IT helpdesk worker finds co-workers faking meetings, dodging calls and even sleeping on shifts - now one response from management has them questioning their own honesty

Most employees have quietly wondered at some point whether hard work is actually rewarded in the workplace. But for one helpdesk worker, that frustration appears to have reached a breaking point after watching coworkers allegedly bend, and sometimes completely ignore, the rules while managers do little to stop it.

In a now-discussed post on Reddit’s r/work subreddit, the employee described what they called a deeply unfair work culture inside a small IT helpdesk team where only “maybe 3” out of around 10 workers “actually work normally.” The employee, who said they have been with the company for about a year, explained that the team handles calls and chats during fixed eight-hour shifts where someone always needs to remain available.

But according to the post, several coworkers routinely manipulate schedules, avoid calls, or disappear during work hours without consequences.

Long lunch breaks, fake meetings and disappearing workers

The Reddit user listed several examples of what they described as ongoing workplace abuse that management has allegedly failed to address. According to the post, one employee regularly takes 50-minute lunch breaks despite a 30-minute limit, while another reportedly stretches three-minute after-call documentation windows into 30-minute breaks. Some workers allegedly mark themselves unavailable for “project work” or meetings whenever incoming calls arrive, while one coworker reportedly leaves 30 minutes early whenever managers are out of the office.

Another employee allegedly arrives late almost every day without facing disciplinary action. The post also described more serious customer support concerns. “Then there is one who literally hangs up on users when his lunch break starts,” the employee wrote, claiming customers later called back confused after calls suddenly disconnected. The most alarming allegation involved a night-shift worker who the Redditor claims regularly falls asleep while on duty.

“A user once called saying they had been trying to reach him for two hours,” the post stated. “He replied four hours later. He had fallen asleep.” ‘The few of us who actually work properly end up covering for everyone else.’ The central frustration in the post was not just coworker behavior, but what the employee described as management’s refusal to enforce accountability.

“The problem is that management seems completely passive,” the user wrote, adding that supervisors allegedly do not properly monitor call statistics, attendance, meeting schedules, or employee availability. As a result, the poster said the burden increasingly falls on the handful of employees still following the rules.

“Meanwhile, the few of us who actually work properly end up covering for everyone else,” they wrote. That imbalance led the employee to ask a question many frustrated workers might recognize: “So my question is: what am I supposed to do here?” “Do I keep working honestly? Do I report it and risk becoming the problem in management’s eyes? Or do I accept that this is the real culture of the team and start doing what everyone else is doing?”

Reddit users divided over the right response

The post quickly sparked debate among Reddit users, many of whom sympathized with the worker’s frustration while offering different advice on how to handle the situation. One commenter urged the employee not to compromise their own standards.
“Act in alignment with your values, but don't over extend yourself for a job,” the user wrote.

Another commenter suggested paying close attention to what behavior the company actually rewards. “Also watch and see who gets promoted. If its ass kissers, then performance was never the actual goal,” they wrote. Others argued the issue may reflect a broader workplace culture problem rather than isolated employee misconduct.

One user advised the poster to continue doing what they believe is right, but also start looking for a healthier work environment elsewhere.