Colleague has thrown everything away that was on my desk

So many irrelevant comments on here, OP is NOT desk sharing and there is NO clear desk policy. Even if good practice to clear desktops before holiday, the poor woman was off sick, and presumably doesn't have a crystal ball.

Buy yourself a page a day diary & put everything you need to remember in that. It's so much tidier that lots of papers lying around & everything is at your fingertips. If you have a particularly busy month take a photo of the pages so you have it on your phone to check anytime if you're away from work.

My last employer banned this as the cleaners at 6pm need to wipe tue deal and keyboards down anf they said nothing is allowed on the desks or they won't clean. So that was amazing.

“Amazing”? You want to get out more.

I'd be contacting whoever the main boss is and saying that the software, if it's to be used by multiple people, should be on a 'stand alone' pc on a separate desk rather than on an individual's pc or it gets installed on everyone's pc.

Small companies may not have money to waste on extra machines and multi-user software licenses. Or the space for an extra desk.

She's said she isn't desk sharing!

I used to desk share and I would always put my personal items away at the end of the day. If I am sick or on leave then the other person has a clear space.
I personally hate it when people bring in personal items and decorate their desk. Especially when deal sharing.
My last employer banned this as the cleaners at 6pm need to wipe tue deal and keyboards down anf they said nothing is allowed on the desks or they won't clean. So that was amazing. We have little drawers with a key and you pop items in there but most of the time I would take my notes home with me. Especially personal items and papers. I wouldn't dream to leave that there.

I would say leason for future dont bring personal things to work when you desk share. Keep one diary with personal items and dates etc and take it home it the end of the day.

@WinkyTinky - you wrote "Just to add, the reason he sometimes has to use my desk is that there is certain software which is only on my pc. In fact, I had to show him how to use some of it today."

I'd be contacting whoever the main boss is and saying that the software, if it's to be used by multiple people, should be on a 'stand alone' pc on a separate desk rather than on an individual's pc or it gets installed on everyone's pc.

I'd also be recommending to him that he keep notes about how to use the application as you're not going to be able to provide tech support for the application going forwards as you're going to be too busy.

I would speak to him regardless of desk sharing

He's a complete prick, I bet he wouldn't have done it if it'd been a male colleague's desk he'd been using, and I'd tell him that while tearing him a new one, cheeky fucker!

I've worked in a engineering office like this before, one of the engineers was very bitter and thought he was irreplaceable until they made most the office redundant then he had a full blown tantrum and launched a book at another colleagues head. Stand up for for yourself or when he's not in throw everything away on his desk, if he thinks he can get away with this stuff trust me it will only escalate

It would annoy me immensely too. When I worked in an office, I had a similar pile of notes, as well as other paperwork kept 'just in case '.
If I was off on leave I'd put it in my drawer, but if sick then I wouldn't have known to do that.
Unfortunately you'll just have to accept what happened and move on.

However, I would make his life as difficult as possible, without being overt about it and potentially getting myself into trouble.

Women need safe spaces from men, so I would request that the ladies toilet be locked and only the few women in the office have a personal key for access. It's not pleasant using the same toilet as men anyway, and him being so vile would make me super uncomfortable.

Good luck.

Of course I realise it was the papers under the monitor. She had drawn around them to indicate that's what she was talking about.

I wouldn't have binned them, but I'd have gathered them up and put them away - why is that making a mountain out of a molehill? The op wasn't just off for a day or two, she had been off for weeks and he was having to use that desk while she wasn't there - he is entitled to have an environment that he can work in too. Plus I really don't think the OP should be putting photos of her work in progress on the internet for business confidential reasons but that's probably just me and my line of work.

I agree with you, @DreamW3aver.

So much outrage about a few pieces of paper on a desk where there is no clear desk policy and some of the gasps from people couldn't possibly work with those bits of paper on the desk, well, to me, they're verging on being a bit...odd.

Here you go, tidy deskers, if you want to see a messy desk, check this out.

He could quite easily have put it away in a drawer if it was annoying him. He didnt. That along with the other behaviour just marks him out as a complete twat. Avoid. I would also tell HR about the bathroom behaviour. Why does he think that is appropriate?

The picture isn't how she left the desk, it's just to illustrate which papers he binned as she happened to have a photo with them on

I'm assuming you hadn't realized that, if you had and you're still talking about the few bits of paper under the monitor then my view hasn't changed, youre making a mountain out of a molehill

It means mess/clutter. The Op's desk is a complete cluttered mess. I could not work in that level of mess, I'd have to clear it - but I wouldn't have binned her stuff. I'd have put it all in a drawer/in a folder/in a plastic bag and set it to the side.

Yes she has but she doesn’t seem like the type to reveal that to be honest!

I'd be looking surprised and saying "So, you couldn't just put it all in a plastic folder?!"

This was deliberate arsington behaviour. I'd be teasing him about plastic folders for months now...

I don't know what hash means in this context but it seems extraordinarily high maintenance not to be able to work for a temporary period because there are some pieces of paper on someone else's desk

Just to add, the reason he sometimes has to use my desk is that there is a certain software which is only on my pc. In fact, I had to show him how to use some of it today.

"Oh I'm sorry Gary - I can't remember how to do that - I had it all written down on my notes on my desk, under the monitor. Now, where are they.....?"

I wouldn't be able to work in that hash on a desk I was working at. I'd have to redd it - but I wouldn't have binned it.

😂 I've actually done this at work and it worked great! Of course it was my own desk and there was no "hot desking" in that office😎

YANBU OP.

I don't know why so many posters are going on about clear desk policies and what would happen at their office. It's totally irrelevant

He was being a rude arsehole.