Did something a bit silly at work

[Saracopp]

I regularly visit schools for my job. One school had to change premises to a larger school site whilst building works were being undertaken on the original school building.

The support staff of the new building were unpleasant and unfriendly- possibly because they didn’t want to share their building with another school.

Each week for the past nine months or so I’ve experienced unpleasantness with one particular member of staff on the front desk. Things like deliberately keeping me waiting to let me in and out of the building (she would pretend she wasn’t in the office, but I could see her in the reflection of one of the windows, she thought she was out of sight), abrupt manner, unhelpful, not passing on messages, rolling eyes because she has to get out of her chair to press a button to release the door, huffing because my mere presence is an inconvenience etc, you get the picture.

A couple of weeks ago we had a slight altercation, she was scowling as usual as I arrived and I asked her if everything was ok as she seemed quite unhappy to see me. She immediately became defensive and gave me a right mouthful so I calmly told her she maybe should develop some social skills given she was on the front desk 😳

I spoke to the head teacher of ‘my school’ who said she’d deal with it. Miraculously, over the next couple of weeks the doors were unlocked and she was not in the office as I walked passed. Result

Today was my last day as the school are moving back to their original premises after half term and I did something a little immature. In the foyer at the entrance is a photograph of all the school staff and their names, there was no-one around. Without thinking I got out my sharpie and drew a moustache and angry eyebrows on the picture of this person. Under her name I wrote ‘Miss Funsucker’. I did chuckle about it for the rest of the day but now I feel a bit bad and anxious I will get into trouble- it wouldn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work out it was me 😬

should I do nothing or should I do something - if so what? I know it’s a long shot but has anyone else done this?

I think when you start vandalising your place of work and openly attacking staff that undoes much of your previous professional behaviour and reputation. There is a previously well respected doctor in our home town who had a breakdown and behaved bizarrely in public. People remember her behaviour during that time, not her previous professionalism. Most would see the receptionists attitude as a minor inconvenience to their day.

Why is that an understatement? Ive been doing my current role for 25 years, freelance for the last 10, and have always worked from home, working the hours tjst suit me. I dont have any set hours, outside of certain commitments in my schools which generally last for two or three hours at a time, and so long as I get the work done that Im paid for, and meet my deadlines, it’s up to me what hours I work. It sounds as though the OP is in a similar situation.

How come?

Having worked in schools for 25 years I can give you a list of people I would like to do this too. Yes it was silly and childish but I’m fed up of always being the ‘better’ person and I assume you are too.
If the worst comes to the worst perhaps you could set up a business playing pranks on ghastly people.

Hilarious! Love it x

Goodness, do you actually genuinely know the OP in real life? Be a bit afraid, OP. I'm not sure leaving this thread up is a good idea 😬😳

There will definitely be security cameras in the foyer.

Haven’t openly attacked anyone, not sure where you got that from.

Maybe you would see repeated rudeness, unhelpful manner and being made late deliberately as a mild inconvenience but being on time is important to me, and I find meanness, being obtuse and unhelpful difficult to tolerate, so to me so guess it had a deeper impact maybe.

We’ve already been over this

several times 🙄

It’s a bluff

Excellent idea. I’d love that but I’m not sure it’s particularly well paid 😁

It's a great idea!!! 😂

Then that is something you need to work on. Most people encounter rude or unacceptable behaviour, both at work and in personal life but we have to learn to react like adults, especially at work.

You did not draw moustaches on everyone, just one person. And wrote 'miss funsucker' underneath and left it there for everyone to see, be that colleagues, parents, children and other visitors. That is an openly personal attack.

Sorry I don’t justify my time management to you 👍

Ha ha!

I think if anyone needs to ‘work on’ something then it’s the person who started this palather surely?

I think I’m a bit too old to change now and overall I’m happy with who I am.

I think it’s hilarious. I’ve never done anything like this, I’d be too worried about getting into trouble. I wonder if she’ll think twice before treating someone in the same way she treated you.

I hope you don’t get into any trouble over this. Please keep us updated. And… I think what you wrote was genius! You could have written a lot worse!

Doesn’t take that long. I’m a fast reader and typer

I’ve just googled schools which have been out of their premises a number of months and returning 2 Nov and there’s only one or two that fit the bill in the whole of the UK. One is indeed in Cheshire

I think best to just hope it isn't spotted OP, or at least not traced back to you.

It wasn't all that funny - certainly not witty - and was a bit immature, especially in a professional context.

If it is raised and you know they know it was you, I think I'd try to just apologise and be regretful and hope they accept that: don't try to defend it as you have done on this thread or you are going to enflame what would be an awkward situation for you.

Yep

There are definitely some funsucking people on this thread!

Thank you, I did update earlier. Spoke to HT about unrelated issue. It wasn’t mentioned. Both happy to have left the school of doom and looking forward to revisiting original premises after half term

Exactly. What if a pupil or a parent pisses you off in future - what will you do then? If I had any control over your employment I’d dismiss you for gross misconduct