Snooping Employee, maybe
 

I am new to being an assistant manager and I am not really sure how to handle this situation at work, or even if there is a situation to have to handle.

There are 5 people in my area, me and a manager. Before I became assistant manager, they all reported directly to the manager. They still kinda do, but I am able to delegate work to 2 of them. One of them gives me a bit of an attitude about it and I am not sure why. She acts like some of the assignments are beneath her. She also does not ask for help until it is too late, after she already sent the file. She has not been here that long, I don't expect her to understand everything yet. I thought I made it clear that I have an open door policy and to ask me anything, even when I am on vacation I am available to help. Maybe she is upset because I am younger than her? I don't know. I found out that while I was on vacation last week, this person went into my office on several occasions. I did not find that she left anything for me to look at when I returned, I can't see that anything was taken out of it either. There is nothing on my desk or my wall that she would really need. I am left wondering why she was in here at all and not sure if I should approach her or not (you all know how much I hate confrontation). She has a window in her office, so there is no need to look out of mine. It makes me feel very uncomfortable wondering why she was in my office.

Is this something I should let go? ask her about it? Wait to see if it happens again?

Perhaps she's looking out your window because that's the direction of the prevailing wind. Or her car was outside your window. Or she needed to stretch her legs and that was the most convenient place.

Or she could be up to no good. I think your instincts are pretty good usually, Medi. I don't have any way of knowing she's up to no good, but if you think that's possible, then I think you're probably right. I think that you should stay aware of her actions. On future days where you're out of the office, you should probably enlist one of your office friends to keep watch and see what she's doing when she's in your office.

*imagines Medi setting an open paint atop her cracked office door like in those '90s kid-foils-burglars flicks*

Here ya go, Macauley. When you're finished cussing about how I didn't give you the chance to fix your gramatical error, you can whack off to this.

cityrag: Mila Kunis & Zoe Saldana Get It On

Sorry, Medi. Had to be done.

Why not just ask her?? Say something like "Ophelia, I heard that you were in my office a couple of times while I was away last week. Was there something that you needed?" This is direct, but not confrontational. But then she knows that you know, and that others are paying attention as well.
If your office is free of common use property (like copy machines, supplies, etc.) why not just ... lock the door? Or at least your desk.

Lindy

Was there any private/managerial information in your office? Psychologically, we like to turn our office space into primary territory, but it is actually assigned common territory. It feels like a violation because we spend so much time in that place, but most companies would not consider that space "yours" or inaccessible to others unless there is private information. In that case, a process for securing that information is usually in place and enforced. I would start by asking your manager her take on it.

I would think someone doing something truly malicious would have worked harder to go undetected. To be detected multiple times would imply that the motivation was benign. You know the girl better than us, though.

How did you find out this person was in your office? Hidden camera? Another employee?

An employee that could benefit if she got into trouble over it?

Hektore: I found out from another employee who would not benefit from her getting in trouble.

Cimarron: You make very good points about the space not really being "mine". I never thought of that, at all. and I agree, she would have tried harder not to be seen if she was doing something wrong. I don't think there was anything confidential left out, I usually try to clean up before I go away. My desk was locked, I had forgotten that I did that, thanks for the reminder!

Lindy: I like the way you worded the question. I will remember that if I decide to ask her about it.

Jazz: I am not sure where the uneasy feeling comes from, I hope it is unwarranted. But I will definitely be more aware of what I leave around when I am not there. I did ask a friend to keep an eye out, and if she sees her going in my office, to try to see what she is doing.

For now, I am going to try to give her the benefit of the doubt because I have no proof that anything wrong was done. So, sorry to say Plan9, no paint can on my door. Not this time :D I am, however, going to do a better job of cleaning my desk before my next week off so I know what I left behind and what is where.

Thanks for all of your input. You have all helped me see things about this that I would not have thought of.

Does your office door not have a lock? Everyone at my work locks their offices when they leave.

What is the status quo for offices?

Mine doesn't lock, but shutting my office door is the equivalent to locking it. No one goes into my office except my boss without explicit permission from me.

In our office a shut door doesn't have to be locked, just being shut is an accepted "stay out".

If someone is in another's office that is not a manager or higher, questions get asked very quickly.

Thanks for backing me up, Jazz.

*runs some speaker wire from your car's ignition to a carefully modified 3-way incandescent light bulb sitting in your fuel tank*

I thought this was going to be about a dirty old school janitor...

I can close my door, it has a lock (I think), I don't have the key. I suppose I could close my door when I go on vacation. Maybe it would be less tempting for her to go in it.

and sorry to disappoint you, ASU. No dirty janitor stories here.

If you change you mind as to booby trapping, Plan9 can get you a claymore mine pretty cheap.

*jerks awake* Mine, antipersonnel, M18A1.

Just clack-clack-clack, Medi! The ball bearings will do the rest.

...

The old paint can trick is a lot more amusing, though.

Print out copies of Goatse on photo paper, hide them in your drawers and cabinets, and ask a nearby coworker to make a note of the day and time if they hear anyone scream "Oh God, what the fuck is that?" If someone goes in there and doesn't scream, keep n eye out for them giving you disgusted looks.

Or install this, leave the computer on when you're gone, and check for incriminating pictures when you get back.