Pexels/Rddit

Every workplace seems to have that one employee: the person who somehow always manages to be around when things are calm, but mysteriously disappears the moment real work begins.

For this employee, one coworker has elevated that skill to an almost unbelievable level. According to OP, this guy spends most of the day casually floating around the office, chatting with coworkers, grabbing coffee, checking his phone, and generally looking busy enough to avoid suspicion. But the second actual work ramps up, he’s nowhere to be found.

Big project lands? Gone. Team needs all hands on deck? Gone. Something heavy needs moving or a customer issue suddenly explodes? Also gone.

What makes it even more frustrating is how consistent it is. OP says it’s happened so often that it almost feels intentional. At this point, the coworker’s ability to disappear at exactly the right moment feels less like coincidence and more like an art form.

my coworker has the best timing i’ve ever seen

i don’t even know how he does it bcos most of the day he’s just kind of around. talking to people, walking around, grabbing coffee, and checking his phone.

then the second things actually get busy, he’s gone. big project comes in… gone.

everyone needs to stay focused for an hour… gone. something heavy needs to be moved… gone. customer issue that needs extra hands.. gone.

Rude, yet impressive.

it’s honestly impressive at this point.

last week we were slammed for almost two hours straight. everyone was running around trying to keep up.

i didn’t see him ONCE.. or maybe i just didn’t notice but wtv.

Wild.

the second things calmed down…

he walked in carrying a coffee and started talking about how crazy the day had been

yeah man, tell me ALL about it.

Reddit found the situation both hilarious and painfully relatable, with many commenters joking that every workplace somehow has “that guy.” A lot of readers were oddly impressed by the coworker’s near-perfect timing, saying it takes a special level of awareness to consistently dodge every stressful moment without getting caught.

At the same time, most commenters agreed the humor wears off quickly when the extra work keeps falling on everyone else. Many pointed out that while one person coasting might seem harmless in small doses, over time it creates resentment—especially when the rest of the team is left picking up the slack during busy periods.

A lot of readers suspected the coworker knows exactly what he’s doing and has simply mastered the art of looking unavailable at the perfect moments. Others suggested management may already know, but either hasn’t noticed the pattern fully or hasn’t addressed it.

The overall takeaway? Equal parts annoying, impressive, and way too familiar.

This person used to know someone like that.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a researcher who complained about being excluded from a trip only to watch the university cancel the whole thing.

This person has an idea.

And this person knows ecavtly how this type works.

Some people work hard under pressure; this guy’s real talent is disappearing before the pressure even hits.