To ask how this would be handled in your workplace?

[WhoWants2Know]

Ok, I know it's not the first time I've asked a question like this on Mumsnet. I think my radar for what is normal or acceptable in the workplace is completely skewed at this point in my life. But here is a recent situation:

Employee A started working with the organisation recently. Employee B has been around a while and has a habit of teasing coworkers. For whatever reason, B was curious about A's age. A wasn't forthcoming. B looked for an opportunity, went to A's things and looked at their driver's license. (This was observed by another coworker. B said they were retrieving something at A's request.) Then B revealed to A what they knew and how they had found out, at the same time revealing A's age to a coworker.

A was upset but didn't know how to respond. Coworker responses were very mixed between exasperation and outrage, saying it was a breach of privacy and confidentiality.

Which would it be in your workplace? A prank gone wrong or misconduct?

Misconduct.
Appalling.

So they snooped through personal belongings (I assume a handbag or wallet as this is where driving licences are normally kept) without permission?

That's misconduct surely.

Misconduct and a disciplinary

Misconduct definitely. And with a history... very possibly dismissal, almost certainly final warning. "Teasing" is not "teasing" - it is inappropriate, bordering on, if not actually, bullying. We would take it very seriously. But it also wouldn;t, given the history, be the first warning / disciplinary either.

That's pretty unanimous!

Re how it could be considered a prank... B teases everyone, pretty much constantly. If there's a boundary, B will poke it to see how firm it is. But equally, B wouldn't want to actually upset anyone, and would go out of their way to be supportive if someone is struggling.

B sounds awful and there should be a disciplinary. I can't imagine going into someone's private possessions, finding out information and telling everyone else.

B is an idiot and I would guess, gets on people's nerves, even if they appear to go along with the 'teasing'

rifling through a work colleagues personal property is in no way a 'prank'. That isn't 'pushing boundries' it's a gross invasion of privacy and serious misconduct.

Absolutely. I would be livid.

So B rifled through personal belongings to find a license? I would question whether they stole money or personal belongings also? I wouldn't have put it past them.

B is a cunt

B sounds awful, just because they always have behaved a certain way it doesn't make it acceptable.

Guessing B is male?

Are you B?

I joke a bit with colleagues but I really don’t see how anyone could think it’s acceptable to go through someone’s personal belongings like that. That would completely change what I thought about B and I really wouldn’t want to work with them anymore as the trust would be completely gone.

Misconduct. Would undergo HR disciplinary.

Misconduct. I don't see how this could be considered a prank at all.

B didn't just poke a boundary, they went through a relative strangers personal belongings to find the private personal information in order to answer a question that A had already made clear they didn't feel comfortable answering.

That's a massive violation of privacy and completely incinerates any personal boundaries and B needs to be very firmly told that their behaviour was completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the workplace.

This is firm and clear grounds for a misconduct hearing, I think it would just about scrape under gross misconduct but actually that depends on how your disciplinary policy is written and what A puts in the complaint.

What a nasty thing to do to someone. Vile and totally inappropriate.

Sorry - but this is ridiculous. Unless you are a teacher and B is a 5 year old student, then they absolutely know what a boundary, and acceptable behaviour is. This is inappropraite and a disciplinary matter. When they lose their job, they'll know how firm the boundary is. I don't know who you are, but you need to get on track - there is nothing funny or appropriate or cute abot deliberately acting in a juvenile way (at best) in the workplace. The MINUTE someone in our workplace goes through someone's elses bag, then they would be suspended and on a disciplinary. There are no good reasons, and no mitigations.

Misconduct and a solid reason for dismissal in many companies especially as you say such behaviour is pretty much constant

B sounds like an arsehole, known for teasing, they are not 12. They need to stop, I don't care how lovely they are, it is not a nice environment to work in with someone who pokes at boundaries.

I hope management come down hard on them for their gross misconduct but going through someone's personal belongings.

That is not a prank. We have quite a lax office environment. The types of pranks played include hiding someone's mug or adjusting their chair. Never EVER going into someone's personal belongings. They'd be hauled into HR in a heartbeat.
And it is the males who play pranks 99% of the time. I've never understood why but apparently I'm boring.

B is wrong and it needs reported.

That isn't poking a boundary (which is also completely unacceptable in a work environment btw) it's absolutely riding roughshod over a boundary. I'd put money on other people having been upset plenty of times. But don't feel they can complain because 'oh, you know what they're like'.

Even my DP wouldn't go through my handbag. On occasions where I've asked him to get me something from it, he just brings me the whole bag.