She Stopped Bringing Baked Goods To The Office After Her Coworker Complained, And Now Things Are Awkward
For a bit more than three years, this woman has been working at a mid-size company, and there are approximately 25 people.
Since the team is so small, it’s a relaxed place to work. Her position is a blend between administration and marketing, and while it does stress her out on occasion, she adores her coworkers.
A year back, she began baking treats and bringing them into the office with her on Fridays.
“It all started casually when I made banana bread because I had overripe bananas. I brought some to the office, and people went crazy for it,” she explained.
“I got a lot of ‘OMG, you should do this every week!’ comments, and it honestly felt nice to be appreciated for something that wasn’t just job-related.”
“I love baking. It became my go-to hobby during the pandemic, and trying out new recipes is how I decompress after a long week. So I figured, why not? Most weeks, I’d bake something on Thursday night, like cookies, muffins, pumpkin bread, or brownies. Nothing super fancy or expensive, just something to share.”
This kicked off a weekly tradition in her office. Her coworkers would chit-chat with her in the break room or at her desk, reach for a sweet treat, and thank her.
Not a single soul asked her to specifically do this, and she didn’t turn it into a huge deal or think people would do nice things for her in exchange for her baked goods.
She thought it was a genuine way to build connections with her coworkers while ending the work week in a fun way.
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Three months ago, Amanda started working in their office. She’s not far into her 20s, and she’s bold and self-assured.
Initially, they got along well, but several weeks in, Amanda would make not-so-nice remarks about her baked goods.
Amanda would say she wished she could eat the snacks, but not everyone can have gluten, or she would comment that those who have dietary restrictions are being ignored.
When Amanda said these things, she would smile and respond that gluten-free recipes are tough to get right.
One day, she questioned Amanda about any treats she preferred that fell into the dairy-free or gluten-free categories.
“She said something like, ‘Don’t worry about it. I’m used to being left out.’ That comment made the whole room go quiet. A few people laughed awkwardly and walked out. I felt really weird after that,” she added.
“The following week, Amanda sent out an office-wide email, CC’ing our manager. She suggested that ‘shared treats in communal spaces should be inclusive’ and that ‘bringing in items that exclude team members contributes to a non-collaborative work culture.’ I was shocked.”
While Amanda didn’t throw her name in the email, it was clearly directed at her and her Friday treats. She didn’t bother replying to that email, and she simply quit baking.
She didn’t give anyone a warning; she just stopped. Two weeks into this, her coworkers picked up on what was going on.
Some wanted to know if she was on hiatus or if she was alright, so she brought up the email to them without naming Amanda.
She told her coworkers she felt bad after the complaint was made, and she didn’t want to cause tension in the office.
“But word got around, and now Amanda is saying I ‘singled her out’ and ‘ruined a workplace tradition out of spite.’ One coworker even told me she thinks I’m being immature and ‘taking it out on the whole office,'” she added.
“For the record, I don’t hate Amanda. I think she’s young and maybe trying to advocate for herself, which is fine. I’ve worked in toxic environments before where people ignored dietary restrictions altogether, so I get where she’s coming from.”
“But this wasn’t a company event. I wasn’t HR or office catering. I was just doing something nice on my own time and with my own money.”
The office feels awkward for sure amid all of this drama Amanda started, and Fridays are especially strained. Last Friday, one of her coworkers brought donuts in, and they were uneasy about the whole thing.
She was just trying to be nice, and now she’s stuck feeling like the villain.
Do you think she was wrong to quit bringing baked goods to the office after Amanda made a stink about her little hobby?
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