Post # 1

Member
1037 posts
Bumble bee
Hi bees
I’ll try and keep this as short as possible. I work in an open plan office with about 40 people and in handing out evening invites I obviously had to cut a few people out. The problem is (and still seems to be ongoing) with one woman who works in our finance department. She has always acted and behaved really oddly towards me eg: picks at little things, won’t talk to me for days – she’s like a less intellegent Sharon Osborne when she argues with people. I decided, due to her behaviour one particular week with me that I wouldn’t be inviting her to the evening reception….this also meant that I didn’t invite her two workmates as I didn’t want it to be obvious I was leaving her out.
Anyway…long story short. She has been talking rubbish about me all over the office as she was so angry when she found out people had been invited. She has said she doesn’t like me and never has and that she wouldn’t go now even if invited. From what I’m told she’s angry at not getting an invite and trying to cover it up by being nasty about me. To boot, she refuses to talk to me at all…making it really uncomfortable in the office.
Did I do the right thing not inviting her? and would you now invite her two workmates from the finance department given that she’s already stated she wouldn’t go now even if she was invited?
Thanks Bees, any advice, harsh or otherwise, is okay.
Post # 3

Member
252 posts
Helper bee
You did the right thing by not inviting her. From what you said regarding her behaviour towards you before the invites were sent out, she does not deserve to be part of such an important occasion in your life. You could only invite so many and needed to determine who you had the best relationships with. I believe that such events must be shared with people who truly care about YOU. Maybe this whole incident is a good thing because now you know that had you invited her, you would have been sitting with a guest at one of thee most important days of your life, that doesn’t even like you. She sounds like the type who would probably just look for negative things to say about the day.
Regarding the situation in the office – I think you should just continue to be courteous to her but keep the relationship on a strictly professional basis. If she doesn’t like you, then she is not worth talking to on a personal level anyway.
If you are on good terms with the two workmates then you should have invited them. To do so now might come across as spiting her and you do not want her to think you are still going to be part of her little tantrum. But, if you REALLY do want them there, then maybe you should.
Post # 4

Member
1571 posts
Bumble bee
She sounds like a dream to work with! So professional!
Post # 5

Member
1037 posts
Bumble bee
@LMD84: Ha ha exactly. I ‘ve actually had enough today and volunteered to do reception at my work in order to get away from her (out of the office and on my own – peace). She is a loud, arrogant, pain in the behind and she NEVER stops talking. We don’t see eye to eye and never have. A grown woman of 63 behaves like that!! Shocking. My mum is about the same age and I wouldn’t expect that kind of behaviour. She should be ashamed of herself.