To think don't keep taking my drink at work?

[openitsoicanseeyousmile]

I'm known to bring a can of drink in everyday for lunch. It's kept in the shared fridge at work - Everyone knowns it's mine as there's a little section box for each person with their name on.

A colleague of mine is pregnant and for the third time has taken my drink and not bothered replacing it. When questioned, she says something along the lines of "Sorry! Bad sickness. This helps. I'll get a new one for you tomorrow".

She always does, it's there the following day. But it means having to go out at lunchtime to get another one. The local shop is only 2 minutes away but it means eating up time I don't have since I have 30 minutes lunch.

I'm really not sure how to go about it. If it was the usual person, I'd tell them to stop the cheek and buy their own to bring in! But she's pregnant and suffering from sickness. I had HG with my son so I feel awful at the thought of telling her she can most certainly never take from me again without asking

I remember the horrendous feeling of needing something sweet and fizzy to curve the sickness and it did often help, so I imagine it's very helpful to her.

Perhaps I should buy a multipack and suggest she goes half's so we can both enjoy them during the week? Or is this too doormat like?

I'm really not sure how to go about it. I don't think she thinks she's being cheeky in the slightest, and is an otherwise lovely colleague.

What would you do? I usually have no issues being assertive but I feel as if the lines have been blurred.

I just thought if she is asking might be an easy out, a reason to say no. We constantly have drinks missing at our work fridge the only one never taken is a colleagues who said she puts her medication in it. It is really annoying to go for my cold Diet Coke at lunch and someone has taken it, our site shop only sells Pepsi.

Your first instinct was correct.buy a multipack and charge her half.
I would be very blasé, 'I spoke with the boss and we can get a tray from the wholesalers and split the costs'.
Let her know the boss knows what is going on. If she decides she doesn't want to do that I would play her at her own game and tell people 'in confidence' that you aren't feeling great and your sugar levels keep dropping, so if you start coming across woozy can they get your drink for you. Tell a few of them the story, then if she steals your drink again you can tell them how worried you are that you may need your own drink and she will have stolen it. It is starting to make you anxious.....

Helping yourself to other people's food and drink is just not ok. Unless someone is having a diabetic hypo there's really no need!

I just can't imagine a situation where colleagues start rummaging through the staff fridge handing out other people's food and I work in health.

Talk to your manager and as get them to put a stop to it. It's actually thought if a theft in most places.

She has taken the piss ROYALLY. Stop keeping your can there, get yourself an ice pack/cool bag. Talk to your other colleague and say you think she’s taking the piss.

It might have worked earlier on in the game, Skihound, but I think at this point, the woman won't believe it and would absolutely turn it on the OP.

Honestly if this was me I would keep my drink in my bag and just put up with with room temp for a week or two to make a point. Is there anywhere to keep some ice so you could have it with ice in to chill it as you drink it? She is a game playing cow and anyway you play this she will try and twist it against you. It’s a pain but I would change drinks or have room temp ones just to take the power away from her for a while. I would keep your boss up to speed and also explain why you are no longer able to keep your drink in the fridge

If I were you I'd put tomorrow's drink in your tray like normal, and return to the fridge as often as possible to shake it furiously

Keep your own hidden in your bag with an ice pack.

I'd stop bringing them for a week or two - you are not getting to drink them anyway! When she goes rotting through the fridge you can just feign innocence and say you decided not to bother.

If I were you I'd put tomorrow's drink in your tray like normal, and return to the fridge as often as possible to shake it furiously

Please please please do this

@mildshock lol!

@mildshock - that is genius!

I would buy two drinks, one for me and one for her.

@mildshock - I just pulled a muscle laughing at this. Hilarious

I'd put my drink in the fridge first thing so she sees it. Then take it out and put in your sparkly new cool bag, obviously bought by management as they can't sort out a thief.
So when she spins a yarn or goes to steal it it's missing.
Perhaps leave a note in its place?

I’d go in early and pour a can over her fucking desk

Is your can stood up in the fridge? If so I’d leave the smallest amount in the can or an empty can to build her hopes up, then she can experience the disappointment she has put you through!
Can you not have a small ice pack in an insulated bag? I take drinks with me and they stay cold until lunch. You shouldn’t have to but hopefully she’ll be on mat leave soon.

Others won’t but I view this as workplace bullying.

I completely agree. She is deliberately targeting you, which is what bullying is.

Good luck tomorrow with your boss. It sounded before like they'd have your back.

My impression is that this is about power for her. A combination of you referring it to your boss and then ceasing engagement with her alongside not putting drinks in the fridge for a few weeks at least should take the wind out of her sails.

I get why you were quite passive to start with, and what's done is done, but being assertive in future would stand you in better stead to nip stuff like this in the bud. Being assertive is not the same as being aggressive, it's not a harmful thing.

Just posting this in case any of it proves helpful in managing this situation (there is a bit on conflict):

www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Assertiveness

Please do what mildshock suggests..it would be funny (don't though as you might get in trouble if caught)

I agree it's bullying, but it can so easily be flipped round to look like OP is the aggressor, she needs to be very careful.

Personally at this point I'd kill her with kindness - give her/"the fridge" a pack of the damned things and stop drinking it myself for a while.

What a bitch! While my sympathies still 100% lie with the OP, it's hard not to be vaguely impressed with the sheer brass neck deviousness of the woman.

I’d still report her to hr and ask them what they are going to do to stop her stealing from you, or you will make a formal complaint

I would buy two drinks, one for me and one for her.

Why?

I dont believe her.

Cramping and a headache, you'd be drinking water. You'd be drinking something cold, sweet and fizzy to try and get the baby moving.

Twats like her give pregnant women a reputation for being pregnant twats taking advantage, because you can be damn sure she knows management have to treat her with kid gloves at present.

You didnt have an option but to let her have the sodding thing today (you couldnt have won in that situation) but they can do something about stealing. Despite what Nurse Gill says, pregnancy does not a kleptomaniac make or excuse. Management can do something about that.

If you don't trust a cool bag, maybe you could get an insulated bottle, they keep things really cold for hours. Then you can keep it at your desk and CF won't get a sniff at it.