<p>A couple of other questions- Are the lady and the manager buddies? If so, you may be out of luck. If the manager is a relatively decent person, then I would go to the manager and request a three way meeting between you, the lady and the manager. Cite the best business reasons you can to justify your staying put. Without any snarkiness, make sure your explanation reveals that she is doing business on the side using the resources of this company- perhaps just an “innocent question” type of thing. “Maybe I don’t fully understand the restrictions here- would it be ok if…” </p>
<p>In no way should you talk directly to the lady about this. </p>
<p>I am having a similar situation at my work (which is for the church, no less). Being the more mature party is of no benefit in the land of the infantile. But always keep the moral high ground. Don’t snitch…innocently reveal.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is any “stealing” from the company other than time away from the business at hand. (Of course, I have no way of knowing how many copies she makes or how many times she uses the printer when no one is looking.) She is more productive than I am (she’s been at this business alot longer - I am a newbie), but her productivity has dropped way off which is why she is starting this other business. We are not paid by the hour, but by the sweat of our own brow. At this point we are very close in number of customers we both have. I’m on the rise, she is on the decline. She has stated to me that as soon as this new business takes off, she is leaving her contractor position. </p>
<p>Does anyone have an opposing view? Can anyone give me the downside of ratting her out? I worry about being perceived as the company snitch, and much of my business depends on how well I work with the other contractors in the building. </p>
<p>I just want to make sure I’m not cutting my nose off despite my face. I am spitting mad and don’t want to let my emotions override a sound business decision.</p>
<p>pipmom - The manager and this contractor are not buddies. She pretty much keeps to herself, but is liked around the office. The funny part is that she has complained to me that the contractor in the next office is too loud! The contractor next door is a super-producer who doesn’t have to share her office with anyone. I wish . . .</p>
<p>And whatever you do- do NOT go to the manager in an emotional state. Be the cool calm and collected one. Review your rising success. Ask whether there are any constraints against you contractors starting up a business (which may be as a competitor) while in your current position…Oh, well, I only ask because The Lady has been doing it…</p>
<p>One more gripe from me - She works at the contractor job part-time. I am throwing everything I have into it. It just bites me that I should have to move so she can work part-time.</p>
<p>Hunt - I agree that I might be perceived as a problem-maker. On the other hand, she is conducting other business and is in the wrong. Should I just go quietly to my new office? Won’t I be perceived as a patsy? </p>
<p>I have been approached several times by another company to come work for them. I really, really like the company I work for except for this snafu - which is a big snafu to me. If I’m not respected, then it’s time to move on. I really don’t want to leave. I would rather work things out and stay put in my office. Plus, if I leave, I would lose the business I’ve created and have to start from scratch - not an easy thing to do in this economy. The fact that I’ve been able to build a client base in these economic times has apparently impressed the management.</p>
<p>Who invented the terms “snitch” and “ratting out?”</p>
<p>I’ll tell you: the person who wanted to continue his evildoing in secret while making the person reporting the crime feel guilty. </p>
<p>Making “snitching” or “ratting out” into the ultimate crime undercuts those who encourage our children to tell an adult they trust if they are being molested.</p>
<p>Perhaps a reputation of not putting up with those who want to run all over you would actually help you in this company.</p>
<p>It sounds as if phone call noise is part of the nature of the environment since people do phone calls and it’s an open office environment. Given that, I don’t see that there’s much the manager should do based on the complaint of this other person since the situation is ‘normal’. If the other person can’t handle it and if she can’t find another office to move to then it seems that she’s the one with the problem. As a manager of this environment (as you describe it) I’d just recommend the person learn to cope with the noise and would suggest to everyone taking phone calls to be mindful of others nearby and to try to not speak too loudly and certainly not to use a speakerphone (I hate those in an open office environment). Of course, it’s hard to say what your manager will do.</p>
<p>You’re just making an assumption that the other worker’s complaints about the noise are related to her wanting the office to herself so if you bring it up it may sound to the manager unrelated and spiteful. Of course it could also be true but how do you really know? </p>
<p>Regarding the ‘stealing’ - if this person is paid and provided space to condict the company’s business and she’s not doing so as expected because of doing her personal business instead, then she’s certainly shirking her duties and it’s far more impactful than making a few personal copies on a copier or taking a pencil home. It wouldn’t be acceptable at a normal business but this one filled with independent contractors sounds a bit different.</p>
<p>If it were me I’d probably do nothing until the manager actually talked to me and at that time I’d state I was doing exactly what the company expected of me, nothing unusual, that I’m not being unusually loud, and that if the co-worker can’t handle the normal office environment then perhaps she’s the one who needs to learn to deal with it or move elsewhere herself.</p>
<p>I just sent an email to my manager requesting that we talk in more detail about the move before a final decision is made. Screw it. If he doesn’t like what I have to say, then the company I currently work for is not the right company for me. I suppose the other contractor can deny everything I say (I have no physical proof, afterall), but the manager has to decide whose word to take. (And the contractor may not deny it, who knows). </p>
<p>After I spill the beans, I’m going to suggest that the other contractor and I work out a schedule. If she would rather get into the office at 7:45 am and leave around 11:00 am to go out into the field, then she can have those hours. I’d much rather sleep in or give myself the luxury of relaxing in the morning before I start my day.</p>
<p>She’s told me all about her new business. I’ve walked in on her when she is on the phone talking with customers not related to our business (a real different conversation than the one had with clients to whom we contract, believe me.) She told me she is “outta here” soon since her business finally takes off. My word against hers if she denies ever telling me these things, but I am telling the truth. How would I be able to talk in detail about her new business if she didn’t tell me about it herself? She’s gonna hate me and perhaps badmouth me to the other contractors in the company. I do rely on a good, professional reputation to help me achieve my goals (as do the other contractors). I don’t know how this is all going to play out. It could explode in my face. The other option is to tuck tail, put out there that I’m a wimp who can be pushed around, and slink into the office everyday knowing that I let her bully me. I try to imagine how I would feel if she leaves in a few months to run this other business full time and I let her push me out of my office. Plus, it’s time to see where I really stand with the manager. Is he really “very happy” with my production or is he BSing me?</p>
<p>I think you should stand your ground on the point but that it doesn’t necessarily need to include how this person conducts her business or her statements of ‘outta here’. You should stand your ground stating that you’re doing what’s expected in the office and that due to the office environment people will be able to hear other people on the phone. You can state that you speak on the phone normally and not overly loudly (I was once seated near a ‘loud talker’ so those do exist and are annoying).</p>
<p>If the manager makes any intimation that you move you can state that you don’t think you should need to move and can suggest to the manager that he spend some time in your office area when both you and your office-mate are there so the manager can determine for himself if you’re unusually noisy on the phone. I’ll bet that would put a hitch in the office-mate’s personal business being conducted at the office!</p>
<p>If the end result is that by getting you out of there she ends up with the office completely to herself you could suggest to the manager that her motivation might just be to have a ‘private office area’ by getting rid of you which is contrary to the philosophy of that office. Again, you don’t really need to raise the points about her personal business being conducted which will certainly at least open a can of worms. </p>
<p>Separating it from the office space issue (which is indeed a separate issue), if you feel strongly that she’s costing the company and being unethical and you feel you should inform management of it then go ahead but that shouldn’t be dependent on whether you get moved out of the space or not. Treat them as two different things.</p>
<p>colmomto2 STOP!!! Before you "rat’ her out think hard. I would talk to the manager and tell him that you like your work space, your work hours and you are concerned about clients having to work to find you if you have to change your extension, etc. I would not say anything about the side business. SHE is the long term employee, she is well liked around the office. She may get in trouble, but you, a newbie, will have branded yourself in the office for life. There is also a good chance that management already knows about her side business and are okay with it. </p>
<p>If your work space is that important to you then come up with concrete reasons why it makes good business sense for management to keep you there. BUT do not make it about a disagreement with your office mate. YOU are the NEWBIE, SHE is the established one. Even if you win and they fire her, you will lose.</p>
<p>lololu: You make some valid points. I certainly do not want to get her fired. We are in a tough business and I understand her desire to move into a different business. I am flabbergasted that she asked for me to be moved after she’s told me all about her other business. It feels alot like she is exerting her power to claim the space. (She did have it all to herself until I got there.) </p>
<p>I am sure management is not okay with her having a side business run out of their office. There are several people who work other jobs, all are up front about it, and none run their other businesses from our office. I take every Wednesday off to work my part-time job. Management knows about this part-time job and has no problem with it. I never mix the two businesses and never use my office space for the 2nd job.</p>
<p>Office space is at a premium. Most offices have more than one person in them. Only the super-producers get space to themselves and, trust me, the office can get loud with everyone on the phone at once. It’s part of the business environment. </p>
<p>My initial approach is going to be to explain to my manager how much I like my office space, how little I am there, and how open I am to creating a schedule so that each of us in the office can have it “alone” during the week. Seems like a much more viable solution than forcing me to move and giving in to, what I consider to be, an unreasonable demand from the other contractor. Besides, she is rarely there and never there first thing in the morning. I really don’t understand her request unless her other business is picking up and she needs to be in the office more to utilize the facilities.</p>
<p>OP, I like your idea about suggesting working out a schedule, and I like suggestions in post #32 above. I am a manager in a small business, and when an employee began to take calls and use our computers for a side business in my office, I was really furious. I fired the employee. I was also furious at those who knew and never said anything about it to me. The use of the computers was a direct violation of company policy, and all knew of the policy. I think many people think that using the company’s computers for personal use is ok, and without going into all the reasons that I believe that it is generally wrong, I would point out that there may be a policy for acceptable internet use etc. that is being violated.</p>
<p>As to the idea of not “snitching”, I am baffled by those who just say not to do it. I can understand someone not wanting to snitch for fear of retaliation from the person who is doing wrong, and I can understand why that would pose a problem. However, I can not understand why people think it is ok to look the other way at wrongdoing, and believe that telling management that the company’s resources are being misused is a bad thing in and of itself. Why let the bullies and thieves run our affairs?</p>
<p>suggest you refer to the roommate threads…what were the ground rules that were set up for sharing the office? If you move, will it be to another shared space or your own office? </p>
<p>I think the issue is that the company has only so much space for the number of people it employs. If people have to share spaces, then there needs to be some cooperation.</p>
<p>What the other people in your office do, how much they work, how much you care, how much they care are all beside the point. In the words of Tim Gunn ‘make it work’</p>
<p>The company provides free internet, and we each bring our own computer to our office space. The problem is that she is using our shared office space to run her other business. If I get moved, I will be placed in another shared space. Seems like there are several other steps to take before the drastic step of moving me. I think she got use to having the office to herself and then I moved in. She just doesn’t like sharing his space and she’s made that clear to me on several occasions. </p>
<p>I am going to suggest a schedule and will offer to be conscious of my volume when I speak on the phone. I agree that cooperation rather than alienation is the better choice. I am very surprised that this contractor threw me under the bus. I also wonder why I should care about covering for her when she could care less about me.</p>
<p>You can have a conversation with your manager, and ask that the conversation be kept confidential. I doubt that you are the only person that knows she’s conducting outside business from her office.
I’m too old to be worried about people thinking I’m a snitch if something unethical is happening under my nose. I worried about it more when I was younger, and that timidity did not serve me well in the long run. You can tell your employer that you believe the reason she wants you moved is so that it’s easier for her to conduct her new business in private. To me, the two are related, and even if they weren’t, it seems like information they would want to know. She could be developing more new business for this company if she weren’t spending that time working for herself. It really is money out of their pocket.</p>
<p>Her behavior is also affecting you, which hurts your productivity. You may even leave over this. The company deserves to know.</p>
<p>If you move they should be able to move your phone extension so it would not be disruptive to your customers. People move around offices all the time and generally their phone extension moves “with them.” I’m not sure ratting the co-worker out is very productive and perhaps her contract is different than yours? It would be best if you can align your work schedules but if not ask to take your phone extension with you.</p>