Colleague spreading his stuff on my desk

[Notyouthful]

Have asked him many times not to do this. Currently in training so unable to move desks. When he went to the toilet I put all his stuff on his desk. He was upset on returning. Raised this with the development coach and she had a word with him. He still does this.

What are we supposed to do with him?

For the sheer weirdness value, I’m hoping it turns out that the bloke’s own desk is in a completely different part of the building and he’s not even in her department.

That he wants more space. Ours are tiny so I'd sympathise on that front. If there's no one next to me I definitely overspill. (If there is then I deal with my stuff because I recognise it's not my space.)

Move it as soon as it happens. Do not be smiley, pleasant or apologetic when doing so.

This would drive me absolutely nuts . Not sure what stuff he is putting on your desk but I would be shuffling it before I pushed it back …

I would say..

this is my work space
and this is your work space
I don’t go into yours
you don’t go into mine

then end with Nobody puts baby in the corner and storm out 😂

Tell him that any stuff on your desk that is not yours is going to be put in the shredder/bin in future. Can you put a makeshift barrier to stop stuff 'sliding' over as an interim measure?

“Dave, stop putting your stuff on my desk or I am going to bin it.“

Or shout across the office “HAS SOMEONE LOST A GLASSES CASE/ MUG/ ETC AS IT IS ON MY DESK.” If he’s not there send an email saying you’ll deposit it with lost property at the end of the day if no one claims it from you. Then leave the desk and hide the stuff for a couple of hours.

What's wrong with him!? So disrespectful. Hate that sort of behaviour. Is he a twat in other ways or is this his main way of showing it? It's particularly insidious because it either forces you to take a stand with the risk of making you look like you are overreacting (you're not), or you don't act because you are worried about being seen to overreact.

Had a male colleague who set up a coffee making station directly behind a female colleague's chair for absolutely no good reason. There was plenty of room behind his desk and less room behind hers. Drove her crazy but he just kept on with it. Eventually she (and I) moved offices. We couldn't get out quickly enough.

Jello-O
see the Office

Is your deskmate called Dwight? A pencil fence is the only option!

Perhaps a passive aggressive, this is on my desk (mug, papers etc), "do you know whose this is?, it is on my desk"

thats's not an excuse. If he needs clearer boundary, HE set them up. He doesn't need a babysitter. There are no excuse for being rude, which he is, and he knows it, after being told repeatedly.

The interesting part is that he got 'upset' when the things were moved back. Is he trying to train the OP to accept he has two desks and she has none by making a scene when she claims one?

What are we supposed to do with him?

How about telling him next time it happens, his stuff will go into the bin rather than back on his desk. And do it. That should solve it.

Put a box on the ground and shoof it all off into the box.

^ 😂😂😂

Anything he leaves on your desk remove and put in a drawer. When he asks where it is say “I assumed you didn’t need/want it is as it was discarded on my desk.”

Just keep doing it, he'll have to be upset or be a professional adult

Add a big sign saying "Bric-a-brac 20p per item, all proceeds to the donkey sanctuary" - and then charge him at the advertised rate if he wants anything back.

Similar to what @QueenArnica posted, ask him why he puts his stuff on your desk. If he huffs and moves it say, “no seriously, explain to me why you put your stuff on my desk.” Keep your tone calm, like you are bewildered rather than angry; implying he is some strange oddity rather than a rude twat. It will probably embarrass him immensely and feel very uncomfortable while he tries to come up with something vaguely reasonable to say. People hate having to say out loud that they are rude, selfish, entitled prick. Maybe that will stop him doing it again.

Toss it (not in your own bin). Deny all knowledge; why would you know what happened to his stuff? He intends to make life easier for himself at your expense. When it becomes MORE inconvenient for him to fuck you over than to behave normally and organize his work properly in the first place, he'll stop.

File it in B 1 N.

Repetition.
He’s clearly socially unaware.

Three options:

He does not listen when you speak. What you are saying about your boundaries just does not register.

Or

He does hear you - and has decided what you are saying about your boundaries just does not matter.

Or

He does hear you and understand you - and has decided that he is going to control and infuriate you anyway, for fun, misogyny or sheer bloody mindedness.

Whatever his angle, he's manspreading. Bulldozing boundaries.

Email him saying 'I have repeatedly asked you to respect my personal space and not to use it for your possessions.

I see that once more you have ignored my request.

This is disrespectful behaviour and makes my work environment difficult.

In future, please use your own space for your own things.'

See what happens. Then if no behaviour improvement, bring the line manager in, to do their job.

I always do this as I hate people invading my personal space! (And I think most people do it unintentionally)
I usually put my laptop case or a big notebook was up to the edge of the desk so that it’s much harder for people to encroach!