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Friday, September 5, 2008

Question of the day: Have you ever covered for your co-worker?

Over in Work + Money, Marie Claire's Cubicle Coach answers another tough workplace conundrum: If your co-worker is coming in late and leaving you in a tough spot with your boss, how should you handle it? CC's reply is that you give 'em one free pass, but beyond that, you can't keep covering for your slacker officemate, especially if you're dealing with one as in CC's letter that insinuates that person's sleeping in after a night of partying.

Personally, I think I cover for co-workers way more often than I don't, but I guess I've always taken the whole golden rule of the workplace to heart: Cover for others so they'll cover for you. But I do have limits -- I only cover for those people I know work hard in the first place, and I won't cover for any mistake that I know will hurt the greater team over the long term.

So, ladies of Shine, tell us what you'd do or have done. Have you ever covered for a not-so-hard-working co-worker? And if so, why did you do it? And if you don't choose to, why not?

Tell us your answers below in comments, or you can always tell us the whole sordid tale in your own blog post.

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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 28
  • vinny's Avatar
    Posted by vinny Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:49pm PDT

    no i havent!

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  • gigi's Avatar
    Posted by gigi Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:24pm PDT

    no i wouldn' cover for anybody at work. The job i'm at right now u make your own hours and u needn't worry about other people coming in late because they make their hours so everyones happy.

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  • gigi's Avatar
    Posted by gigi Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:24pm PDT

    no i wouldn' cover for anybody at work. The job i'm at right now u make your own hours and u needn't worry about other people coming in late because they make their hours so everyones happy.

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  • justme's Avatar
    Posted by justme Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:27pm PDT

    Not a good ideal at all, when the chips fall (and they will) who will cover for you. Its ok to help a friend, but remember your livelihood could be at stake. Are you will to pay that price?

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  • amandaruthcpht08's Avatar
    Posted by amandaruthcpht08 Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:42pm PDT

    Yeah.. covering for someone dosent help any one in the long run. Helping out co-worker, ie being flexalbe with schedules is one thing, but they ARE responsable for there own consequences. Own up people!

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  • Your Sleepy AVON Lady's Avatar
    Posted by Your Sleepy AVON Lady Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:46pm PDT

    No, I haven't either, but I am severely disabled and am an Avon Rep.

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  • Debbie s's Avatar
    Posted by Debbie s Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:36am PDT

    I have not and would not. The worker needs to be responsible for themselves and not expect others to put their jobs on the line for them.

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  • Rina K.'s Avatar
    Posted by Rina K. Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:02pm PDT

    I have look out for a co-worker once to inform her that the boss wanted to get rid of her. I thought that I was being nice by tell her because I wouldn't like to see anyone lose their job. Later I over heard the person I told on the phone telling the boss what I told her. She didn't mention my name. I have learned to just kept my mouth closed cause it only causes confusion in the workplace. And am not about confusion. I had learned that she was crazy!

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  • James 35's Avatar
    Posted by James 35 Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:53pm PDT

    ok people its called TEAM WORK yes i have, and do it again there is no i in team,

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  • devil-nc's Avatar
    Posted by devil-nc Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:12pm PDT

    I have in the past, but doubt I will in future. One bad apple spoils the bunch. I get paid to do my job, and my job only. If that person wants to pay me for taking a chance on losing my job ( so called teamwork )sure I'll do it. But who wants to put their job on the line for a slacker? Concidering we are losing alot of jobs to over seas, and we have less and less jobs to choose from.

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Comments 1-10 of 28

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