Nasty Note from Coworker

  • Thread starter Thread starter novaslasher
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
KostyaJMJ said:
Just show the the note to HR and avoid your colleague as much as possible so he doesn’t start anything else. I wouldn’t involve your CEO in any of this because it really isn’t his job to deal with things like that.
Click to expand...
Well, I can’t avoid my coworker. We share offices 8 hours a day, and spend the majority of time together. We don’t work on the same projects (thankfully), but we have to interact by virtue of sharing offices. If I move offices without telling him, it will force a confrontation eventually. If I say nothing, he could get worse. I also don’t like having a proverbial elephant in the room. It makes things way too uncomfortable; especially when you spend the majority of your waking life at work.

You’re right that its not normally the CEO’s job to babysit misbehaving coworkers. I won’t directly involve the CEO again unless he comes to me. Still, someone forged a nasty letter in his name and I had to ask or I could never be sure it wasn’t (mind-bogglingly) from him. I think he has the right too know this happened, but no obligation to handle it once HR is involved.

I also find it unbelievable that 40 something year old, college educated, adults can act like this.
 
It was most likely that jokester that did it, and he made it rather easy to discern, it was not a real letter from the CEO. Personally, I’d just confront him with the letter, tell him it was in poor taste and demand an apology.
 
After talking to HR, the CEO e-mailed me again and asked why I wanted to know if he left a letter. I told him someone left a nasty note about not recycling on my desk and signed his name on the letter. I told him I brought the letter to HR. I’ve had no response from the CEO so far.
Click to expand...
If HR is doing its job the coworker is toast. The note is bad enough and would easily result in a write up and written warning (possibly fired since HR indicates this isn’t the first time). Signing the CEO’s name to it is grounds for firing by on its own. Certain things you just don’t do, and that is one of them. Even if it had been a cordial note using the CEO’s name would/should still be enough to get the person fired.

The reason why you haven’t heard back is he has called HR and is probably royaly PEEVED over someone using his name in such an unprofessional way.

I would stand WAAAAAAAY back and let the flames burn themselves out.
 
I would throw bannana peels and cofee grounds in his wastebasket and tape pictures of cute puppies all over the office. if you really want to have fund you draw bulls eyes on the puppies.
 
No WAY! The guy was either drunk or stoned. I like a good practical joke as much as the next guy, but you do NOT impersonate the CEO.

Stand back and play it cool. Things are right now rolling downhill fast…
 
He could have recycled the note as toilet paper-for a start he could have stuck in an orifice of his co-workers where it could be used as such.
 
novaslasher said:
This guy is really funny, an office clown, and has helped me out in the past with rides after work. He has asked me and my gf to hang out after work with his wife and friends. I thought we were becoming friends.
Click to expand...
This is what seals it for me - it sounds like this guy thought he was becoming a friend as well and thought he had this level of familiarity with you. Well - it backfired.

My suggestion when he says - DUDE, WHY DID YOU TAKE THIS SO SERIOUSLY??!! :eek: IT WAS A JOKE!!!

I would just say - I could not imagine you doing such a thing, it really freaked me out! I had no idea who did it, you were not here to show it to you and see if you knew who did it, so I had to take care of it as best I could! It’s not like I’m trying to get you in trouble, I just didn’t know it was a joke! 👍

~Liza
 
Hi Novaslasher

What a bizarre and upsetting episode!

At times I am amazed at what some people think is okay behaviour because it was done, or said it was done as a “joke”.

I don’t think that things that are impolite or put people down can be excused as a “joke” - too often humour can be used to put people or their views down and the person is expected to accept it because it was not done “seriously”.

Also do people think that we are more likely to change our ways if we have been the butt of someone’s joke or put down. A quiet private discussion usually has a greater chance of raising awareness or getting a change of behaviour.

Signing the note in the CE’s name is just bizarre and totally unprofessional.

Cheers

Salonika
 
I’m a Personnel Supervisor. This? Firable. Let HR do its job and don’t feel in the least guilty. He burned his own bridge with this one.
 
novaslasher said:
So what would you do in this situation?

I share an office with a co-worker engineer at a nice and professional small company. We generally get along well and are becoming friends. We don’t hang out after work though. He’s a popular guy around the office and is a joker and an extrovert. He also loves animals and has shown hints of being a bit of an environmentalist, although he’s never talked to me about environmentalism.

Today, I came into the office and found a cruel and nasty letter on my desk signed by the CEO. The CEO is a very amiable and even-tempered man who is also very fair and friendly. The letter was written with a black marker on a sheet of scrap paper and was addressed to me. It basically said, "Why are you killing our planet with your garbage? Are you too slow to understand the concept of recycling? Are these words to big for you? Do you hate puppies? etc. etc. " It was a full page letter that raved on and on about how stupid I was not to recycle. Whoever gave me the letter also dumped the trash from my bin that I left last night on my desk.

At first I thought the janitor was some eco-nut who did this. I couldn’t believe the CEO would do this, but I e-mailed the CEO and asked if he left a letter on my desk (without telling him about the contents). He e-mailed me back and said he didn’t leave me a letter. Although it could be the janitor, I suspect my coworker did this. My coworker left after I did last night. The writing on the letter is distinctive and matches his writing on posters on our office wall.

Do you guys think this a bad joke? Is my coworker crazy? Did he cross the line? The letter really upset me. I hate to think my office coworker would do these kinds of things without talking to me about this rationally. It makes me wonder what he says behind my back and whether I can trust him. He will be here tomorrow morning and I’m not looking forward to a confrontation. What do you think I should do?
Click to expand...
It sounds like a joke to me… I would laugh with him about it. That will draw him out and you’ll find out if it was him or not. Then you really need to blow it off.

If this bothered you that much, then you need to tell this jokester that you would appreciate it if he wouldn’t do this sort of thing. If he persists, or gets nasty about it then let him know that you demand that it stop or you will take action with Human Resources.
 
I would confront the co-worker with the evidence and then tell/show your supervisor the note. I would also tell the co-worker to cut the ?@$& and leave you alone and let them know that you mean it.
 
Well, now that HR and the CEO are involved, you must watch your every move to ensure that you don’t get disciplined for your reaction.

I wouldn’t say a thing to the coworker except normal pleasantries. Actions associated with this incident are now occurring out of your control and above your level. (In an Elmer Fudd voice, say, “I’m walking wery, wery carefulwy.”)

Of course, you could always invite him to lunch and kick him out of the car on the Beltway, or put signs up all over Arlington Blvd with his office number and “I buy foreclosures” .:eek:
 
These actions sound like someone who’s asking to be fired as an earlier poster hinted at. Now. Wouldn’t it be rude if you didn’t accommodate them?
😉
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top