Slacking coworker steals credit in front of boss — so the real hardworker arrives with a folder full of receipts
When the director unknowingly praised the colleague for work he never did, he remained silent and took it all in, planning his revenge.
Getting justice isn’t only about defending yourself; it’s also about calling out wrong and asking for change. An employee from a marketing agency who goes by u/AryonJasbetha ensured they served justice after a coworker ruthlessly stole credit on a project. The post shared on February 23 mentioned how the employee had worked hard to deliver the results while their colleague slacked through most of it, only to come in at the final hour and take credit. When he tried to pull off the stunt a second time, the worker went straight to their director with a folder filled with proof, calling out his bluff.
My coworker took credit for my project in front of the whole department. It took four months but the ending was worth it.
by u/AryonJasbetha in revengestories
The marketing employee was given charge of a client’s campaign, and many tasks and responsibilities were piled on their head. After two months of hectic brainstorming and strategizing, they were able to create decks and other material for the campaign. Meanwhile, their teammate did nothing. “He'd show up to check-ins, nod along, occasionally add something minor, and then disappear,” the post revealed. There was no time to fuss, and choosing professionalism, the employee went ahead with their tasks. On the day of the presentation, the team put their best work out there, and the client was impressed. The marketing creative wasn’t bent on receiving credit, but when their director unknowingly praised the uninvolved teammate, they grew upset.
To see another employee receive credit for everything you put your heart and soul into, especially when he didn’t even do the bare minimum, is enraging. To top it up, the shrewd colleague's reply was "Thanks, it was a great team effort.” The employee was done but decided not to make a scene of it. Instead, they chose to work smart from then on. “I decided to just start keeping receipts. Every email, every draft, every version history, every Slack message where I was clearly the one doing the work,” they mentioned. This was all kept in one big folder, and they waited for the perfect time. Right enough, the obnoxious colleague was asked to lead another project, a bigger one this time, and as expected, he “privately” asked the employee to work his magic again.
They headed straight to their director with the folder to turn the situation upside down. They practically showed every bit of evidence and noted, “I wanted to make sure the right work was credited going forward.” After learning the truth, the rightful employee was given the lead on the pitch; they learned their lesson and watermarked every single one of their slides so there was no room for confusion or stealing of credit again. Kick Resume surveyed 2,894 employees to understand the issues they face at the workplace, with special reference to “annoying coworkers.” 85% noted they had experienced an annoying colleague. 33% noted that “credit-stealers” are the worst kind of employees to have around.
Tessa West, a social psychologist and professor at New York University, who has been aiding employees with interpersonal relationships at the workplace, called credit stealers “wolves in sheep's clothing,” according to CNBC. To tackle this, she offers a few tips. Firstly, to become someone “your boss goes to” for ideas, advice, or just discussion in general. It builds the connection. Secondly, she suggested, “Make sure the right voices are heard,” to single out credit stealers. Lastly, the most impactful tip is to allocate duties. If you ask “What are you going to do?” and “What did you actually do?” during projects, it easily helps maintain credit where it's due. u/ReasonableStar959 wrote, “Snap!! Good for you! This can be such a touchy thing. You handled it beautifully!” u/dellsonic73 added, “Damn, well played.”
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