I Thought You Were Sleeping...

For those of you that don't know me - I want to believe that I am not the kind of person that would ignore someone in need. I have this coworker who's been having a bad time - some health complaints, some personal dramas, some work stress - and she's kind of falling off the truck and about to get run over.

Her work stress has led to disorganization - which causes errors - which causes more work stress.

Her personal dramas have led to work disturbances - collector phone calls, needy/ nonsense/ demands from family members which causes more stress and makes her further behind on work.

Her health issues - well, if you have ever had long-term non-specific health complaints - you feel like poop, you don't give a flying monkey-butt, and it's hard to do good work...you see where this is going....yes, more work stress. It has also lead to emotional and physical exhaustion - and a new habit of sometimes nodding off in the middle of the work day.

I sit closer to this coworker than anyone else. I have ears like a hawk. I may be the only one aware of what is happening - but from time to time, I hear snoring. Where, I ask, is this kind of situation addressed in the employee handbook? It would seem that good co-worker ettiqute would demand that you leave them be and - should a supervisor approach - make such a ruckus that they are forced to wake up before being caught. Yes?

And what if it happens a lot? Even when you know this employee is really mucking up the status of their continued-happy-much-needed- employment? And what if you add, on top of all of that - the fact that you are convinced that that co-worker has become a full-raging facebook ADDICT? And maybe this habit is also to blame for their exhaustion, falling behind on work, etc?

Well, I've tried to ignore the situation. I'm trying to hear a little less. Today, I was busy working - not at break neck speed, but working. And I became aware of the deep SILENCE that was settling over the office. No rustling papers. No clicking keyboard noises. No mouse scrolling. No calculator punching. (I told you I have ears like a hawk.) Nothing - not even snoring. So I got up to see if I had somehow missed the fact that everyone had left the office but me (some co-workers are very good at sneaking out) - and saw enough to confirm that the co-worker was still in the cubical. So what was I to think? Yes, I thought she was sleeping.

Time passes - I take phone calls. I make phone calls. I answer email. I finish report. I gather items to take to main office. As I am walking out, I run into the boss. I do not divert my mission, but figure that I can HONESTLY say - it was out of my hands if someone is held accountable for their actions.

When I return to the office - I hear the employee talking to the boss, who says, "Regina, will you come over here and check on her every once in a while? It appears she passed out at her desk."

Yes, punch me in the gut, I feel like a total A$$! Please tell me - you might have done the same?