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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To complain

51 replies

JakeyRolling · 18/10/2021 21:34

Before lockdown happened I'd been working in my company's office at location A.
During lockdown I changed roles, meaning that when more staff are allowed back in the office I will work out of the same company's office at location B. (I'm currently wfh).
My desk at location A has been taken over by a new employee, who is among a number who have already been allowed back, so I messaged the office manager to arrange to go and pick up my stuff from my LOCKED office drawer.
It was locked as I was actually on holiday when the van on going to the office was announced and came into force.

I've been told that the facilities team has already emptied it and left it in a box for me to collect.
I am pretty angry as I had some personal items in there (nothing unprofessional, just some bits including a "period kit" with spare underwear.
I feel they should have asked me to empty it before a certain date if they wanted it done.
Aibu to complain?

OP posts:

Sparklesocks · 18/10/2021 21:38

It is annoying, but technically it’s office property so they are able to access it and empty it.

We were meant to move offices at my work in May 2020. We couldn’t all come in to pack and unpack due to the pandemic and working from home, so the company arranged for movers to pack desks into crates and move to the new site. Some members of staff were a bit embarrassed that they didn’t have time to sort their drawers beforehand but it was just one of those things you can’t help.

annaop · 18/10/2021 21:39

YANBU but you know it'll be a waste of time and effort complaining, right?

GoodnightGrandma · 18/10/2021 21:41

I wouldn’t. The drawer doesn’t belong to you.

Lindy2 · 18/10/2021 21:41

If they've safely put your belongings in a box for you to collect they've not been unreasonable. It must be about 20 months since you've used that desk and that's not where you're going to work from again. They can't really leave it locked when someone else is using the desk now.

LostforWords2021 · 18/10/2021 21:42

It will fill under company policy...

We once had a company car emplode and the employee had a very nice children car seat plus golf clubs in the car. Zilch claimed back due to policy.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 18/10/2021 21:46

What do you actually want them to do as a result of you complaining?

Just let it go and arrange to collect your stuff. It's in a box, in a safe location. It's not like they are flying your knickers from the company flagpole...

CocaColaTruck1 · 18/10/2021 21:47

Is it annoying yes but not worth the complaint tbh.

Cocomarine · 18/10/2021 22:03

I think it’s a shame that you care about a period kit being seen. It’s not that I don’t understand why, or think you’re unusual - but do think it’s a shame anyone feels that way.

I think though, that it’s at office drawer, so fine for them to have emptied it. Anything you didn’t want to be visible could have been in a bag. Presumably your spare pants weren’t just loose next to the stapler?

I’d just forget about it. No harm done.

Geamhradh · 18/10/2021 22:06

Complain about what?
That the owners of a desk needed it for someone so emptied it and put your stuff to one side?

RobertaFirmino · 18/10/2021 22:22

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

What do you actually want them to do as a result of you complaining?

Just let it go and arrange to collect your stuff. It's in a box, in a safe location. It's not like they are flying your knickers from the company flagpole...

Well quite. Woman keeps tampons in desk drawer is hardly a shocker.

Sparklingbrook · 18/10/2021 22:34

I wouldn't complain. You still have your stuff, I'd be complaining if they'd binned it off or something.
Presumably new employee wanted to have use of a drawer to put their' stuff in and it was easier to empty them all in one go than wait for each person to come and do theirs.

Original poster

JakeyRolling · 19/10/2021 08:04

They knew new start was coming a month before. They could have told me to empty it by X date and let me have access to the office to do so (we need permission right now to limit numbers).

The period kit wasn't the only personal thing in there and it's more other people raking through my stuff than anything been seen as such.

OP posts:

ApolloandDaphne · 19/10/2021 08:11

Dear goodness what and over reaction. They needed the drawer for the new worker and probably thought they were doing you a favour by getting your stuff out of it and ready for collection. I am sure they weren't going through your stuff. They would just have decanted it from drawer to box ready for you to collect. Complaining is pointless.

Banani · 19/10/2021 08:18

It’s not a big deal and a complaint will go nowhere. Sure they could’ve asked you to come and collect before emptying it, equally when you knew you wouldn’t be returning to that office you could’ve asked when you could collect your personal property left there.
Our office closed during lockdown. Only the two members of staff (out of around 20) who weren’t furloughed were allowed in to clear the office before the professional movers came in, personal items were put in boxes for us to essentially ‘claim’ via WhatsApp photos. Not ideal, but the best we could do in the situation.

Sparklingbrook · 19/10/2021 08:30

So there’s more personal things?

As long as you have them all back I don’t see a problem.

Original poster

JakeyRolling · 19/10/2021 08:42

you could’ve asked when you could collect your personal property left there.

I've repeatedly asked over the course of several months but access was only being granted to staff who NEEDED to be at that location. As I'm now based at another office (or will be once wfh stops) I'm not among that group.

OP posts:

Imnothereforthedrama · 19/10/2021 08:53

I can’t imagine what personal things I’d keep in a drawer at work . They moved them into a box op to keep safe nothing to complain about.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 19/10/2021 08:56

access was only being granted to staff who NEEDED to be at that location. As I'm now based at another office (or will be once wfh stops) I'm not among that group.

Well you couldn't have collected it anyway... really not sure what you're complaining about now. Maybe don't keep such personal items at work in future.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 19/10/2021 08:57

PS: I'm not talking about tampons. Most women I know keep a stash either at work or in the office toilets.

AnnaSW1 · 19/10/2021 09:02

This is standard stuff. Ours has done the same (civil service)

Malin52 · 19/10/2021 09:04

@JakeyRolling

They knew new start was coming a month before. They could have told me to empty it by X date and let me have access to the office to do so (we need permission right now to limit numbers). The period kit wasn't the only personal thing in there and it's more other people raking through my stuff than anything been seen as such.

It's not 'raking through' your stuff though. Relocation folk open a drawer and put it in a box. They don't have time or the interest in riffling through peoples random bits and bobs.

Also 'random woman I don't know and have never met and never will has menstrual goods in her office drawer' isn't exactly headline news

Sparklingbrook · 19/10/2021 09:12

@Imnothereforthedrama

I can’t imagine what personal things I’d keep in a drawer at work . They moved them into a box op to keep safe nothing to complain about.

I am now intrigued. What personal stuff should I be keeping in my desk. 🤔

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 19/10/2021 09:14

If you complain they may just say sorry,

"and in future do not leave any personal items in a company desk."

Cocomarine · 19/10/2021 09:20

It’s not like they were limiting numbers in the office for fun.
Why would they increase the risk to you and others, by letting you in, when the items could be boxed up?

“AIBU? My employer wants me to come in and empty my desk drawer. They’re supposed to be limiting people in the office. AIBU to think they could just stick in a box for me to collect later?”

girlmom21 · 19/10/2021 09:34

Nobody will have raked through your drawers. They'll have had to empty loads of drawers. They won't care what's in there.

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