Work Related Vent/Stress

[MrsDM]

First of all, I've been in a streak of bad luck and stress so I don't know if this is just me overreacting, or if I really can be ticked off about this.

I work in a very small law firm with four attorneys and one other secretary besides myself. While I don't LOVE my job, its serves the purpose for now. My biggest pet peeve is people taking things that are not theirs. Let me explain. We have Ice Mountain bottled water along with misc. soda in the fridge for clients. Everyday, if I don't bring a lunch, I'll always bring a bottle of water for myself because a) I don't want to drink the client's water because I drink a bottle or more everyday and b) I'm picky with my water and have to know where it came from (yes, I'm strange like that!)

Twice in one week somebody has take my bottle of water. I specifically put it away from the firm's water. I know the other secretary shares this frustration with me. If it is in the fridge, it must be theirs.

In addition to all of this, the attorneys will take pens, highlights, stamps, etc. off my desk. People re-arrange my desk if they have to use it for something and leave stuff where ever. I'm a very organized person and have slight bit if OCD, so this stuff sets me off.

Am I overracting? Or, would it be okay if I said something? Or, should I just put my name on everything like I did in grade school?

[WebLady]

I would be bothered by this too, but I really think it is pointless to say anything unless you know specifically who is doing this.

I'd just put my name on anything I didn't want others to get ;) If it was food or something in the fridge and things had been stolen before, I'd put it in a bag with my name on the outside AND put my name on the item inside the back too.

Maybe put a memo on your desk when you leave saying something like "Please clean up after yourself and put things back where you found them"

[RosieAngel]

Erggh, I HATE when people do this! People in my office are chronic food-thieves. Sorry you have to deal with this too!

I would, as WebLady suggested, just write your name with a sharpie on everything, or use the clear tape/sharpie combo if you're worried about leaching.

Hopefully this works! What a pain in the butt!

[Scrwballsgrl]

I can so empathize with you on this one! I used to work at the main office and have been in heaven ever since being transfered to a satellite office.. for this very reason, If something was in the fridge and didn't have a name on it 9 times out of ten it would go missing. Now I understand an unidentifiable drink (with no name or something if there are more in there just like it) but if you know you didn't personally bring a drink and there is mysteriously one in the fridge its obviously not yours so don't take it! As with microwave meals and such! Ugh! Its so frustrating, I agree with Brandi just put your name on everything, at least that way if you see it on someones desk or in someones hand you can speak up adn so "oh there's my pen I've been looking everywhere for that, Thank you so much for finding it for me!" :winktongue:

[MrsDM]

Thanks ladies! I'm glad I'm not crazy for getting annoyed by this!

[bichonlvr]

I agree I would be mad...however, knowing that this happens, maybe hide stuff you don't want touched?!?!?! No sense in getting super worked up about it if you know it does happen. Does not make it right, but ehh....

[candars]

I deal with this on almost a daily basis and definitely understand your frustrations! I like to have colored pens, sharpies, and highlighters. I mean a lot of colors! So, I buy all of that stuff on my own and then bring it to work. Even though I have my own desk and would be more than happy to order people their own stuff, I still find my stuff all over the office. It does help to put your name on everything. Before I moved offices, I would leave and come back to random stuff on my desk that someone "found" and decided I would know what to do with it, but nobody would ever leave a sticky note telling me anything about where it was found or anything. So, I ould then have to go around asking everyone if they put anything on my desk or if they knew anything about it. Frustrating, but some of it was the boss...not a whole lot I could do there!

[MrsDM]

Don't even get me started on colored writing utensils!

I had a pink highlighter sitting on my desk. MY pink highlighter. One of my bosses of whom I don't like very much, keeps taking it. I would take it back, she would take it back. How childish is this!!? She is also one of those people whom rub the fact that she has more education and is smarter in your face. So, along the lines of that, I must not be smart enough to use a pink highlighter :irked:

[kgvettegirl]

I am very picky about my writing instruments. I would take a label and put my full name on my pens and pencils and erasers and still they would lift them. These were not cheap office skinny pens these were fat ones that I went out and bought because of my carpel tunnel. Once a week I would go in my bosses drawer and pull out my pens with honking big labels with my name on it. Sometimes it is because they assume that since the office is theirs everything in it is theirs.

[candars]

Don't even get me started on colored writing utensils!

I had a pink highlighter sitting on my desk. MY pink highlighter. One of my bosses of whom I don't like very much, keeps taking it. I would take it back, she would take it back. How childish is this!!? She is also one of those people whom rub the fact that she has more education and is smarter in your face. So, along the lines of that, I must not be smart enough to use a pink highlighter :irked:
Oh that sucks! I'm sorry you have to deal with a boss like that. Does she still take your pink highlighter? I would have to start hiding it. Or, you could keep an empty/used pink highlighter on your desk. Then, the next time she goes to use it, it won't work. Maybe that would keep her from taking it in the future, too.
lol, I like that-must not be smart enough to use the pink highlighter! lol

[candars]

I am very picky about my writing instruments. I would take a label and put my full name on my pens and pencils and erasers and still they would lift them. These were not cheap office skinny pens these were fat ones that I went out and bought because of my carpel tunnel. Once a week I would go in my bosses drawer and pull out my pens with honking big labels with my name on it. Sometimes it is because they assume that since the office is theirs everything in it is theirs.
Yeah, cause they're the boss, they get to use whatever they want when they want...no fair!

[MrsDM]

Oh that sucks! I'm sorry you have to deal with a boss like that. Does she still take your pink highlighter? I would have to start hiding it. Or, you could keep an empty/used pink highlighter on your desk. Then, the next time she goes to use it, it won't work. Maybe that would keep her from taking it in the future, too.
lol, I like that-must not be smart enough to use the pink highlighter! lol

Yeah. Its on her desk as wel speak. You know something? I'm glad I'm not the only one dealing with this because its sounds so childish getting mad or irritated over a bottle of water, pens, highlighters, etc., but it is soo frustrating and annoying! I do think I am going to get my own pens and pencils like I did in 1st grade.

[amisteratwisterandme]

Wow, I have this situation also. In my office, I am pretty much the only one in there on a day to day basis. I have one co-worker who sometimes can manage to work 4 to 12 hours a week, and she is the biggest slob. Her garbage is always full, she leaves **** all over her desk, and she doesn't accomplish anything when she is there anyway. Every since she got pregnant 2 years ago, she hasn't touched her garbarge. I take all the garbage out, except for hers. As a matter of fact, hers has been sitting by her desk for three weeks now, with yucky stuff in it, and I refuse to touch it.

Then earlier this week, one of the employees who works outside the office put a mountain dew in the freezer and went off to work. I opened the freezer, and everything is now stuck infrozen Mountain Dew.

There have been alot more instances, but this is already getting too long. I finally confronted my boss and told her that if she didn't do something I would, because it is ridiculous that I am constantly cleaning up after people who only randomly stop in the office. She told me to do what I felt was necessary, so this is what I did. I printed up a sign that says To all employees; Please let me know when you are scheduling your mothers' to come in and clean up after yourselves as that is no longer part of my job description. As for my Mother, she is quite busy, so I will continue to take care of my own cleaning. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me.

I know that is rude and unprofessional, but I am doing the work of 3 people,and don't have time to start my morning cleaning the office.