-March, he told me he might take two more weeks to repay me.

I wrote him an email telling him that if he doesn’t pay me on time like he agreed, I would file a complaint to a small claims court and escalate the matter to HR as well. I received the payment three days later I believe, the full 2k, coming from someone else than him. I didn’t ask any questions, but it got me thinking... © khyplionna / Reddit

10. Say it!

I had a row with a coworker a few years ago. He accused me of failing to say good morning to him. He was wrong, and I told him so. It escalated.

A colleague then went to HR to make an official complaint. HR collared me, took me into an interview room and told me that they’d had a complaint from a colleague. I asked whether the colleague was Steve. Yes it was.

I asked whether the complaint was about me calling him a piece of work. HR laughed and said no, it was because I failed to say good morning to him. It didn’t end well for Steve, and that caused another row. © RufusLoudermilk / Reddit

11. She made me a ghost.

She actively doesn’t acknowledge me in meetings. As in, will greet by name every other person. Will basically ask a question for me to someone else so that they have to ask me, then repeat it back to her. It’s sort of funny, but sort of sad as she’s a grown woman and several grades higher than me. © RainbowReindeer / Reddit

12. Reviews with hidden intentions

I work at a cosmetics store. One day, I saw a one-star review from a customer. She wasn’t happy with my service.

The next day, I overheard my coworkers gossiping with worried expressions. They said the boss wanted to see me—furious. I froze when I walked in and saw my coworker sitting in the boss’s office.

It turned out he had left the bad comment to insult me because he didn’t like me as the new worker. My boss found out the truth. He fired him on the spot and apologized for the misunderstanding.

13. Exit the building, sir.

I work security. My coworker who was about to be fired, because he was way too empathetic for his sales job, made quite the exit. He refused to leave the building, and had instead locked himself in the director’s office, singing ’The Power of Love’.

We finally got the door open, and he was seated behind the desk, eating the director’s famous secret stash of gummy bears. He offered me some, and I grabbed them quickly before leading him out the door. Best gummy worms I’ve ever had. We’ve been friends since.

14. He involved his girlfriend.

I have a coworker that wears a perfume or body spray that kicks my allergies into overdrive. The worst part is, she waits until she’s at work and sprays herself down. It leaves a thick cloud of smog.

My eyes turn red. They start to water. I sneeze and cough. My chest hurts. And then another coworker will ask if I’m OK. And when I say no, my allergies are bothering me, and it’s hard to breath, she tells me to take allergy medicine. I take it every night and in the morning.

When I leave work or take a break, I’m fine but walk back in there it starts back up. Is this even normal to apply so much scent? I’m also prone to migraines and have spent so much time in the car waiting for meds to kick in. © Training_Speed9461 / Reddit

15. The office squad is against me.

I come from a privileged background and work in a not so high paying job. I am a softy and just want friends at work and had some female friends but due to jealousy now they talk about me and act in passive hostile ways...

It’s very lonely, but I think I’ve learnt the hard way, just go to work and not make friendships there... © Capable-Jello-8443 / Reddit

Some stories of office conflicts have greater repercussions than others. Follow this link to see how one woman’s reaction at work left her wondering if she made the right decision.