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

That’s rude of them and therefore unprofessional.

Exactly this. You just do it a little discretely don’t you. And usually on teams rather than needing to be on the personal mobiles.

How is she a danger in the workplace? Can you explain?

Blatently shagging each other. (Or working up to it.)

So are they definitely texting each other or have you just decided this?

I've been sat right next to my boss and he's messaged me, sometimes it makes me laugh. We aren't shagging, building up to shagging or any other weird things people on here seem to imagine.

Sometimes, things are confidential and not for other people to hear. Why does everyone need to hear that I want to go on a course or to a conference or what flight option my boss wants or the code for his credit card.

I work hybrid so I’m in office twice per week. I find it convenient to access Teams from my phone app unless it’s an actual meeting. All Teams chat traffic is work based not gossip. The odd joke might be made on our group Teams chat but I just mean about the weather or the train strikes. However, I do wonder if it looks like texting when on ones phone at work.

Dangerous as in fabricating and weaving a plot without the information available. A coworker did this to me and pushed me to suicidal feelings with her strange fabrications and it was all her own projections. Get on with your job is the best thing or just be direct and ask what the joke is. It might surprise you that it’s nothing that you’re fantasising about @inabubble3

What does "sat on a pod" mean?

Presumably when you and your boss are texting each other there will be the odd appropriate out loud conversation going on as well.

“Ok - that’s booked - you are changing at Geneva”.

It is really obvious when people are messaging ea CJ other inappropriately in an office…..

Fred types something.
Ping goes Susie’s phone. Susie reads it and chuckles. Look shared between them. Susie quickly types back grinning.
Ping goes Fred’s phone. More looks shared. More typing.

I have been witness to this loads of times. They genuinely think no one notices but it is really really obviously. When they are both single it is adorable and we all put bets on when they will finally admit it. When one is married or in a relationship it is awful. You feel grubby just for knowing. But you can’t not know unless you live under a rock because it is so bleeding obvious.

Just a group of desks

It was exactly like this.

They’re both married with children/ step children. It’s icky. One of them’s only been married for a year or so.

you’re probably right it’s probably nothing to do with me but sort of feels like it could be.

anyway like others are saying it’s none of my business but it feels very schoolyard, inappropriate etc

Yup!

If there are 3 people in a room and two of them are whispering to each other and laughing, that’s downright rude, and also might lead the 3rd person to wonder if the other two were talking about them. This is no different. YANBU op.

Sorry but You’re massively projecting your own issues here. What information has OP given to suggest she is “fabricating and weaving a dangerous plot”

They are making her feel uncomfortable. It’s stupid childish playground behaviour and they should as you say “get on with their job”

Hope you have sought help and resolution from your own feelings.

Are they teenagers? Honestly sounds like the actions of teenage girls.

It’s the modern day passing notes to each other, rude, silly and annoying.

Yes OP. I'm in the camp that thinks it's like whispering.

I think they are pathetic actually. And the manager sounds like a total dick. It would irritate the hell out of me, phones tinging and “secret” giggling ffs. Are they 12? Sit somewhere else if you can OP, with the grown ups.

It’s gross isn’t it. And as he left the building he made some comment about how workplace bullying is rife ‘apparently’

just gross

Yes I agree. If they were just talking about the tv or what they are doing at the weekend then why not speak out loud and include the op?
They are either extremely childish or having an affair; both inappropriate in the workplace.

Hmm they are quite tactile, jokey etc and she follows him around like a puppy. I had assumed it was just that…..

but maybe there’s more to it.

be interesting to see what happens in future….. like others have said I think I’ll try and book desks away from them in future and let them carry on

Are you a civil servant? The pod term sounds familiar.

Your speculating that something romantic/ untoward is going on, when it could be a platonic relationship. It's quite normal for people to make and have friends at work, of all genders. So the messages could just be normal friend messages. If so, does that still upset you? Do you think its not normal to have friends at work? Do you have no friends at work?
Also before someone says "but he's the manager", managers are people too. They can be friends with their staff as long as they have some integrity, don't show bias to those people etc. I've been friends with quite a few of my managers and it hasn't impacted work/professionalism at work.