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?

Yes, along with all of my office and desk supplies, locked filing cabinets - for confidentiality, pictures, etc.

I am so sorry for your loss.

I understand, however, why should I? I would never use something of someone else’s and if I got permission, I would put all the settings back the way they were. Unfortunately, it's not just height, they change the settings on the monitors.

I do think it’s ridiculous when there are hot desks available. Do you have colleagues in the office who can let you know who’s using your desk? Maybe you could politely ask them to use a hot desk instead?

How many people have their own desks in the office with also hot-desking? Is your desk away from the hot desks? When did you join the company? Were you specifically given the desk? Why the eff is your name on the wall?

I am surprised someone have access to your computer where you have confidential files. How does this work, they are desk computers? If so, why is not password locked? In my workplace we all have our own laptops keylocked with our credentials juat use the docking stations to access the extra monitors but obviously if I take my laptop home or just lock it is just a monitor nobody has access to my computer, same at my last workplace. Only desk compters are the ones that are for sharing like to put a ticket in to it if you locked yourself out of your laptop.

In these circumstances I would take the desk apart and take it home with me at the end of each day. Perhaps replace the screws with some sort of clips to make it easier to reassemble.

(Of course, this assumes you do not cycle to work.)

This would have driven me round the bend when I worked in offices in the City of London.

We didn't have "hot desking" back then thankfully. Your desk was your den, that was that and we all liked it that way. We all had our own. There were a small number of spare ones that could be used by guests as needed but that was it.

Even though yours isn't a "hot desk" I would wonder if the policy might cause confusion, though they shouldn't leave a mess and should at least make an effort to return things to how they were.

Do you know who is using your desk? Can anyone else tell you? If so speak to them directly and clarify that it isn't a hot desk and isn't available for use

I don't think they are using her computer -just the monitors?

If it’s genuinely your desk and specialised chair then yes they are being unreasonable messing with settings. In our open plan office, no-one has their own desk. Some staff have specialised chairs, which they then cover and remove to a corner of the printer area and put a regular office chair in its place.

I guess if there are not enough desks and you’re not in the office then it’s not unreasonable to use an empty desk, but it is to mess with settings that are adjusted for someone.

Are there actually enough hot desks for everyone or is your desk being used as overspill when the office is busy?

The fact the files are locked up make that a non issue
tbh complain about this and I think it’s the quickest way to get “Your desk” converted into a hot desk

Ah it was nice having your own desk though before hot desking was a thing. I had a pedestal, and my own bin. Would keep spare shoes at work under my desk. Downside was the relentless 5 days a week in the office but I had more energy then….

OP I don’t understand why the monitors don’t remember your settings. I’ve used most of the hot desks in a specific area and once I’ve connected my laptop once and changed the settings the monitors “remember” them.

If someone is logging into your desk PC can you not tell who it is by their username that usually saves?

Even when I had my own desk I’d expect that someone else could use it in my absence, its company property not ‘mine’. . I wouldn’t keep loads of personal things on there anyway.

If someone is logging into your desk PC can you not tell who it is by their username that usually saves?

Even when I had my own desk I’d expect that someone else could use it in my absence, its company property not ‘mine’. . I wouldn’t keep loads of personal things on there anyway.

I completely get you op.
I have my own office. Sometimes other people use it if I am not there, fair enough. What drives me up the wall is people changing things around and removing things. Examples include removing rulers and other equipment- highlighters, post it pads, decent pens, templates with useful telephone numbers on etc and then of course everyone claims they haven’t touched the things and I never get them back. Bringing in smelly stuff such as reed diffusers and leaving them around my office, no I don’t smell! Rearranging things such as pictures, leaflet displays, and not putting them back. None of this is within immediate reach when sat at my desk I must add. Why on earth you would do this is beyond me. I understand adjusting chair height and opening windows etc but the actual layout of the room - no.
I wouldn’t go into someone’s house and start rearranging ornaments or other items.

Is your name on a supporting wall OP? This may be the issue. You keep saying you have confidential files on your wall based computer. Why not have these under your password protected username ?

You are completely unreasonable for repeating the same thing over and over again. Sake's alive.

What does your manager say about it?

I hate this as well. I use a trackball instead of a mouse and that seems to deter 99% of people.

Put an old jacket on the back of your chair, leave a note pad (with nothing confidential in) on the desk, shopping bag with some non perishable snacks in like you've grabbed them on your way in. Mix it up a bit every time you go in. If they sit there when it looks occupied then you are dealing with a psychopath.

It’s not your desk
Do you change the settings back to they way the were for the day(s) you’re not in office

you would annoy me with that childish note and I definitely wouldn’t change anything back for you

I bet you complain to anyone within ear shot how unfair it all is

I think your note is too friendly and welcoming! Just leave a note saying "This is NOT a hot desk" or similar.

You have my full empathy!! I 'cured' the same problem by locking away my keyboard and connecting wires. It takes less time to put them back into place than the ball-ache of readjusting settings, and cleaning the crud left behind by selfish mucky folk who do not understand the concept of 'leave behind, only footprints'. They're the sort that leave the communal kitchen in a mess, leaving their mugs for somebody else to wash and a splattered mess in the microwave.

Rather than your current polite message - change it to 'you use this desk at your own risk!' 😉

It would annoy me. OP - take the cables and mouse home with you. Leave a laminated stuck on sign on your desk saying “THIS IS NOT A HOT DESK”. Ask a colleague who is in more regularly to remind anyone using your desk that there are hot desks available. I had my charger and expensive mouse go missing despite everyone in the office having their own designated desks - apparently when I wasn’t in several people (who had their own offices and desks!) liked using mine “because it was quietest”. They would also leave mess (I found old mashed up egg salad in my seat, once I found half a melted digestive under my mousepad). It was infuriating and incredibly disrespectful. I’m so sorry OP.