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.

He’s binned personal items from YOUR desk. I’d be having serious words with him. He had no right. Graffiti about an ex colleague’s chest? Tracks mud in? Is he a teenager?!

Why is it unprofessional?

If he's not the boss he has no business taking it upon himself to throw his colleague's stuff away. It doesn't sound like you hot desk or have a clear desk policy, so you've done nothing wrong. I note you say he didn't throw away betting slips of another male colleague, so it does imply he may be singling you out.

If it's your desk I'd absolutely put in a formal complaint.... Sounds like he wouldn't have gone through it... And there were important notes about work in it wasn't there...

Any nornal person would:

A) either work around your personal stuff...

B) Or and what i did when using someone's desk when they were off long term.. (they were really really untidy plus never cleaned up all their food /drink spills... ), carefully put it all in a carrier bag for them to review later.

Never, ever throw away stuff unless you're the boss!

Do you have someone responsible for HR issues? Is he more senior to you professionally?
Obviously he should have not thrown any of your things away.

I said it was quite normal, because it is. Many places definitely do have it, but I didn't state it was ubiquitous and there would be no examples of this not in place!

The reason most places (of those which do have it) have it for confidentiality, but lots of people prefer it too, as their belongings and documents are safe and kept private.

Some people do not want to work surrounded by bits of paper and random pieces of information, but want to be able to file things in an organised way and concentrate on the task at hand.

And these aren't really personal possessions in the way that pp have described or is typical for sentimental reasons eg. cards, ornaments or photos etc. They're scribbled notes and would definitely be better in a folder, diary or notebook, which is unlikely to be mistaken for litter.

I'd be furious too and I would let him have it with both barrels. I would also go out of my way to sabotage him at work at every opportunity.

The more you say the more it's a case of what did you expect? The guy sounds like a knob and if you know he's going to sit at your desk then safeguard your stuff. Because knobs are gonna knob.

He sounds as right knob. Can you talk to HR about him?

It's just a shitty thing to come back to. Thankfully he left my sleeping bag alone, which I am now in as the office is at 12 degrees.

This isn’t for the OP’s colleague to decide though. If OP’s manager has an issue with this, he or she can raise it directly and ask the OP to have a tidy-up. It’s not for some jobsworth to take it upon himself.

To everyone advising complaints to management/HR, there is no such thing here.

If we're being pedantic it's probably more accurate to say it can be normal but as the OPs workplace doesn't have that policy it's a moot point

Again, none of this excuses the actions of her colleague, who should not have interfered.

You didn’t just unceremoniously bin it though, did you?

Well either go down the official route of reporting him for his misogynistic and sexist behaviour, or draw a teeny tiny penis in the ladies loo and name and shame him.
And all have a good laugh at his expense.

Good, then take him outside and knock fuck out of him!

I can see why you'd be annoyed. Unless there is a clear desk policy you really should be able to leave personal items/notes on your desk. However it's done now and if management are uninterested then with someone like this in workplace all you can do is be defensive and avoid issues.

For future get a folder/diary planner and stick random notes in there and take with or put in drawer before leaving site.

Depends on the job really. My boss would go ballistic if there was ANY personal non work related stuff on my desk, he would want to know where exactly I found time to look at personal things and make lists while being paid in his time.
I have my personal stuff in a folder in my work bag and I always take it home.

In that case, revenge it is 😁😁😁😁

Many people who don't currently work in places where this operates will have experienced it before though, may be used to it, or prefer it.

While it might not be the explicit expectation of management, the fact it is quite normal affects how people will behave. So it's not irrelevant, as lots of people don't want to work surrounded by other people's junk that's unrelated to work.

My current workplace doesn't have the policy either, but I've worked places where it works well. When I'm out of my classroom and others are working from my desk, I certainly don't leave a load of random crap about my family all over it for them to wade through, or mistakenly gather up in their own belongings and take with them when they leave. If I left a planner, or notebook, or file of papers, they'd be clearly left alone (even if they contained personal details).

Having further read some of the comments, I think you would be shocked if you worked in a start up! I have worked in a few and honestly there was stuff everywhere. I worked for a clothing firm and we had samples/ paperwork/ shoes scattered around. I have worked in other places where was IT equipment dumped in various places. The idea this is ‘unprofessional’ 🤣 . The only places I have ever worked with clear desk polices have been in corporates.

In that case, return the favour and clear his desk into the bin at every opportunity ("oh sorry, that was your lunch, was it? I was just getting rid of all the crap"). But I'm petty like that. And keep your stuff in a lockable drawer from now on.

Because its a workplace, not somewhere to be jotting down your holiday plans and multiple personal occasions for everyone else to see. Your work desk is for work. But like I said it should have just been put in a drawer and not binned.

This! I'm surprised anyone thinks it's OK to throw away someone else's personal paperwork regardless of content. Or anything that belongs to someone else.