To expect people to knock on closed office door before entering?

[mselastic]

I have my own office in work and most people knock on the door before entering. I deal with staff wages along with other things. The business owner doesn't knock obviously as there is nothing confidential from him.

However, a colleague has been promoted to office manager and since then she has stopped knocking on the door and barges in.
I dislike this and will start to ask her to knock. AIBU?

I only report to the business owner by the way

I think that’s fair enough; most people seem to have an unspoken rule of if the door is open you go in but if the door is closed you knock.
It’d make me start every time if someone just barges in

That’s fair enough, but the business owner should also knock

How does he know you aren’t dealing with a sensitive matter with one of your team or you’re not pulling your tights up or something?

Why doesn’t the owner knock?

Do you often have your door closed? If it's only closed when you're dealing with confidential stuff, can't you just say next time 'I close my door when I'm dealing with confidential matters, so please will you knock before you enter?'.

I think it's rude of the business owner not to knock, never mind your colleague. I knock and wait for an answer before entering someone else's office. My colleagues all do the same when entering my office. It doesn't matter who is senior to whom. It's just polite.

You are right. A closed office door means knock, an open one means you can wander in. That's certainly the culture in my office anyway. Have a word with your colleague. Actually I'd expect even your boss to knock if your door is closed. It's only polite.

I give a courtesy knock even if the door’s open!

I do the same as ImsorryIhaventaclue. You should wait to be invited in, regardless of whether the door is open or closed. All my open door means is "I'm hot" whereas my closed door means
"I'm not hot" or occasionally, I'm doing something confidential.

If the door is open or ajar, I knock as I walk in. If it's closed, depending on how well I know the officer dweller, I'll either knock or just walk in.

Thank you. Your support has given me the courage to say something - not my strong point speaking up!

The business owner wouldn't knock. He likes keeping his staff on their toes as he isn't always in the building. I work hard which he knows, vut he is the habit of doing this so I don't think he would change.

I used to work somewhere that it was forbidden to knock on a door. You had to just go in. The rationale being that this way, you could catch them if they were doing something they shouldn’t.

Put a sign on the door 'please knock before entering'

Everyone should knock.

Well she’s following the example set by the business owner

But you need to say something! Point out that you often deal with confidential matters and need a second when someone knocks to make sure your screen and desk are clear of other people’s private information.

I said something and am glad I did as she knocked next time. I was sorting out staff wages today

Many facets at work are confidential, not only the payroll.

Just learn to minimise the screen. Unclench a bit. People won’t just walk in the room and instantly read that Jane gets xxx amount.

Unclench- yes I suppose there is an element of me not liking the change in this employee. She always knocked, but since she became office manager she barges in. I don't report to her for anything at all only the business owner.

Yes to the knock, im somebody who bloody knocks at the doctors when they've called my name!

They absolutely should. Manners and decency