Manager steals coworker's desk, leaving their belongings there every night despite 'hot desk' rule: 'I came in to find their stuff on the desk but they were nowhere to be found until an hour later'

Advertisement
  • A group of coworkers stand around a woman at a desk
  • My usual desk has been 'stolen' and there is nothing I can do.

    I work in an office with a hot- desking policy. We are required to clear our desks completely at the end of each day and we have caddies and lockers to store our things. Thing is, we actually have more desks than people. So pretty
  • much everyone sits at the same desk every day. Including me. Mainly because I am a creature of habit but also because I have to set up my seat height, desk height, and screen heights to a particular position to avoid neck and shoulder pain and it's annoying to have to do this daily. *I have been sitting at the same desk every day for 2 years.*
  • A few days ago I came into the office in the morning and someone else's belongings were on 'my' desk. Surprising, but not a problem if someone arrived - before me, they are perfectly entitled to take that desk. Except they didn't arrive before me. They hadn't come in yet. They left their belongings on the desk overnight and sauntered in one hour after me. The next day was the same. I came in to find their stuff on the desk but they were nowhere to be found until
  • an hour later. So one day out of nowhere they just made the decision that the desk I had used for 2 years straight was now permanently reserved for them. If this was any other person, it might be possible to just remind them that we do have a clear desk policy and they cannot leave items on desks overnight to claim them for the next day.
  • Unfortunately, this person is a manager (not my manager, but A manager) and they are known for being a bit difficult to deal with. They are the kind of person that if I asked someone else what to do they'd say "Oh it's her?.... yeah I think it's best you let that one go"
  • So that's it. I have to find another desk further away from the people I actually work with while she sits next to a bunch of people she doesn't work directly with at all. Grr.
  • A businesswoman talks on the phone at her desk
  • Commenters gave their ideas about what he could do.

    K1mbler Move her stuff onto a cabinet every day, do this for a week or two but don't take the desk. After a couple of weeks, start taking the desk again.
  • thederseyjevil These policies pit the employees against each other like this, which is super frustrating because the people who make these decisions usually sit in assigned offices.
  • Glittering-Habit-9... Remove all their belongings, but sit somewhere else.
  • Electrical-Let8842 This is exactly why hot- desking policies fall apart in practice. If there's a clear desk rule, she's violating it to unofficially reserve a spot. I'd be tempted to escalate it neutrally to facilities or HR as a policy.
  • enforcement issue, not a personal complaint. Frame it as "people leaving items overnight are preventing fair access," not "this manager stole my desk."
  • Left-Foundation-... Just ask if the policy is still in place, because X isn't observing it and that doesn't seem reasonable. There are options to resolve, you don't just have to accept it, don't go to their manager, go to HR.
  • fra... Put a stickie under their mouse when they leave Haha nah but fr, this is a battle you wont win as im sure you are very aware. They have seniority so just take the L, or if you dont care about putting a big fat target on your back, go for it and report it to their superior.
  • SK... Do the desks have screw levelling feet? If so, adjust one until the desk becomes wobbly. If not, make it wobbly with some folded paper or wood chips. With so many desks available odds are she won't be bothered to fix the wobble and just hop to another desk, leaving yours free again to claim for yourself.
  • Edit: a folded piece of paper is obvious sabotage, but a coin or a broken piece of plastic under the desk leg can be passed off as a simple mishap, clearly it got kicked there by accident
  • Nerfixion So leave your stuff out as well. When its an issue any everyone gets told to move their stuff from the desks you strike.
  • AWholeNewFattit... Go into an office and claim a higher-ups desk. Alls fair in love and war.
  • Humble_Hedgeho... Just move all their belongings to a different desk every day but sit in the same spot (not your favourite desk) every day. Petty, but they can't just pin it on you.
  • Mundane-Platypu... Come in extra early and take one of your coworkers desks. "Sorry, somebody took mine, you can take Mary's". When everyone gets shifted, it's suddenly everyone's problem.
  • TJMcConnell FanC... As someone who just got fired for standing up to a difficult to deal with manager, I agree, let it go
  • winksngiggless This is why I mark my territory with snacks and plants lol..
  • Ma... I am sorry bratty butt felt the need to take your desk. Maybe take this as an opportunity to find you a new favorite spot... and don't move your stuff at the end of the day. Jump on what she started and take this as an opportunity to get your chair and monitor just right forever. Then hide an electric cricket under her desk.
  • dipole-attraction Move one of her belongings to a different location every day. Make it fun and imaginative. Sip on your coffee and observe. You're welcome!
  • linky46 Go in early before anyone is there. Move tge stuff to a locker and when they question it say that there was nothing on the desk. It must have been moved by someone. Play dumb.
  • ImHIrU024 I love how some people only follow rules when those rules fit their narrative. Everything that's wrong with the world! &$!#%
Scroll Down For The Next Article