co-worker keeps looking at my screen at work

[theclick]

That's it really. She keeps looking at it, sometimes she will be on a call and she'll just turn around while on the phone and stare, sometimes she will get up to leave or go for lunch and while putting her coat on, have a good look. It's annoying because a - why? And b - she sometimes sees private things such as comments about my line managee from other managers or HR about hiring etc. She's the same level as me, but I still find it annoying, because I don't get what the fascination is! I asked IT for a screen to cover my screen but apparently only execs at my place are given these. Anyone got tips to deal with it in a jokey way but make it clear id rather she not?! Or should I just let her get on with it?

Ask her what she's looking at.

Is it just yours or does she do it to everyone?

Maybe she is just naturally a bit nosey/ drawn to screens and does it without even really thinking about it.

That doesn't make it ok though! You need to have a chat and just explain that you have noticed this and can she please stop because xyz and also explain it makes you feel uncomfortable. I personally would have an honest chat not hide it in a joke, as then you can be sure you have been explicit and if she doesn't stop it can't be a case of her "not getting" your hints.

Where does she sit in relation to you? Can you add some rear view mirrors to your monitor so you can watch her?

Turn it off or turn the brightness down when she's looking. Do it in a friendly style but do it every time. She'll get the picture.

You need to sort out the screen protector thingy. It's not fair to the people you line manage that other people are potentially looking g at eg their appraisal.

I used to work with someone that did that. She would walk over, start talking and thdn

I would try asking IT again for a screen cover, especially if you mention that frequently have confidential info from HR on display. Could you change the angle of your screen so it's not easy for your colleague to see? I must say, it would annoy me too.

And then stop talking as she was reading your screen. We started to switch off the screen when she approached and she stopped - eventually!

You could minimise all active windows when she comes over to you by pressing the small button in the task bar next to the clock (assuming you have windows).

Or switch the screen off

I would jokingly say,
"When you stare at my screen like that it makes me really uncomfortable, are you okay? Or just nosy?"

Right when you catch her in the act, she may not realise she is doing it.

When I caught her doing it I would twitch as if horrified and say

"oh good God I hate it when people read over my shoulder!"

and then do some sort of fish wifey flapping action with my hands. Followed by more muttering about how I really really hate it.

If pressed I'd say something about how it makes me feel really self conscious in what I was typing and makes me lose my train of thought. And besides, it's just plain nosy isn't it! (Finish that sentence with a hard stare)

Turn
Glare (optional)
Minimise

Cant you get your own privacy screen?

She sounds like me. I don't mean to do it but I'm drawn to the written word.
I have been obsessed with reading stuff since I was a young child.
It's not nosiness, I'm just drawn to words.
I can remember babysitting as a teenager, and on discovering their were no books in the house would open food cupboards to read the ingredients on the packages.
She might be a bit like me,who knows?

Make wonderfulengineering.com/heres-how-you-can-make-your-computer-lcd-monitor-invisible-to-everyone-but-you/this your next project. :o

wonderfulengineering.com/heres-how-you-can-make-your-computer-lcd-monitor-invisible-to-everyone-but-you/this? sorry if wrong.

Try the Buzzfeed one. www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/how-to-make-your-computer-monitor-invisible-to-everyone-but#.dsaLOQw8mp

Ask "is there something you're looking for?" bluntly every time she's having a nose. She might not realise that she's being so obvious. Let her know you're onto her.

If there's something private then say "Sorry, that's confidential, please don't look". Hopefully she'll feel embarrassed about her snooping.

But if it's confidential you should be ensuring you can't be overlooked. Surely that's part of the job?

Switch the screen off every time you see or sense it.

Presumably the ops there to work, not to play silly games anticipating the moves of the people around her and turning off her screen at regular intervals?

Ooh sorry. It's not a game. It's turning the screen off to shield her privacy

I can imagine that would interrupt her train of thought and cause her to be less efficient. I am saying she should sort it out properly and that it should be seen as part of her job to protect information about the people she manages to do it properly.