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?!

Smear the chair levers with raw chicken, see who’s off with D&V a day later.

Loads of small businesses and manufacturing places are like that. It will absolutely get worse if you put a note. Better to get people on your side.

But I'd say, since you said "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. " -- there's your answer. It's 100% them again. Do you think one of them might fancy you?

The next time you fix it, rub something like vaseline or a even better, some grease that will stain their hands when they adjust it next

Just go back in at the end of the day and catch them

Do you have to do your own ergonomic checks on your chair, or are they done by someone else?
If they are supposed to be done by a specialist, I would call them every single time the settings are changed, perhaps then, whoever is doing it may stop as it might move the situation up the management chain.

But that is bullying

Do they do it to everyone, my guess is no

Does everyone know there are little pranks and you ALL have a little laugh about it, my guess is no

So it's targeting one individual, that is bullying

Well, here's some certainty for you - it is bullying. UNISON has defined workplace bullying as persistent offensive, intimidating, humiliating behaviour, which attempts to undermine an individual or group of employees.

Leave slightly early, saying you have to go to physiotherapy as you are in constant pain. Say wryly that it’s all fun and games screwing with your chair every day, but it’s having real world consequences. Be restrained - don’t lay it on too thick - but try to reframe this in people’s minds as the behaviour of a dick

I'm staggered by how many people don't think it is bullying. It is persistent targetting of a colleague - causing her inconvenience every day, not done in front of her, but behind her back.

Officially by definition it is bullying

This is one of the most fucked up work scenarios I've read about. Someone, a few or several of OP's colleagues are fucking with her by adjusting her chair so she has to constantly fix it and the only way OP figures she can retaliate is to smear hand cream on the levers?
The fact that OP hasn't just gone to her manager to complain about the adolescent behaviour is as astounding as the behaviour! OP is considering installing a camera to try snd catch the perpetrators? What am I reading?! Whatever will she do with the evidence? What will a "Don't touch my stuff" note do?
Jesus Christ , OP. Go. To. Your. Manager.
Or quit.
Frankly, shit like this causes depression. Some people retaliate by "going postal."
What a toxic place to work.

I wouldn't use a camera, much as I'd be tempted. I would leave the 'DO NOT' note first of all and then see what happens.

You could just do fingerprinting with some powder and tape which I don't think is illegal. When the office is empty quickly check the fingerprints on your stuff vs those at other cubicles. Awkward if you got caught though.

OP I would raise an ‘unofficial’ grievance via HR, give them chance to deal with it, do this in a written email and ask for them to take action to resolve the bullying within 4 weeks. In the email, state that you would like opportunity for the issue to be resolved unofficially if possible - that makes it clear that you will raise an official grievance if no action by the company is taken.

It might just need HR to send out an official email stating reminding staff not to bully colleagues and that includes thing like picking on one member of staff etc.

Omg. This is one of the most idiotic comments I think I’ve ever seen on mumsnet.

I'm taking it as joking.

OP, don't stoop to the level of the bully.
Don't set traps or sabotage the chair in any way.
Keep a diary and report to your manager in writing every single time.
Inform your manager in writing that your chair is set in a particular way as a reasonable adjustment for a health condition that is already known to the company.
Explain that having to repeatedly restore it to the appropriate setting is exacerbating your health condition and wasting work time. Because of the pain it is causing you, every time the chair setting is altered, someone from H&S (or whoever) will have to come and fix it every single time.

OMG I just need to confess that I WAS ALWAYS THIS OFFENDER. I'm really short and it's automatic for me when I sit down in another chair to reach down the side and press the height lever so my feet touch the ground. It's not even conscious.

I got in trouble a million times at work for doing this but I was never conscious of doing it. I AM SO SORRY.

You'll be pleased to know that I am now self-employed.

All those things you listed are bullying if it is sustained and this is.

Exactly, why can't people get this? You can even get in to trouble if your Ring camera is filming something it shouldn't...

Im in HR and please don’t use a camera. This might be gross misconduct. I also think this is very disrespectful and I’m sorry you work in a place where this is “a bit of fun”. It’s childish. Personally I would say to my manager: I have issues with my back, that’s a health & safety issue for the company, you are obliged to support me with that and you are not protecting my health & safety by allowing this. HR should then send an email around along the lines of: “we have received messages that people’s desks & chairs are being fiddled with. This is in breach with our health & safety policy and it could also constitute as bullying / harassement. Please respect your colleauges work environment.” Stand up for yourself or leave this place. Hope it stops

Absolutely. I can't believe OP's manager hasn't put a stop to this by enlisting HR support and writing a simple email to all staff in OP's office detailing the company's policy on workplace bullying and stating that investigatory action will be taken if it doesn't stop immediately. It's ludicrous that OP is having to put up with this.

Absolutely agree with this. It sounds like bullying to me too and a wider issue where more people might be in on the joke. Not sure how people are normalising this on the thread, it’s disrespectful and I couldn’t imagine putting a colleague in an uncomfortable situation like that.

RTFT. OP's told us that the cleaners don't clean the desks. And why would the cleaners change the settings on OP's chair? They should be cleaning, not sitting down! 🙄

This.
Film them but dont admit to filming them.

I also would check over the course of a week to be 💯 sure and also wpuld say i saw it "a few days ago" but wanted time to digest it then yhe timeline is more ambiguous

And it is 💯 bullying