Colleague has thrown everything away that was on my desk

[WinkyTinky]

Back to work after Christmas and a few weeks off sick, to find that one of my colleagues who sometimes works at my desk has thrown away all of my papers. It was mostly handwritten notes about kids' appointments, my holiday plans, lists of things to remember about school, school calendars, and my eldest son's GCSE timetable. It was all personal sentimental stuff that I liked to have on my desk to see and remind me. I asked where it all was and he said that he has "got rid of all the crap." I'm really disappointed and a bit furious actually, but he thinks it's all perfectly fine. I know I'm a ridiculous softy about a lot of things, but this was MY stuff.

Twat.

Yeah, I can see that.

You can comfort yourself that Albert Einstein's desk was something of a muddle

It's perfectly acceptable in lots of work places.

When I was working we had a clear desk policy, everything locked in draws at the end of the day. Having said that my Dh has form for throwing out stuff without asking and I know how annoying it is, it still wasn't yr colleagues stuff to throw away

If you read the thread…… OP was off sick before Christmas.

When I was working we had a clear desk policy, everything locked in draws at the end of the day.

At last!!! I was beginning to think nobody would ever bring up the existence of such policies in other offices that aren’t the one the OP works in!! Hurray 🥳🥳🍾🍾

Your colleague did an unkind and thoughtless thing. I draw NO parallel to the (female) manager who asked her office cleaner to dispose everything on her usually messy desk once a year. It was a “new beginning” event. You cannot undo what was done, begin afresh 😀

My officemates would go nuclear if one of us messed with the others' desk top papers.

There'd be actual fists thrown by the 2 working class guys.

It was very bad/thoughtless of him to do that but if it was a hot-desk or something simlar where someone else could use it, I would recommed avoiding leaving stuff for any significant length of time if practical. It is not secure and you have no control over who looks at it or handles it. If it is notes you find useful make it digital and put write and/or password protection on the files, then no-one is going to destroy the information. Written notes on a desk are the most insecure way of storing data.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

It doesn't matter what was on your desk - He's thrown away your personal information without consent, more than likely not discarded it as per GDPR, regardless of the situation. - It was your stuff and he had no right to do that.

What's more- Comments he has written about another colleagues chest is sexual harassment, sexist, inappropriate behaviour in the work place, and discrimination.

You said he's nasty - You also need to report him for bullying and intimidating behaviour.

You have a right to feel safe in the work place and to not feel harassed by a male colleague. You need to get a Union, ACAS, and HR involved before he does something dangerous.

You can’t throw away other people’s property. Which means you definitely shouldn’t.

Throwing someone else's handwritten material away without consulting them is really really poor. Calling it "crap" is rude and unprofessional. The fact that it's your desk makes it potentially a disciplinary matter. Is HR any good?

Make a formal complaint. There could have been confidential info of either you family or of clients and she gambled with that.

That would count as bullying behaviour at most companies and a disciplinary offence. Raise it with your manager

He shouldn't have binned it but you shouldn't have all that personal stuff on your desk. Gives the impression work is a bit of a sideline for you

Is there a clear desk policy? On my team we are all responsible for our bank of desks, not just our own. If you're the last one out you make sure its clear all around.

Things get binned or locked away. Nothing should be left out at all. There are some people who have tried to claim spots by leaving personal items out. They are quickly reminded of the rules.

ARRRRGGGHHHH

Some threads are reminiscent of a warped Ground hog day.😱

Why would he have to work at your desk, does he not have his own?

That's outrageous, spiteful, behaviour. And a nasty note to start the New Year on. YADNBU!

And this is one reason I will always be self employed!! If someone binned my things off my desk and thought nothing of it I'd be sacked for gross misconduct no doubt. The CF!

OFFS

Not there isn't!!

He hates women - using the ladies toilet, leaving graffiti there about a former female colleague, disposing of your personal notes while you were absent through illness. I’d leave a message about his pathetic manhood in your loos, add salt to his tea, make it my duty to tidy his desk, try to make him uncomfortable

How does that work for people who wfh? Their whole work environment is literally personal stuff. Is it professional to do work at home but an indication of a sideline to take a little bit of home to work?