'Having a window is "above my position"': Boss freaks out on office worker for moving desks to one that's too good for them

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jul 28, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

People will gatekeep the most insanely petty things in order to feel even a semblance of purpose and power. Name a hobby, sport, community, or industry—and I promise you that there are a number of people there who will make it as challenging as possible for you to join, contribute, or succeed in a way that they perceive might threaten their supposed authority. 

We're territorial beasts, after all, with many of us being fueled by our ego's lust for significance, prominence, and recognition. Consistent and daunting reminders that we're a single fish in an entire ocean drives us to hunker down and carve off even the smallest slice in the smallest community for ourselves in order to preserve that special feeling we got from our parents growing up.

Once we've claimed this small privilege or position, the easiest way to keep other fish from growing legs and climbing the ladder we've just climbed is to pull it up behind you—or guard it as ferociously as possible—with whatever means necessary—to ensure that you keep your super cool fishy spot.

Fish and ladders aside, this happens frequently in workplaces, with workers ferociously guarding their tasks and special privileges or order to keep others from getting those same privileges. 

It turns out even the spot you're working from is a guarded territory, and don't you claim too nice of a spot for else, or else one of your gatekeeping coworkers might message your gatekeeping boss to let them know that you had the audacity to work next to a window. If having a window above your position is "above your position,"—it might be time to find other work.

Read on for this worker's account of events that they shared with a popular online community for workplace issues. 

Next, see this worker whose boss contacted their wife's phone repeatedly when they called off work.

Keep swimming, little fishes. 

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  • 01
    Property - "Having a window is above my position.
    via Alesia Kazantceva
  • 02
    Font - Got chewed out at work for moving to a vacant desk with a window, because having a window is "above my position". This is after multiple discussions with my boss, albeit casual ones. I'm the admin assistant for a small office that has no dress code and has no visitors, but they had me set up at the reception desk when I first started working here 11 months ago during my trial period, which I was fine with. There are two vacant offices here and one of my coworkers recently swapped, from he
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 03
    Font - during the process there was discussion of me moving since I have no natural lighting at my desk and no thermostat, which led to me using a space heater all winter. My boss seemed casual about it and would chime in things like "I don't see why not," which gave me the impression that it was fine to move and that she could care less. I'm the one who cleaned out the larger office for my coworker and got everything set up for her, and when she moved into it I cleaned out her office too, and f
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 04
    Font - My boss is moving into a new waterfront home and working from home during the transition, and apparently yesterday after hours one of my coworkers emailed her to let her know that I had moved. This morning my boss sent me a furious email that if I "felt entitled to an office" I should have discussed it with someone (both her and the office manager were there during those conversations, but my coworker who moved
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 05
    Font - offices seems to be the only person who remembers this besides me and is just as blindsided as I am). She said the office I moved into is the nicer of the two vacant ones (they look exactly the same to me) and "slated above my position", and that if I were to receive an office it would be the "other" one, "but even that would warrant much further thought". And of course, demanded that I go back to the reception desk immediately.
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 06
    Font - So yeah, here I am at the reception desk with a hook on it where they hang the bathroom passes, too much of a low-rank toadie to be worthy of a window or a fan. And that workspace will just sit empty, along with the apparently smaller and shittier one, which I also apparently am not deserving of. Hindsight is 20/20 and I should have checked with my boss before finally going through
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 07
    Font - with the move because if I had I would have discovered this sudden onset amnesia, but because I didn't, I've been shown just how lowly I'm actually regarded... yeah, can't even lie, I shed some tears over the sheer humiliation of this. I came into work at peace with my job, now I fi O hate it.
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 08
    Font - waynestevenson - 2 hr. ago Free up that third desk for them to fill. ✩ Vote Reply Share Parallell_Infinity 37 min. ago This is the way ✩ Vote Vote 2 Reply Share No-Seesaw-3411 34 min. ago This is the way. Reply Share
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 09
    Font - all_alone_by_myself_ · 2 hr. ago Quit without notice. They have earned the courtesy. Vote Reply Share Griever114 2 hr. ago That and the courtesy of "top shelving" all the toilets. Vote Reply Share
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 10
    Font - Landfill-KU 2 hr. ago . but we need to go back to office for culture and team building! This is the exact reason why all positions that can be remote should be remote. Start looking for a new place of work and once you've found it send a thorough email explaining that you didn't think they deserved a two weeks due to poor management and communication and state that a notice would be above your position to type out and present. Reply Share Vote ... LostInSpace240 - 2 hr. ago Remote work is
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 11
    Font - Shoesietart 3 hr. ago I would look for another job and quit without notice. Vote Reply Share
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 12
    Font - olmansmit 2 hr. ago Not to detract from the main point... but bathroom passes...? As in, grade school, only one person can go at a time, bathroom passes? Yeah, no, I would be gone at that alone. Reply Share Vote cheesewitche OP 1 hr. ago. edited 49 min. ago I should have clarified, they are key card passes to the bathrooms, which are otherwise locked. It makes me mad that it prevents delivery workers from using the bathroom while they're here. edit: this is blowing up so removed some pote
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 13
    Font - tcavallo 2 hr. ago Unfortunately some people enjoy their work privileges, but don't like other people having them. Makes them feel superior. Vote Reply Share
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 14
    Font - PossibleCupcake1418 2 hr. ago The office manager and the person who emailed the boss need fish hiding in every place possible in their offices. Reply Share Vote
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 15
    Font - davechri 3 hr. ago First off, this is bulls This is petty and trivial. But you really need to take a step back and look at the absurdity of it. It is genuinely silly and your boss showed a real lack of skill as a leader in the way they handled it. That is a terrible boss. I've seen a lot of bad bosses and I know a bad one when I see it. She's terrible. But you shouldn't get upset about this. This situation is stupid. You need to (a) find a way to laugh it off and (b) look for another job.
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 16
    Font - cheesewitche OP. 1 hr. ago Thank you so much for this, it genuinely helped. I felt like Abbi on Broad City moving my stuff back to my previous desk, just sooo awkward and trying to seem game and chill but actually, crushingly disappointed. But I'm back on top of my emotions and just think it's really stupid now, my boss earned a respect downgrade from me today. Vote Reply Share
    via u/cheesewitche
  • 17
    Font - SMA Sharp Iodine 2 hr. ago This is so stupid. In an age when people don't give two shits about having an office your boss is acting like this is the '80s. No one cares about an office these days, people just want to work from home. If anything as a receptionist who is forced to be in-person all the time, you are the one who deserves to have their own space. At least at my workplace that's how it works. Only people who come in everyday get to have their own desks/office while everyone else
    via u/cheesewitche

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workplace-stories job work workplace Horrible Bosses employment
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