Work Colleague WWYD?

[KBabs]

hi there

I have a job where I share an office with one other person. This person is new to me (he's a bloke I am a woman) we have worked together for about a month.

We are from totally different cultures (and native language), but we've had a good chat, I think we work together well.

This week, a female colleague who works on our floor has started coming into our office to talk to this new colleague and I've had to literally ask her to move, when I need to log on the computer. It is very awkward

This sounds really weird, she is apparently showing him how to "do origami". When I arrive for work she sits in my chair at my desk and won't budge!

Normally I turn up at around 9am (I am on flexitime), he starts work around 8am. Recently, I've not been sleeping so well so I've been coming into work betweeb 7.30am and 8.30am so I guess I might be encrounching on her time slot!

I have a very good working relationship with this male colleague. She is becoming increasingly hostile towards me

I have no idea what to do - this woman pitches up in our shared office during the working day, saying she wants to "do origami" with my colleague and pfaffs about with paper-- this is clearly not work and she doesn't seem to care that we've got a busy workload

I've worked in a variety of workplaces in a number of circumstances never have experienced something so bizarre. I come from the private sector and this is in the public sector but it appears to be totally disfunctional

WWYD?

I woudk resort to humour humiliation

State loudly x you seem to have an admirer....
Can you take your flirting elsewhere I need to get work done

Alternatively have a word with your line manager

If she won't get out of her chair, sit on her instead.

I wouldn't approach her line manager. Just speak to your own.

Just simply say....

Please can I sit at my computer. I have work to do...

If she doesn't move say...

You are preventing me from working, please can you move...

If she tries to argue, just repeat above and stand up very firm until she capitulates. Remain polite but strong.

Yes, I really have work that needs to start now and you are preventing me from working so please move from my desk.

It may take about 7 minutes. Log this exchange, find out who manages her. Tell them.

The 7 minutes is from experience in a similar situation with someone who kept coming in and disturbing people with chat.

thanks. regarding the origami, it appears to be just that (nothing dodgy than that so far!) but it also her schoolmarmish patronising voice she uses when doing it that makes it the more grating. She talks to him like he is a child! (he's 30ish ffs).

Probably make a great vignette for Transactional Analysis! :(

I would go see your line manager and say 'What's the deal with the origami? I am completely baffled here. Out of all the situations I've ever encountered none has been this bizarre. What do you want me to do about it?'

Make out that it looks like it is an office culture that you don't understand and that you are here to work and it is inhibiting your work which is also his work as you are training him. Which is pretty much the truth. Just don't be personal otherwise if she has any influence in any way [which may be the case if she is getting away with so little] you might find the job disappears.

GET OUT OF MY CHAIR. The next time I see you sitting over here I'm going to report you to the World Council for Origami. They have the power to fold actual people.

In the words of the late Rik Mayall in The Young Ones ........ to Vyvyan ..... 'Oi hippy, FUCK OFF' That should do it.

I can't believe you aren't already logging this with your line manager, to cover yourself and your colleague for the productivity you are (potentially) losing! It also might have the beneficial effect of getting this idiot out of your chair!

I like the idea of sitting on her if she won't move

I am going to sit in my chair now ... And if she doesn't move sit on her?

Or if you're a Friends fan, you could quote Chandler "in the words of A A Milne, get out of my chair, DILL HOLE"

Actually the obvious thing to do is find an expert in Origami and get them to make you a masterpiece to put on your desk, then just wait for her face to drop

Drawing pin on the chair overnight?

In weird situations like these I like to ruin the situation while being terribly apologetic. Can you breeze in and dump your bag on the origami? Squishing it and going " oh my god the origami! Why was such art left there for anyone to ruin it" and then as you're fussing about that inadvertently knock over your drink onto her and go " oh no now THIS has happened. If ONLY you hadn't been sitting there. Dearie me" or something.

She sounds a total pain. And there is clearly a power struggle going on. Talk to your manager, be baffled and"worried" about her behaviour.

This, from CaptainAnkles has made me laugh so much...

"GET OUT OF MY CHAIR. The next time I see you sitting over here I'm going to report you to the World Council for Origami. They have the power to fold actual people."

Could you encourage the guy you work with to say he is busy and help you get rid of her.If I was new in the job I would be trying to make a good impression and not wasting work time doing origami - unbelievable.

She is cheeky and she should be working not preventing you from doing yours.

good advice on here

I would just go to the manager and tell them to have a word because this woman is preventing you from doing your work and it's irritating. Just get them to tell her to pack it in.

Hide your chair in a store cupboard over night. Wheel it in with you when you arrive.

I was thinking something similar about the chair .
And wheel it in and out every time, going out to the toilets etc.

I'm wondering what the guy's reaction is, is he enthusiastically participating in the origami or just getting on with his work.

or knobble it so that when she sits on it, the back falls off and she goes arse over tit?

a step too far?

You're over-complicating this. Next time tell her she needs to move because you are going to start work. Then be straight - "Fine if you want to sit here when I'm not in, but when I get here you need to go, I have work to do. If you think that's not reasonable we'll have a chat with (my boss) about it".
Don't play silly games. If she carries on after that don't even engage with her, take it up directly with your boss.

Arrive at your proper time, 9 am, not earlier.

If origami woman is in your chair, say politely without a smile or a frown, "can I have my chair please".

Stand close by until she moves; do not attempt to log on over her shoulders! Do not engage with your male colleague apart from saying good morning.

Do not thank her when she cedes the chair; it's your chair!

Do this every day for a fortnight.

If she is still trouble after that time, see her manager.

PS I think your male colleague is being an absolute bloody wimp.

also a sarcky comment.

"I wasn't aware that origami figured in the job description. Is this a new initiative"