Coworker taking credit for my work
A coworker takes credit for your individual labor and shared ideas, leaving you trapped while management brushes off the issue. Reacting out of frustration only leaves you feeling guilty, while the other person gets rewarded.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Ignoring the coworker and focusing solely on your own tasks
- 2Calling out false statements in public immediately
- 3Tracking individual metrics and performance data to prove your output to management
- 4Proposing structured systems like alternating shifts or task blocks to ensure equal workloads
- 5sending results to your boss and their boss CC'd via email
- 6putting your contributions in writing and email it to the C-suite or director
- 7building your own business so no one can steal your credit
- 8mentioning your contribution in a 1:1 meeting with your boss
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“everyone brushed it off too risky, not scalable, and apparently I’m too “junior” to handle it lol so I just stayed quiet”source ↗
“and now it’s all we did this our strategy worked, great teamwork same idea, same plan, same execution except now everyone’s taking the credit”source ↗
“This happened to me all the time. I would share an idea with the IT guy and he went and took all the credit from the CEO.”source ↗
“takes credit for much of the work I do — I slave away at returns (a retail store) — he is always wanting to get credit cards.”source ↗
“What I find difficult is that yesterday when he pronounced loudly he did all the returns, I got triggered as I saw him standing socializing with others when I was bombarded by customers and did all the returns.”source ↗
“I feel like crap because I got triggered and responded. I feel bad, guilty because I upset him...”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4Why do teachers keep getting mistaken for students?
- 2How to set boundaries with a work friend who is demanding HR info
- 4Why do I have to confess my mistakes at work?
- 2Why do I have to train my new manager?
- 7Why am I always the scapegoat when someone else messes up?
- 15How to handle a toxic school principal who abuses power