To think that manager and a colleague texting each other accross desks is odd and unprofessional?

[inabubble3]

So sat on a pod today - 4 people then one leaves. Just me, a colleague and the manager.

Very much seems like colleague and manager are texting each other on personal phones and having little chuckles to themselves.

This isn’t normal and professional behaviour is it?

YANBU- it’s odd and not normal
YABU- you’re imagining it/ if you weren’t it’s perfectly fine for them to text each other anyway

Is there a chance of a romance between them?

I wouldn't mind the texting but the chuckling is rude, because it draws attention to the fact that they are excluding you from something. If they are. Because they might just both be on Mumsnet on a thread about sniffing.

Are you the open plan office sniffer?

Completely this.
They were rude - they were excluding you when you were all together- exactly the same as whispering & leaving someone out.
It would make me extremely uncomfortable- yanbu

There’s flirting. So maybe? She got a text then darted off outside- maybe. Tbh I think the manager is just a flirt who likes a little ego boost. He’s got a wife and a kid….. and I get vibes that he’s not particularly liked .

No. The OP is guessing and their entire story is based on "vibes" with a pinch of embellishments if someone throws in a particularly juicy idea. The only thing that is clear is that the OP doesn't have enough to do at work. Since they have mentioned that there is a desk booking system, they can solve their own distraction by booking a desk not near the source of their distraction, and getting on with their work instead of spending their day speculating about what other people are or aren't doing.

I would assume they're shagging.

This happens all the time at work

Group emails are sent so all private conversations are non verbal so via email or in your case text

And they can talk about you behind your back to their hearts content

Yes,in a work context texting stuff you presumably don’t want others to hear and making it obvious by chuckling and sniggering is unprofessional. It’s like whispering basically.

As a one off? No, fine. Generally throughout the day? Of course it's rude, exactly like whispering.

Oh they're definitely shagging. And they sound like excited school children. Just call 'em out on it loudly and watch them squirm!

I sometimes think AIBU should be renamed “post contrary opinions regardless of how unreasonable they are.” Doesn’t have the same ring to it, but seems fair.

I f they were texting each other it is modern whispering and rude.

Ask them next time. Puzzled face “Are you two texting each other.” They’re bound to say no. “Good because that would be weird and rude.”

If they say they are, ask them if they can take their private conversation to somewhere private because they’re basically whispering and rude

This is what my dd and her friend used to do whilst I was transporting them here, there and everywhere, obviously not wanting me to hear what they were discussing.

At least mine were teenagers, so can expect juvenile behaviour. Your colleagues are childish and rude!

I had this. The two (married) people were having an affair and it was common knowledge in the company. They also weren’t very nice generally and would bitch about everyone. When I found myself in this situation with them clearly texting each other across the table it was just so awkward and uncomfortable. It makes you paranoid- are they bitching about me? Are they sexting? Are they arranging their next “date”? It was so bloody toxic. I couldn’t believe a workplace could have such childish playground behaviour. I resigned.

Of course. If the texting was done discretely that’s one thing Isn’t it/… I wouldn’t have noticed it if it was..:

People like you in the workplace are dangerous. How on earth do you know what they’re texting and who? Be careful of gossiping about this as it will be you that loses your job if your gossip is wrong.

In the workplace it can be seen as exclusion which is poor behaviour. A workplace isn't a playground.

I agree

Not unreasonable. It isn't that OP feels left out. It isn't like the playground.
There are three people in a room. Two of them are texting rather than speaking. It's bloody rude. What was so important it couldn't wait or that they couldn't leave the room? Or couldn't be said out loud? Did they want to make OP uncomfortable?

If you were at lunch with two people and they were texting each other and not talking would that be ok?

When I had a manager and colleague doing that it turned out they were having an affair, on work time and very much paid for by the work credit card. Both were married.

They both got sacked immediately when higher management found out.

OP you are aware that in most open-plan offices, people are emailing each other without cc'ing in everyone else in the office? How is texting any different? How do you know they're even texting one-on-one rather than in a group?

Yeah that would make me feel uncomfortable. Do you have to sit with them or can you book a table elsewhere?

Ostracising? Seriously?

No-one is obliged to discuss every detail of their lives with every single colleague.

I’m not gossiping 😂 this is an anonymous post on mumsnet, not mentioned it to one person at work.

I don’t. We sort of randomly book desks. I just end up sitting next to whoever it’s a team of about 15. I don’t really have time to see who’s booked what but maybe I should make the time x

I think it's unprofessional. If you must be private messaging a colleague then you do it discreetly otherwise it is rude and can be seen as excluding others.