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Delicate work issue

10 replies

LifeMovesOn · 25/11/2013 14:42

I'm not too sure what I should/can do. The Boss (TB) has been looking at porn on his PC. I heard it one day, he of course blustered about "oh, what's that then".... he's very secretive on his machine (and iphone). He disappears for several hours then comes back in jubilant mood. It's the office joke (there's only 4 of us, one of those Saturday's only) that he's seeing a prostitute.

He and his wife seem to have a love/hate relationship. They are both, quite truthfully, very unpleasant people. They hate everyone and everything. Won't bore you with the details, but they have no friends, make a nuisance of themselves wherever they are.

My colleague was off October half-term week (he's only a youngster) and TB spent an Inordinately amount of time clicking and tapping away on his computer (he's not particularly pc savvy). When you ask if he's done something he should have, you get a blank look. If I query what is he doing flapping around on his pc, he gets all flustered.... ok I admit I do it deliberately.

We then had a call from our "head office" (we are a franchise). His machine and the spare one in the office (where he'd spent a lot of time tapping away) had been infected (he's too mean to pay for pucka virus/protection). It had sent thousands of emails around to most of the other franchise offices (100) in the country. He looked horrified when I told him he had to shut everything down since his machine had sent stuff to others and has hardly spent any time on the spare machine since.

Last week, other colleague off two days. TB spent all morning tapping away, clueless as to when I was speaking to him and huffy if he got interrupted/phone calls.

He left his machine logged on (unheard of and we never know passwords) when he popped out. I happened to be passing Wink and saw what was on there - an online dodgy (adult) chatline forum.

As a woman, especially when I'm on my own with him, I feel very ill at east and, tbh, disgusted he's doing this at work. He's at is again as I'm typing this (yes, I'm also on a forum - but not of adult nature when I'm at work).

Am I over-reacting? It really does offend me. Everyone looks at porn - but NOT at work. In larger corporations where I've been PR manager, this was an instant dismissible offence. It's his business at the end of the day, he's the boss.

But how the hell do I broach the subject? Had a word with my other colleague and he agrees it's disgusting, but how can we deal with it?

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 25/11/2013 14:46

Most companies make porn surfing in work hours a sacking offence. If you're part of a franchise with a head office does that mean TB has a line manager? Area manager? I would probably say something subtly to him along those lines..... 'Have you heard that Head Office are going to be running PC checks on staff and looking at their internet history?' If he carries on, report him upstairs. He's unpleasant and plenty of other people would like a job, I'm sure.

Minnieisthedevilmouse · 25/11/2013 14:52

This would usually be against IT policies, code of conduct and be explicit in policies on behaviour eg harassment etc. research yours and then mention to your hr or alternative senior manager.

I'm sorry.

LifeMovesOn · 25/11/2013 14:55

Thanks, Cogito. Problem is, the way this franchise works, TB actually owns the business outright, he just is "associated" by being a franchise of the group. But I'm pretty sure they'd take a dim view that one of their offices were doing this.

When I say he's unpleasant character, he really is. He could make my life hell if I confronted him and, as desperate as I am to get out of here, it's not for lack of trying! I would be out on my ear and I'm still recovering financially from the mess the ex-DH cheating b***d left behind, therefore need my job and where I live they're not ten a penny!

OP posts:
LifeMovesOn · 25/11/2013 14:56

Thanks also Minnie, but same applies as Cogito. He IS the boss Sad

OP posts:
UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 25/11/2013 15:01

If he is the business owner you have no recourse. Head office can't fire him, if they remove the franchise from him you're all out of a job.

Find another job if you can, or learn to live with it.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 25/11/2013 15:01

Then it sounds as though you and your colleague are going to have to cling together for moral support.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 25/11/2013 15:05

Can you get porn blockers put on his computer?

Continuously interrupt him / find ways to look at his screen so he gives up?

Join the adult chat room as a Russian beauty and persuade him to elope to Moscow with virtual you? Or ask him for a small "loan"?

Take screen shots, print them out and give them to him anonymously saying 'we all know what you're doing'.

LifeMovesOn · 25/11/2013 15:06

It's just gross.

Knowing he's sat there - right now - clicking away at fuck knows what Angry

OP posts:
Lavenderhoney · 25/11/2013 16:57

Personally I would be spending my time looking for another job. He sounds awful tbh, and anyone who is running a business who has time to do that clearly isn't too worried about the bottom line ( sorry!)

Jump, before you are pushed out by a failing business which won't look good on your cv.

DistanceCall · 25/11/2013 17:46

Ignore him. There's nothing you can do about it.

And, as other posters said, you might consider looking for another job if this business is failing.

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