Because we aren't adults or anything. . . . (rant)

F00LofaT00K

We have three stations that the my two coworkers and I share. We do slightly different things at each station and the boss doesn't think it's fair to have one person stuck at the worst spot and another stuck at the easiest. It has always been this way, this is nothing new. I broke my leg and was out of work for two months. When I came back she had taken complete ownership of one of our stations, despite the fact that we still rotate. I'm talking SHRINE status. She has (I counted!) 21 photos of her children plastered around the computer monitor and all over the top of the desk. Dead center on the desk top is a HUGE calendar filled with all of her commitments that she has in her personal life. She has birthday and Christmas cards taped around, comic strips, brightly colored wrapping paper cut into decorative squares and stickers of various animals and makeup and whatnot. THIS IS SHARED work space.

I am a very visual thinker/learner/whatever. When I'm studying for school, I have to clean everything first. I can't focus on what I'm doing or reading if there is a large amount of visual clutter on my study table. Work is the same way. I can deal with 2 or 3 photos of her kids if that makes her happy and helps her get through a crappy work day, but her shrine is excessive. I politely asked her to please be respectful of the fact that it's shared work space and to please only have a couple of photos. She completely and rudely blew off my rather reasonable request. I ended up explaining the situation to the manager (in December) and he made her remove just about all of it. He explained to her that it isn't her property, it is a place to do work and it's distracting to the other employees. Since then, she has slowly accumulated the same amount of crap-all-over.

Thursday was the start of my week to be at that station until this coming Wednesday. So I took plain white computer paper and covered the pictures of her children WITHOUT damaging them. I took a huge piece of plain, purple paper and covered the desk top WITHOUT damaging or removing any of her belongings. I moved her gigantic and obtrusive office supplies holder to a shelf that is close by so I had room to do my work. My problem was solved and I can easily put everything back the way she likes it before I leave on Wednesday evening.

She comes up to me and shouts, "WHAT THE **** DID YOU DO TO MY DESK!?"

My response was: "You don't have a desk, the three of us SHARE all three of the company's desks. I just made it a place where I can work without making errors. I will put it all back the way you had it before I leave next week."

BTW: When we make errors with my job, it costs the company money, Sometimes a LOT of money. I'm fairly certain it would be my head if I screwed up again while at that desk. It's the only spot where I consistently make errors and the ONLY spot where I have ever made a serious mistake. I'm not risking my job.

I leave early to go to school and a 4th girl jumps in to take my place. I guess the angry coworker insisted on taking over at the station where I was and she scribbled all over my piece of blank paper and put tear marks in it. The girl who was supposed to be there told me that the angry coworker insisted they switch spots and was complaining to everybody about how I covered her things.

I confronted her about it the next day by saying, "You know, if I do something to upset you, you can just talk to me about it."

Her response: "What do you mean?"

I remind her of the scribbles and tears and she plays dumb. "What scribbles? You know I wasn't there yesterday."

So I told her, "We aren't in high school, we're adults. Adults fix their problem by talking about it. I was hoping we could come to an understanding and actually compromise about the desk."

She just stares at me and goes on some rant about how it's HER desk and she can do what she wants, etc. So I just walked away. I don't understand how a mother in her mid-thirties can be so immature. I cannot WAIT to be finished with school and go get a nice office job where I sit in my OWN cubicle and do my OWN work where I depend on ONLY ME to get it all done. I'm so beyond tired of working with stupid people.

TL;DR: My coworker decided that shared work space belongs to her and created a shrine of photos, birthday cards, etc. It's a huge distraction to me and I make costly errors for the company while working there. I covered it all up without damaging or removing anything and she tore it up and scribbled all over and insisted she has no idea how it happened. I'm tired of stupid people. etc.

silversociety

I'd be tempted to throw all her stuff in a box and tell her that she can put them up at the start of her shift if she feels she's entitled to do that.

neandermagnon

She'd hate working where my husband works, they have a hot desk system, i.e. anyone uses any free workstation, and they're not allowed to be territorial about any desk. they have pigeon holes and lockers for personal things. Apparently people there are still a little bit territorial, but any arguments over desk space wouldn't be tolerated, and I don't see any personalised desks there either.

maybe this co-worker just wants some little place to call her own... is there a locker or section of a noticeboard she can have? Also, your boss needs to be more pro-active in stopping her doing this especially as it's affecting your performance when you have to work at this particular desk. And if she really really really has to have personal stuff with her at work, can't she just have portable stuff that she moves with her from desk to desk as she rotates? I think that would be a reasonable compromise.

PatheticNoetic

If it were me.. I'd take down all her personal additions and put them in a box and if she comes over and yells at you, tell her to take it up with the boss.
See what goes from there.

F00LofaT00K

maybe this co-worker just wants some little place to call her own... is there a locker or section of a noticeboard she can have? Also, your boss needs to be more pro-active in stopping her doing this especially as it's affecting your performance when you have to work at this particular desk. And if she really really really has to have personal stuff with her at work, can't she just have portable stuff that she moves with her from desk to desk as she rotates? I think that would be a reasonable compromise.

She has a locker that is appropriately decorated with her photos and stuff. Appropriately, because it IS actually her space. I've suggested to her that she get some poster board and keep her decorations hung up next to the desk and that way she can move them with her, but she won't go for it. She keeps insisting it is "her desk." She even moved all of our work supplies out of the desk drawer and filled the drawer with her many snack. SNACKS!!! OH MAN! She loves to snack. Maybe I'll just start offering her many, many cupcakes and watch her get fat while I get skinny!! I wouldn't really do that. . . it's fun to think about though lol.

I adore my boss on a personal level, he's almost like a father to me, but he really is way too inconsistent about almost everything at work. I thought about bringing it up to him again, but in the past nothing ever changes when people go to him multiple times about issues. I'm hoping that when she sees that everything is how she wants it when she comes in on Thursday, that she'll get over it and let me keep covering it up while I'm there.

Blacklance36

Where is your boss in all of this?

David_AUS

I have two letters (well a number and a letter) for your boss to consider "5S" - essentially this is a place for everything and everything in it's place. This is what Wiki has to say about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology) - With management support there could be a dedicated area for private stuff like photos (whatever the area permits) and the rest of the desk area is allocated space - so everything is to be put back it it's place and each person knows where to find it. For desk jobs this means better ergonomics and more efficient work environment.

dwalt15110

The next time she tells you it's her desk, ask her how much she paid for it. Then tell her, that it is the company's desk and anyone has the right to be at it. Tell her she has 5 minutes to remove her personal items from the desk or you will box them for her and put them in the boss's office. Tell her you are tired of her inconsiderate attitude.

Sometimes people have to be told.

Sarasjourney

Considering her nonsense is, ultimately, costing the company money, if your boss won't be firm and consistent with her maybe you should tell him you're ready to take it above him. Not as a way to be mean to him, but someone has to set this woman straight and KEEP setting her straight or else the company suffers. And really, what company wants to lose out because Mommy Dearest wants pictures and cards everywhere instead of looking at blank walls? The fact of the matter is that's not her personal space and she's been given other options, by you, on where and how to decorate what little she can claim as hers. She's not the only employee and not everyone appreciates things everywhere or as decorative.

jd1208

Its an unfortunate situation but I think complaining about this repetitively to the boss is going to make you look petty. You are completely at right to remove her possessions and put them aside each time. If she complains to you then don't react and let her get on with her nonsense while you get on with your work. If she complains to the boss it will only make her look bad.

There will always be people like this wherever you go, you just have to try and not let it get to you. In my office we have control of the heating/air con so you can only imagine the temperature battles we have.

F00LofaT00K

There will always be people like this wherever you go, you just have to try and not let it get to you. In my office we have control of the heating/air con so you can only imagine the temperature battles we have.

Oh god. . . I'd rather be a part of her living photo album than fight over temperature settings. I feel for you lol

Bucky83

We have to hot desk in my office and we just have to suck it up. That's what adults do, but hot desk-ing also means not having so many distractions on the desk. So I completely understand your pain.

We have disagreements on the temperature settings. I overheat when everyone else is comfortable. I need temperature less than everyone or I sweat. I wonder what's worse....smelling of sweat or just putting on a jumper? :noway:

AllTehBeers

JBU