Co-workers.....love em or hate em?

[Sweats]

So, i'm working on a very important government construction project as a PM (Project Manager).

 

The guys i have working with me in the office are not my usual team. I have a team that i have been working with for about 25 years doing construction projects all over the world. We trust each other, we believe in each other, we help each other, etc......however, this team that i am working with now can't be trusted, are only in it for themselves, they are snakes, etc.

 

I was looking at a few things out in the field today and when i came back into my office, i noticed that someone had been going through my work journal, as it was open and sitting in the middle of my desk....i always leave it closed and just off to the side of my desk (yes, i am anal and leave it in the same spot, in the exact same position at all times).

 

Now, it should be noted that i write everything in my work journal......it should also be noted that a guy's work journal at work is off limits (it's an unwritten rule but respected by all).

 

I don't even know how to handle this.

I've been in construction for nearly 35 years and never had anyone go through a work journal, nor ever heard of anyone going through someone elses work journal......the work journal is off limits.

 

I have a few things in my work journal that some people may not like and i don't necessarily care, however, things like this can be used as ammunition against me.

 

Have you ever had anything like this happen with you between your co-workers?.......and do you like or dislike your co-workers?

[Simon]

56 minutes ago, Sweats said:

I don't even know how to handle this.

 

I'd be looking into how to set up a hidden camera near my desk

[Royale with Cheese]

It depends on the situation.

 

Your situation, yeah I wouldn't like my co-workers.  

 

The only issue I have had with co-workers are the ones that don't pull their weight which leaves others with more work.  

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Sounds like a huge invasion of privacy and legit source of frustration. 
 

I have a few questions that’s might dictate how I’d personally handle it, and might help you as you seek your own answer: 

 

1) How much longer is this particular project expected to go? 

 

2) Do you anticipate having to work with this team again in the future?

 

3) Is there any professional purpose in finding out who/why invaded your work space (I.e firing, transfer, etc) or is it purely personal?

 

I generally love the people I work with but have figured out over the past decade who can truly be trusted on a professional and personal level and those who I just keep it strictly surface level with. I’ve found that the better I can build a personal relationship with at work, the more likely myself or they are to go out of their way to help me in a professional capacity. It’s benefited me in the long run at work and on the home front.

[BADOLBILZ]

 

I have a friend who is in management for a major fabrication/construction company and he finds a lot of the people who work under him to be worthless as employees/team members but there isn't a lot he can do about it in many cases.  

 

So he pulls little pranks on them.   Nobody on the job knows about it.   Nobody.

 

One such thing is exactly like what you described having been done to you.

 

It drives them nuts.   They come to him and he pretends to be sympathetic and will look into it, etc..

 

Another one is if they leave their cell phone behind he will move it slightly and wad up a little candy wrapper or something and put it by the phone.

 

If they really piss him off he will put some grape skins or something in the hollow arm of their desk chair so fruit flies just seem to randomly appear and they can't figure out how to get rid of them.

 

So, basically,  maybe someone just thinks you are a d!ck and is f#cking with you. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

21 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

I have a friend who is in management for a major fabrication/construction company and he finds a lot of the people who work under him to be worthless as employees/team members but there isn't a lot he can do about it in many cases.  

 

So he pulls little pranks on them.   Nobody on the job knows about it.   Nobody.

 

One such thing is exactly like what you described having been done to you.

 

It drives them nuts.   They come to him and he pretends to be sympathetic and will look into it, etc..

 

Another one is if they leave their cell phone behind he will move it slightly and wad up a little candy wrapper or something and put it by the phone.

 

If they really piss him off he will put some grape skins or something in the hollow arm of their desk chair so fruit flies just seem to randomly appear and they can't figure out how to get rid of them.

 

So, basically,  maybe someone just thinks you are a d!ck and is f#cking with you. 

I got a simple message for you Bud!

But...There's always one Richard in the crowd:

😆🤣

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Try an Andy Bernard level freak out? 🤔

 

[Sweats]

And basically, i'm not at work to make friends......i have enough friends, i don't need more.

 

I don't really care if people at work like me or not. I sleep good at night knowing i'm good at what i do and i get these projects done, on time and on budget.

I don't come onto these projects to babysit, be friends, sympathetic, compassionate, etc......i get contracted to complete the project and move onto the next one.

Having marital problems?.......don't care

Going through transgender transgressions and inner turmoil?........don't care.

Someone close to you just died?.........don't care.

 

Am i a big raging dick at work?.......oh, probably and i don't care......show up every day and do your job.

 

(on a side note)......on one project, i had a guy sh** on my desk.........bwahahahahahahahahaha

That's a completely true story right there.

 

 

 

Maybe, just maybe......the problem is me........and i don't care.

[BADOLBILZ]

15 minutes ago, Sweats said:

And basically, i'm not at work to make friends......i have enough friends, i don't need more.

 

I don't really care if people at work like me or not. I sleep good at night knowing i'm good at what i do and i get these projects done, on time and on budget.

I don't come onto these projects to babysit, be friends, sympathetic, compassionate, etc......i get contracted to complete the project and move onto the next one.

Having marital problems?.......don't care

Going through transgender transgressions and inner turmoil?........don't care.

Someone close to you just died?.........don't care.

 

Am i a big raging dick at work?.......oh, probably and i don't care......show up every day and do your job.

 

(on a side note)......on one project, i had a guy sh** on my desk.........bwahahahahahahahahaha

That's a completely true story right there.

 

 

 

Maybe, just maybe......the problem is me........and i don't care.

 

 

Yeah they had you pegged and got in your head.   You immediately thought it was an invasion of privacy when they probably couldn't care less what's in your journal.    If they were actually snooping and cared what was in your journal they would been discreet about it so they could do it again.

 

Gotta' give it a week or two and then set a trap.  Like put something on your desk they'd feel compelled to f#ck with and cover it with some sh!t that will get all over them and they'd have difficulty getting off or rig it so it causes a scene when moved etc..  Gotta' be a kind of ink that is only activated by oil on the skin or something like that.  

[Fleezoid]

You need some help? I know a guy.

[Another Fan]

17 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

I have a friend who is in management for a major fabrication/construction company and he finds a lot of the people who work under him to be worthless as employees/team members but there isn't a lot he can do about it in many cases.  

 

So he pulls little pranks on them.   Nobody on the job knows about it.   Nobody.

 

One such thing is exactly like what you described having been done to you.

 

It drives them nuts.   They come to him and he pretends to be sympathetic and will look into it, etc..

 

Another one is if they leave their cell phone behind he will move it slightly and wad up a little candy wrapper or something and put it by the phone.

 

If they really piss him off he will put some grape skins or something in the hollow arm of their desk chair so fruit flies just seem to randomly appear and they can't figure out how to get rid of them.

 

So, basically,  maybe someone just thinks you are a d!ck and is f#cking with you. 

That actually happened where I work.  My ex bosses boss saw her as a control freak and used to purposely move things around on her desk to mess with her.  

[Another Fan]

4 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Yeah they had you pegged and got in your head.   You immediately thought it was an invasion of privacy when they probably couldn't care less what's in your journal.    If they were actually snooping and cared what was in your journal they would been discreet about it so they could do it again.

 

Gotta' give it a week or two and then set a trap.  Like put something on your desk they'd feel compelled to f#ck with and cover it with some sh!t that will get all over them and they'd have difficulty getting off or rig it so it causes a scene when moved etc..  Gotta' be a kind of ink that is only activated by oil on the skin or something like that.  

It was funny in my case as well one time my ex bosses boss did all that moving around stuff on her desk on a Friday late after she left.

 

And I’m just like I’m not gonna feel like on a Monday morning having my managers mood roll down on me.  You know s**t rolls downhill.  So I put the stuff back.  

[TheCockSportif]

I'll make this a lot simpler than @Sweats.

 

All I want is for people to do their jobs.  No ***** around.  Just do your work and help us sell (I have mostly worked for tech startups in the 30 years that I've been in the industry, and moved to a technical sales role 10 years ago).  So, every piece of ambition counts.  And I deeply resent people who don't handle their own *****.

 

The Hate 💩, as @Sweats references, is hilarious to me.  It's massively cathartic, as I came to learn.

 

Scenario 1, circa 1999.  Co-worker, he who hated working for Fidelity in Boston, left a steamer in a urinal as I guarded the door.  I wish that I didn't look, but couldn't help myself.  Someone just voided in a urinal, and to hilarious effect?!  Oh, god.

 

Scenario 2, 2010.  Our realtor sucked (I have nothing against realtors, FWIW), and after multiple fits and starts finally sold our home in NH... for way under what it should've sold.  The night before I was on a bender, ate a whole pizza by myself, and smoked two cigars.  My 💩was rank -- I arrived at the closing that morning at 8am -- like pure death.  I made the decision to shut the fan off in the interior bathroom of the realtor's office, and it was awful in there.  I left everything in the bowl as well.  I didn't even flush.  I washed my hands, then locked the freshness in the room before I exited, smiling and shaking the homebuyers' hands.  I wonder whatever happened to them.  Hopefully they understood my hue.

 

So, Sweats, when you get a chance to Hate 💩, pay it forward (or backward, depending on how literal you are).

 

[Augie]

I had a tennis buddy who was an Assistant DA. He said the head guy used to work for him in private practice, but he had some skeletons in the closet so they flipped rolls. 

 

Anyway, he was found loving one of his co-workers on his desk at the Christmas Party. Yeah, that ended that….back to private practice he went. 

[TBBills Fan]

On 6/20/2024 at 8:43 AM, Sweats said:

And basically, i'm not at work to make friends......i have enough friends, i don't need more.

 

I don't really care if people at work like me or not. I sleep good at night knowing i'm good at what i do and i get these projects done, on time and on budget.

I don't come onto these projects to babysit, be friends, sympathetic, compassionate, etc......i get contracted to complete the project and move onto the next one.

Having marital problems?.......don't care

Going through transgender transgressions and inner turmoil?........don't care.

Someone close to you just died?.........don't care.

 

Am i a big raging dick at work?.......oh, probably and i don't care......show up every day and do your job.

 

(on a side note)......on one project, i had a guy sh** on my desk.........bwahahahahahahahahaha

That's a completely true story right there.

 

 

 

Maybe, just maybe......the problem is me........and i don't care.

If you anger people to the point of pooping on your desk, yes you are the problem

[boyst]

I guess I'm in the minority. I just don't really care about my colleagues. A few I'm buddies with but it's work. I don't give a ***** about the rest of anything.

[Teddy KGB]

After a decade of having no colleagues I now have them 

 

Jesus Christ people are idiots.    
 

They cry when it’s busy they cry when it’s slow, they can’t adhere to attendance standards 

 

think I’m out on people, crying while making 55.00 an hour is weak, these people are delusional.  

Edited June 24 by Teddy KGB

[LeviF]

8 minutes ago, Teddy KGB said:

After a decade of having no colleagues I now have them 

 

Jesus Christ people are idiots.    
 

They cry when it’s busy they cry when it’s slow, they can’t adhere to attendance standards 

 

think I’m out on people, crying while making 55.00 an hour is weak, these people are delusional.  

 

Not gonna dox you but I can't believe how miserable your counterparts in Schenectady are on a daily basis. They can't keep anyone and they pay pretty damn well, before even considering tips.

[Teddy KGB]

17 minutes ago, LeviF said:

 

Not gonna dox you but I can't believe how miserable your counterparts in Schenectady are on a daily basis. They can't keep anyone and they pay pretty damn well, before even considering tips.

some here are more worried about what managers are doing then their own pockets so they are back to driving Uber for less then half the pay 

 

people worry about the wrong things

[GoBills808]

yeah man nobody is going to snoop thru your work journal and then leave it opened in the middle of the desk unless they are messing w you