Other People Using My Desk

[MediatorMom]

As I repeat this over and over in my mind, it sounds ridiculous... With that being said, AIBU to be upset, teetering on angry, that someone comes to the office and works at my desk? I am a leadership development educator and coach - so I'm not always in the office. Now, "they" come in and change all of my settings on my computer monitors and chair and never put anything back to my settings and they leave a small mess on my desk - my area does not have cameras. I've left a note on my keyboard saying "Welcome and Hello Guest - If you are here borrowing a desk, please leave everything the same as you found it. Please do not change settings on monitors or chairs. Thank you and have a wonderful day."
My note obviously gets ignored.
So, AIBU?

Can’t you lock the screen with a password?

No, it's my desk. We do have "hot desks" for others to use.

That is terribly true 😂

It's not a "hot desk", we have hot desks available for others to use.

@MediatorMom if you are full time, then could it be cleaners or night watch having their break? can you put a password on it so it cannot be used??

Maybe others don't agree with that policy, especially if you aren't always there. Not that they should leave a mess but they might think you're being unreasonable clinging to outdated notions of desk ownership.

I think you're on a hiding to nothing with trying to police it

It’s not your desk.

If you're not in the office all the time, it's not your desk. No matter what the wall says.

Hot desk or not, the messy fecker shouldn't be leaving a filthy desk behind!

Even OP says it's a "small mess". Doesn't sound filthy

Take the leads for the monitors

I have to "have ownership" - that's what the company gave me - and I have confidential files (yes, they are locked up). I guess I'm just different, I could never imagine using anything of someone else's and not being respectful.

Unless you work full time at the desk it is not actually "yours", is it?! It's just a table with a chair. Wfh is a perk. You can't have it both ways!

Absolutely take the monitor power cables home. Do you have an office manager who might be able to help?

Some mad answers on here lol. The person is clearly taking the piss. Can you a bitlocker key to the PC so it’s doesn’t work without the code

Who is the person who is using the desk and why aren't they using one of the hot desks if they don't have their own desk?
If it's your desk with your name on they shouldn't be using the desk.
It would really annoy me too.

Even in ye olden dayes when anyone having their own desk was a thing in my office then anyone who expected it to be kept unused when they weren't even there and thought taking parts of office equipment home to maintain this or trying to rope me in as the manager to enforce it would have got short shrift.

It's the company's desk and computer and chair. Not OP's.

Can you check who last logged on, or get the IT dept to do so?

How long does it take to restore to your settings? Is it just changing height on the chair and moving monitors? Surely it’s a five minute job to tweak back?

When I still worked in the office, I locked my office door.

at my work the assigned offices are not available for hot desking. You can reserve an actual hot desk office if you need one.

do you have an office hot desk concierge? I would speak to them and let them know someone is using your office instead of a hot desk. It’s not just annoying. That shouldn’t be happening because it won’t be on the standard deep cleaning or inspection rota.

For the first time ever I recently left my beloved BOSE headphones on my desk.I was called away due to a family emergency which culminated in a relatives death.My desk is specifically for my use within an open plan office.I returned to work a week later and the headphones had vanished, never to be seen again.It's been a learning point to put it mildly.

Even if it were a hot desk, they shouldn’t leave it in a mess.

Just to confirm, is your name on the wall?

Can’t you ask for a laptop instead of a desktop then take it home? You can still attach screens and things.

Obviously your boss allows this person to use the desk/monitor, regardless of your name on the wall...