Drama at Work

I would look in the employee handbook. If there is a suggestion or rule that you are supposed to do it then you were right and he was wrong. I would not leave my desk unlocked. I always did lock it even if it only held office paperwork.

Our company policy is when you leave your desk for any reason, you clean it off and lock it up.
It's a matter of security.
We had all sorts of people and guests walking through the office and sensitive information could be leaked.
There have been actual memos to inform all of the policy and those who do not comply are written up - they take it that seriously.
And co-workers are NOT that trust worthy.
I've worked with a few people who treated my desk like a supply cabinet instead of using the actual supply cabinet which was there for that express purpose.
He was going off on you to blow his stress.
Apologizing was just acknowledging his stress.
"I'm sorry you got so upset".
I just bet he'd change his tune in a cold minute if anyone went through HIS desk.
I've had an insane boss or two before.
Their mood swings could give you whiplash.

Who hands off paper documents anymore anyway?
There should be a folder or directory accessible to your department on a server where the documents are stored.
That way he can access the file without rifling through peoples desks.
Geez, this isn't the 80's anymore.
His little tirade is just making him look like a washed up dinosaur.

I used to work with semi-sensitive information and was always told to keep a locked drawer. When I was not at my desk for a long time, it was to be locked. If someone needed it, they needed to find me or wait. I would clarify at the next department meeting when you are to lock your desks and document what is said there. It's not about not trusting the team, IMO. It's that you lock your desk at night, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that you'd lock it when you leave for lunch, or if you left for the day, but early. If there are files that everyone needs, could they be placed in a central location instead? Or could more be done on a server/electronically? I'd personally wonder what got in his Cheerios that morning.

He sounds like he over reacted. I also lock up my things if i am leaving work.. not because I do not trust others, but like you said, it is a good habit.

Why do they ask you to lock it at night, if you trust your team so much?

What do the others on your team do in these situations of leaving during the day?

Is there a written policy about such things?

There must have been something else going on.. I personally would speak with him on Monday and find out what the deal is. But that is just me.

How do your teammates leave their desks when they leave during the day? What would he have done if you had left for the day? Or went to an appointment out of the office and the meeting runs long/

I would ask him for specifics that he expects.

He's reacting because he wanted something and it wasn't available right when he needed it, so he took it out on you. He is completely out of line and reactionary. You have every right to take a lunch break and you have every right to lock your desk. Do NOT give in to his irrational demands that you "trust" everyone at some level he insists. Unless, of course, you really do feel comfortable leaving your desk unlocked. But you must have felt the need to lock it for a reason, and if this was brought to a higher level I'm pretty sure they would support you. Try to anticipate anything that may be needed while you're gone and leave it on top or deliver it to the appropriate people to avoid this issue next time. Don't give in to his bullying.

What is the company policy? Call HR and ask if you can't find it elsewhere. I don't know the nature of your business, so it's a little hard to advise you.

Does he have your cell phone number? If he does, I wonder why he didn't call you while you were out at lunch.

I will tell you that many years ago, I worked with a woman who never locked her drawer, even though it was a company rule in our part of the office. She left early one day for a doctor's appointment, and I worked both of our desks. I took what needed to go in the bag for the overnight drop to the bank and locked the drawer. She never did THAT either, in addition to locking the drawer. That night, our office was broken into, and they forced open the drawer. There was nothing in there for them to steal, because I had put that bag into the overnight bank drop. THAT SAVED MY JOB.

She was SO pissed at me because she felt like I had shown her up, K.. Everyone knew that she never went by the rules. She had been there for 20 years and ran her desk the way she wanted to run it. The police came in a dusted for fingerprints and all of that, but luckily we didn't suffer a loss. It would have been a massive pain in the behind to replace what would have been stolen if I hadn't done the right thing here.

I don't know if this helps you or not. I just know that locked drawers can be important. If you feel that your supervisor should have a copy of your key, maybe that's the way to handle it. Is there anything sensitive in your desk that you would not want any and everyone to find? I guess I'd go from there.

The last thing I'd say is that I'd be concerned about a supervisor who goes "on and on", if I am understanding you right. There's letting you know that he doesn't want it to be locked, and then there's going overboard. Did he go overboard? Is it a litte like "Thou doth protest too much"? In other words, is he laying this "trust thing" on SO thick that it could be something else?

Sometimes there is a REASON not to trust someone who wants to get into your stuff. Listen to that little voice in your head, or warning bells, whatever you call it, and if you need to, photocopy what you have and take those copies home, just in case.

Good luck,
Dawn

I would probably tell him, "If you didn't want me to lock the desk at lunch time, all you had to do was ask. Now that I know, I won't do it again."

I think you should give him a key to your desk that way your desk can be locked in your absence but if there is a legitimate reason to get in your desk, your boss can do so. What if you had locked it when you left at night and called in sick? Unless there was a need, there would be no problem...it's that one time they need something that there is a problem. I used to work in payroll and in a sort of assistant HR role so I had certain drawers and files that were always locked if I was not present and my door was still locked when I left...the boss could always get in.

I would go in on Monday and ask if he has a quick minute. Then tell him that you apologize because you understand locking your desk on Friday was an inconvenience to him, you truly did lock it out of habit per being told to lock them when you leave at night. Explain that you have thought about it and realized that locking it, even at night, could pose a problem to him if you were out sick or with an emergency so here is a key so he can access when necessary while still allowing you to lock it per policy. Then let it go! Chances are it was just that he was frustrated because he couldn't get what he needed and overreacted.

If you locked your desk a thousand times and he never needed anything there would not be a problem but like Friday, on the 1001st time, he needed something. Timing is everything!

Where I work, none of the desks lock. Certain offices lock and office staff has access to the keys. We lock confidential files in cabinets, etc, but again, all office staff has access to the keys.

It sounds like your supervisor overreacted, unless there is a provision in the handbook that desks are not to be locked during office hours.

I would just talk to him after he's cooled down on Monday and confirm the proper protocol for desk locking. If you have documents or office supplies that someone else might need in your absence, perhaps there is a more central location to keep them. Where I work, sometimes I am at at least three different desks using computers with different programs, etc, and I might get stuck at one or the other for an extended time. I need to access items in those desks.

It sounds like he misread it as a "trust" issue when you were thinking something completely different. Just talk to him about it and clear the air.

Relax about it for now and deal with it next week.

Just my opinion.

if you're expected to lock your desk at night, it's a natural extension to expect to lock it if you're out of the office during the day too. if there are important papers that can't wait for your return, he should have let you know.
obviously one can't plan for all contingencies, and if he was severely inconvenienced it's only human for him to be annoyed. but his reaction sounds way over the top.
good for you for being relaxed and groovy enough to smooth things over by apologizing when clearly you were not in the wrong. it would have got my fighting blood roused!
:) khairete
S.

Management (perhaps your boss), should have a spare key if he needs to access anything in your desk. What if you were sick? What would he do then...call you at home and berate you?

I would talk with him on Monday and suggest he keep a spare key and let him know you "thought" you were following protocol and would it be OK from now on to leave your desk open if he doesn't have access to a spare key?

No sense in escalating things beyone that.

Keep up posted.

You were fine. He was simply upset because he wanted something and didn't get it immediately. Maybe he even got a reprimand himself for not having it right away. Oh well, he should have sucked it up.

I wouldn't bring it up again unless he brings it up to you first, or he elevates it to someone else. I would also continue locking your desk as you usually do.

Hmm.

I can see his point of view, because he was unable to access the papers he needed while you were gone... IF you are storing things in it that other workers need to have access to, then they shouldn't be locked out of it. I can get locking it overnight, because I'm willing to bet that there is a janitorial staff, or a cleanup company, or whatever... so the desks need to be kept locked then.

I wouldn't bring it up to him again. If you have personal items, I would either keep them at home or in your car and try to remember not to lock your desk... or I would explain that you don't even THINK about locking the desk, it just happens because it's such an ingrained habit... then give him an extra key (only the supervisor...) so that IF it happens again, his work isn't affected.

Either that, or keep a folder (or a tote-file cabinet thing...) on your desk, where paperwork that others might need is still accessible to them.

I don't think you were wrong to lock your desk... but I can see where it would be a problem. Chances are that in the past, he didn't NEED anything from your desk, so it was a non-issue.

Its your desk and why did he need to go throu yours. Its very unprofessional to blow up at you like that. He needs to apologize.