Personal Space within your Office Cubicle?

I've been at my current job for about 3 months. It began as a temp-to-hire and I was permanently hired in around the 2 month mark. I have my own desk in a large cubicle shared with 2 other people - my coworker and boss. I brought with me, a pen case for my desk and pens. (It's hard to find good pens for a leftie - so I stick with what I like).

I've been absent two days since I've been here and both times - I come back to my desk rearranged and items missing (my pens). I hardly have anything on my desk: water bottle, pens, and lotion. No one has any need to be at my desk - I'm not understanding why this is being done, by my boss. When a person is absent - she takes over one of the jobs we do over the day. This involves her to sit in my chair and sort medical journals. No writing, computering, or rearranging of my things required.

I had a magazine on my desk that I was searching through for new books to read. I came back to work today and found it on her desk! I'm peeved.

In response to TriSec... my brother was involved in a horrible accident and was hit by a car and the second involved an unexpected trip home for a friends funeral. Really? Does anyone need to question why I'm not at work. Lame.

Wow, well your boss is just freaken rude!!
We have to switch desk around here and I am careful not to bother anyone else stuff.
I would make an special elax brownie for her... wrap it up and see if she has the nerve to take it and eat it :)

maybe you should let her know how you feel!
as for me thoughts!
when i do things it could OCD but i need things to be a certain way! this could apply to your boss! not likely tho!

i do think it's rude to have other people just take things that don't belong! pens are a big one in most offices!
just be glad you know where it is at!@
but the only way to fix it is to speak up!
remembver the squeaky wheel gets the crease and i'm sure both parties would understand!
tell them your an only child and you never had to share your stuff and you don't mind sharing your stuff but would love to be asked first

Doesn't that just irk? People can be careless when in a hurry or lost in the clouds. When you aren't there, unless its all locked up your stuff belongs to the office.

My scissors kept disappearing because I couldn't keep my desk locked.

I feel for you. I have a cubicle myself. Temp-to-hire also, I just got hired 3 weeks ago.

Since, you're a temp-to-hire and you want to keep the job. My advice is try to prevent it first before approaching them with the problem. They might be offended by it.

What I do is bring a pouch and I place anything I do not want people to touch in it and place them into 1 drawer in my desk. My cubicle situation is a bit more private than you but I still have a pouch and keep my things in 1 drawer. Also, if things doesn't work out and they let you go, they know what's your personal stuffs and they must mail those back to you.

Since, it's a routine that your peer & boss go to your desk when you're not there, you should bring a pouch or something so that you can put your things in. Label it also "BELONG TO: xxxxxx, do not touch". If after you done that and they still go to your pouch and dig in there, get things out without your permission, you should talk to your boss one on one. Let her/him know your concern and see what he/she think. Things might change after you talk to her/him.

Good Luck!

If she is doing it intentionally, then of course it's rude. But maybe she isn't. Maybe she was looking at the magazine and then absent mindedly put it on her desk, when she went to do something else. I would ask them where you stuff is though, if they sense that you are ticked off then maybe they won't mess w/you stuff anymore. If you have a planned absence, put away the stuff and you'll fix the problem.

The desk is not your personal space, but the items are your personal property.
Talk to your coworkers and let them know that you need these special pens, so you'd appreciate if they didn't "borrow" them. Tell the temp that you're happy to loan her your magazines, but you'd prefer that she ask first and give you a chance to finish reading them.

If you have a drawer, I'd suggest tucking your personal items in there before you leave.

not to be noisy, but you have been at work only 3 months and already absent 2 days?! I've been working same job for 25 years and if I'm sick or need to be absent, it is usually life or death. I'm absent maybe 1 day in an entire year....IF THAT.

Can you lock those things up? In a file cabinet near or under your desk perhaps? Does your desk have locking drawers? If so, make full use of them and lock them every time you leave the office. If not, buy a bigger "work bag" and store them in there. A third option is to put up a small sign at your desk, reminding anyone that uses your things, to please return them when they're finished. Good luck.

pack up everything of yours when you leave and take it with you. if it's your personal stuff NO ONE has the right to TOUCH it.

i'm a hairstylist and have to do it daily. i didn't used to , but someone 'borrowed' my $500 shears and accidentally dropped them. i was out that money; no one was going to buy me new ones.

i like bubbles. she has the right idea!