So I work with a pig... now what?

I don't post much, and I think this is probably the second thread I start since I've been here, but I do enjoy reading the forums and I love the dry wit and sarcastic humor most of you boast, so I thought I'd ask what you guys would do in my situation.

I work part time (mornings) and share a desk with a middle aged woman who works part time (afternoons). Since she started working here, almost every morning I come in to find used napkins and plastic cups or forks laying on the desk, half eaten foods inside the drawers and just general dirtyness around the desk. I removed my WORK files from the desk drawers and put them in the drawer of another lady's desk because of all the personal crap she's brought in to the office and just dumped in them (tattoo parlor calendars, pictures of her kids, pictures of jesus, scraps of paper w/personal info on them, etc.)

Today, I came in to a lovely piece of chewed green gum, sans wrapper, just sitting on a table next to the desk where we sit various documents, files, etc.

So, I have had it.

My first impulse is to tell her she's a fucking pig and needs to clean up after herself but I guess that would cause tension. I thought of sending her a polite e-mail asking her to clean up after herself but I can't find politeness in me right now.

Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated!

Leilany
At her wit's end.

Take a photo of the mess and send it to your supervisor?

Talk to her first, tell her in a none hostile way that you would appreciate it if she could clean up her area since it's also affecting your workspace. Be sure you are calm and have practiced what to say, the last thing you really need is to escalate the situation. Talk like sensible, professional, adults.

If that doesn't work and she doesn't do anything to improve the situation then, you can bring this up to your supervisor. Submit an incident report, give proper documentation, and mention that you have brought this up to the person concerned. Your supervisor will appreciate the fact you did try everything you can to fix the situation and did not submit to the reflex "I'll go tell Mommy". Trust me, if you had talked to your supervisor first before your co-worker, the first question that would come out would be "Did you talk to her about it?"

,

I forgot to mention they are best friends and the dirty lady was hired in spite of the fact that she has no clue what she's doing

Leilany

Ack. That complicates things.

You could ask to be moved to another work area due to the mess. Its hard to argue with that gum situation.

I only mentioned going to the supervisor first because I've worked with people like your co-worker, and not only do they not realize they're being messy, they can very often take personal affront to being called out on it, no matter how tactful.

It might . . .

If an overly-polite e-mail or a private face-to-face conversation does not work, I am afraid you might need to tote your own personal can of Lysol. Sorry 'bout that, Leilany.

Are you suggesting I put her in a comma?

Leilany

She's bringing in pictures of Jesus?

I'd start filling the desk with satanist things or something similar, maybe it'll spook her enough to get your spaces separated.

This is the first problem. People shouldn't be hired based on that. There is obviously another person who could have been hired that is respectful to others, cleans up after themselves, and oh yeah...knows what they are doing jobwise. Yet this person was hired based on being friends. I have been in this type of situation before and in mine, I was the one who looked like a bitch because I wanted some cleanliness and order. Depending on your boss and how close these people are you may be the one pushed out or made out like a bitch if ya mention it. It really sucks because it may be a double edged sword in the fact that if you don't say anything, you will work in a pigsty, and if you do say something it may backfire and they have something else to bond over and laugh about.

What I would do is have a talk with the offender and agree that since it is a common area, everyone needs to keep it nice and tidy.

I think your first instinct would be the best idea

If they hire people purely based on the fact they are freinds,then the firm is destined for disaster.Jump the sinking ship,and get a job where your talent will be appreciated and rewarded.

If,of course,you like your job,then buy this baglady a dustpan and brush,or a bottle of disinfectant and some rubber gloves. Or even buy her some body deodorant. Leave these items on the desk for her to find when she comes into work.She might get the message.

Did i say that i think your first instinct is the best idea yet?

A couple ideas:

a) Each morning, spotlessly clean your desk - I mean, cleaner than you would normally have it. Be anal about it to the point where your desk-mate *knows* you've been cleaning up after her, and make sure her stuff gets moved around and 'arranged'. A couple days of that might give her a subtle hint.

b) Without pointing any fingers at anyone, kindly ask your supervisor if you could switch to a new desk. If asked why, explain that you feel that you're getting less work done because each morning you have to clean up after your desk-mate. Make it a productivity issue.

c) Get your own set of knick-knacks... bonus points if they conflict directly with hers. Pictures of Jesus? Get a framed picture of Hilary Clinton and place it on your desk. Pictures of Kids? Some framed pictures of cats might work. She's leaving food & such out on your desk? Leave out weight-loss pamphlets on your desk. Get creative!


Good luck!

Ooh, put a brown noise generator under the desk!

Initially things will be worse for you, but I shouldn't think she'll stick around too long.

Well, there's nothing sensible, professional or even adult like about this situation, which is why I don't know how to go about it. I do feel that if I don't do something today, I'll shove her down the stairs tomorrow *Mommy* is out of the question as like I said, they're buddies and mommy really is a crazy moving target so who knows how she'll react?

People suck

I thought about that... but then I also thought... how can you not realize you left your farking half chewed gum stuck on the desk? (not under it, but right on top). I can see how you might forget half eaten food in your drawer and used cups, forks and plates but a half chewed gum? That just makes you nasty

Go to a bookstore and pick up a "book of shadows" type book, for starters. This goes with what Travis suggested.

Kill her with kindness to begin with; leave her a box of chocolates or other goodies, maybe some small things you think she might be tickled at, even a flower or two in a vase on the desk, to make her feel special. Then, find a way to ask her nicely not to leave gum, half-eaten food or wrappers on the desk or common work areas, and phrase it in a totally professional way: "I don't want to get my papers/work dirty, I'm SURE you understand." If this woman is a friend of your supervisor and you get nasty or make this personal, it won't end well for you. Also, if she's bringing in personal stuff, bring in some stuff of your own (pictures, knickknacks, a desk calendar), and then have a (very friendly) chat with her about where each of your things should go. I think the best you can hope for in this department is that she will confine her things to one spot and not have them strewn all around the desk.

It's tough to share a desk/workspace with someone else, I can well imagine, especially when one person isn't courteous. I tend to be a very messy desk dweller myself, but I've never had to share a desk with someone. The key here is going to be defining some boundaries without ticking her off. You will never get her to totally change, most likely, but you might be able to get her to respect your feelings a bit more, if you handle it carefully.

Or, not, and you should find another job. Good luck!

Some of you have made me laugh with the way your evol minds work LOL (not that I'm surprised) and to the ones who posted with kind suggestions... I admire your patience

I thought I'd write her an e-mail, to see how things go from there, something more or less like this:

hello X,

I need your help trying to keep our work area clean. I am guessing we had visitors yesterday, as I found chewing gum stuck to the desk that sits next to ours and I had to clean it. Other times I have found cups and used napkins, too. X (maintenance) says there are rats in the warehouse so we also need to throw away any opened foods we may have left over to avoid them getting in the files.

What I'm asking is, if we have visitors and they leave wrappers, napkins, gum, cups, or anything of the sort laying around, please make sure you throw them away (or ask them to clean up after themselves) before you leave to avoid the rats getting in our files.

Thank you, I appreciate your help!

I feel dirty

What do you guys think?

Leilany

I think that's the best way to go. Telling her things are unacceptably messy without blaming her for it. Though she STILL may not get the message.

If that doesn't work:

A note with Please keep your work area tidy, big messes make us *both* look unprofessional. will illicit SOME response.

One of two things will happen: Most likely she'll clean up her act a bit, if not she'll go to her buddy buddy supervisor. If the latter, I doubt there's much the supervisor will do to you for asking for something as simple as SANITATION. Take photos of the messes first. Trust me.

Dear X,
What is wrong with you?!?!! Why?!!? I understand you've got kids, and may have given up tidying at home years ago. But this is WORK, and other people WORK here too! I want a CLEAN desk. If you CONTINUE to leave your CRAP around the PLACE I may have to THROW you down a flight or two of STAIRS.
Yours Angrily,
X

What do you expect? You move to the Middle of Nowhere, MO to live amongst the Children of the Corn. Of course your coworker is going to be livestock.

* hums the theme to Green Acres *

'Darlin I love you but give me Park Avenue!'

Pigs are people too!

What took you so long?!?! LOL

I regret to say she's not a local and neither is the moving target we have for a supervisor. My local co-workers are very nice people, just so you know

And yes, I am looking for another job... in another state

You ought to be spanked for being such a snob, you know.

Can I use this?

Yes.

Revised Version...

Dear X,
Fuck off! Just fuck off! Why are you here?!?! Can't they pay you to litter your own home instead?! You don't know how to do your job and you're only being paid because you know the supervisor!

I know you have kids and may have given up tidying at home long, long ago (I like that bit), but just FUCK off!
Angrily,
X