Someone is secretly bullying me at work..

[Hungrycaterpillarsmummy]

And I don't know who it is.

Basically, someone constantly changes my chair settings on the days I leave at 3pm (and others are in the office until 4/5pm).
I have a really bad back so my chair is set at a position that helps it plus we all have to do ergonomic checks as part of an EHS thing for our desk and chair.
So it really annoys me when it has been played with and someone is doing it on purpose. Other things happen to like the cables of my monitor are unplugged and my mouse is switched off.
When I started there over a year ago there were a couple of guys who would do stuff like this and it happened so much I had to bluntly tell them to stop. And they did. But this seems to be a bit 'extra'. I obviously made the mistake of showing my annoyance when it has happened previously (and by that I mean by saying something like "who has changed my chair settings?"

But the issue is - I don't know who it is and won't be able to find out.
My manager won't be able to find out. There's no CCTV and no one would admit it if she brought it up..so what do I do?!

Who cares if it is bullying or not. Posters like you are fixated on the word ‘bullying’.

Op has a bad back and every day she needs to bend and fix it, making her back situation worse.

The other person persistently keep changing the settings to cause op inconvenience and pain. If it is not bullying and is something else, it is still a problem for op.

It is bullying. Clearly and unambiguously. It may very well also be disability discrimination. Either way, it's a serious transgression.

But how predictable that someone on this site would automatically choose to minimise this.

I suppose you could call it pranking if it happened once, and to multiple people, still childish and annoying. But this is only happening to OP, and regularly, so it is bullying.

Well, plainly you don't so here's ACAS' definition too (sorry about the cut and paste): Although there is no legal definition of bullying, it can be described as unwanted behaviour from a person or group that is either: offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting. an abuse or misuse of power that undermines, humiliates, or causes physical or emotional harm to someone.
What OP's suffering is most definitely "intimidating" and "malicious".

And here's the Gov's definition: Bullying and harassment is behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated or offended. Harassment is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010.
Examples of bullying or harassing behaviour include:

• spreading malicious rumours
• unfair treatment
• picking on or regularly undermining someone
• denying someone’s training or promotion opportunities

OP's definitely being "picked on" - what she's suffering is a concerted campaign of behaviour specifically designed to upset her.

No-one has suggested this is bullying just because it's negative behaviour - It's bullying because it fits the definition of bullying from all reliable sources (three of which I've now provided to you).

As a former HR Professional for one of the oil majors, I can tell you this sort of behaviour would have resulted in disciplinary action against the perpetrator if an informal word with them by their manager didn't put a stop to it.

Agree. I go to work to work, not to engage in or be on the receiving end of puerile 'pranks'. It isn't funny or entertaining. It's fatuous.

This is pure bullying; bullying with a very nasty underlying streak of ableism at that.

I’d love to understand if you don’t think it’s bullying and you do think it’s just a prank:

What specifically is amusing about repeatedly unplugging someone’s wires and changing their seat settings?
Why do this prank always to a person who has mobility/ health issues out of all the people you could be doing it to?
If the prankee is obviously not in on the hilarious joke and isn’t finding it a jape to reset their equipment everyday why carry on pranking them?
At what point does repeating the same prank over and over tip into bullying and harassment in your eyes?

Tbh I got bored because OP won’t even talk to her manager which is literally the thing anyone would have to do. Putting hand cream on the chair is also ridiculous.

Exactly, OP's been putting up with this since she started with the company, so the number of people suggesting she "shouldn't react" and "they'll soon get bored" are delusional.

Filming may not be a good idea, but there's nothing wrong with putting a "Smile you're on CCTV" sign on your desk. Tell your boss this is what you're doing so they don't think you're actually filming, but this should stop the 'pranking' or at least you'll be able to see who's looking guilty when you put it up!

The cleaner theory was interesting, but having re-read the OP, you mention it only happens on days you leave early which does point the finger back at your colleagues, and as you say, they have form. I'm still with repeatedly raising it to your boss, and linking to the ACAS guidelines. I did something similar with an unpleasant colleague when talking to the boss didn't get anywhere. It was only detailing everything in an email with the ACAS reference, and cc-ing to directors that got me actual action.

Two suggstions

1 - Switch your mouse off - saves a little bit of energy.

2 - If your computer set-up includes an inbuilt camera for Zoom etc., can you arrange to leave it running when you go home, in case it catches anyone interfering? Don't know how you would do it, though. Perhaps "forget" to close down a video call?

now this I like.

One more for those at the back:

For it to count as harmless pranking or practical jokes it requires the recipient to be a happy participant. OP has asked for those to stop. She is not a happy participant. Moreover it's only her being targeted, repeatedly, in a non-reciprocal arrangement, with the person(s) doing it staying anonymous. It isn't being received as light hearted pranking - which isn't appropriate in a workplace at the best of times, and certainly not repeatedly targetting somebody who is geting upset by it and is certainly not laughing. It's bullying.

oh my GOD it was a nightmare. I am not great at standing so would plonk myself on a seat. And just adjust it. WITHOUT THINKING. But wherever I was in the office - whoever I had to talk to.

The office rules about NOT ADJUSTING CHAIRS are like WARFARE in some places.

and both of those are bullying if the one on the receiving end is not "in on the joke" oh and before anyone says it, its not "just bantz" either.

Jeez, the ignorance displayed here in just two short sentences. 🙄 Tell me you know fuck all about employment law without telling me you know fuck all about employment law.

If the chairs are shared use its one thing but if you are sitting in a desk chair that is specifically someone's then its pretty rude IMO

not just employment law but general adult behaviour.

I know, I was always being told this. It's just hard to remember in a busy office. And when my feet don't touch the ground I would automatically grab and press.

MY BAD I KNOW

But I wonder if there may be a similar situation in the OP's office?

Dont do anything vigilante. It won’t work, and may back fire.

Email your manager so that all the pertinent details are in writing. Ask for a meeting stating that you are feeling bullied due to persistent messing with your chair settings that need to be fixed due to your back issues (get this in writing). Say you have mentioned this before to her and have tried ignoring it, but it hasn’t stopped. Say the purpose of meeting is to discuss solutions to get it to stop.

At the meeting, ask your manager to either send an email, or ideally have a team meeting without you present where it is addressed and clear consequences for bullying continuing are stated.
Tell your manager that if this doesn’t work next step is to involve HR.

After meeting with manager follow up by email what was discussed and what was agreed. (If your manager has any sense she’ll know you are documenting this for potential grievance and actually take action).

(Also just so you know, compensation for disability discrimination is uncapped. Not that you want to go down the tribunal route, but HR should be worried that you have a claim if the company doesn’t address this).

Just get everything in writing, keep a diary of incidents. Hopefully a well worded email from the manager should be enough to stop it.

I think the easiest and least painful way to stop a bully is to stop giving them the reaction they’re looking for. Yes, the world isn’t fair and they shouldn’t mess with your stuff but I would not really be prepared to look as preoccupied and unprofessional (and potentially get myself into a disciplinary), as it’s going to take to “catch” the culprit. I think a week of breezily readjusting the chair and plugging things back in while chatting happily to whoever’s around and they’ll stop because that’s boring.

You don't need a solicitor or "legal expert" to tell you this is bullying. You just need someone who has performed a role which requires them to have an ongoing understanding of basic employment law. I'm not a solicitor, but as a former volunteer CA adviser I helped a client who was suffering such a campaign of bullying and wrote the contents of a potential ET1 for ACAS to use in the early conciliation phase of her claim. Her employer immediately offered a settlement (as they were terrified she would take her claim to ET) which she was delighted with. I gained my knowledge through my previous career as an HR Professional and ongoing training with CA.
You seem to be more than happy to say in your opinion it isn't bullying, but you have no experience in this area and seem incapable of accepting that others commenting do.

Quite.

No, they won't stop due to boredom at a non-reaction - they've kept this up for over a year! We teach our children that actions have consequences and so-called adults who haven't learnt this shouldn't be given a free pass to carry on with this puerile behaviour.

Quote from a previous post -
"Exactly, OP's been putting up with this since she started with the company, so the number of people suggesting she "shouldn't react" and "they'll soon get bored" are delusional."

But she IS reacting - they KNOW she's upset and it amuses them.
However, if the boss intervenes and tells them to stop ....... what happens then? The bullies aren't suddenly going to turn into ideal workmates are they?