"Please don't sit in my chair" 5

[hinesward]

My job is to take care of the computers, all of them. I now have one major pain use who gets upset every time I touch his computer. Yesterday, he had turned it off. I turned it back on after he had left to check to make sure that his backups were working.

This morning, I get an e-mail: "What were you doing on my computer?" Then, I got for the second time: "Please don't sit in my chair." Actually, I had not sat in his chair. I simply turned on his computer.

I'm not too worried because my supervisor once commented to me that he "complains about everything." At the same time, I don't need some pain-in-... user who complains every time I touch his computer. That's my job.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[kjv1611]

I don't work in the IT department at my full time job, but I can tell you what we have in place as far as what I see at least.

1. Policies which are determined by the top management - IT, Executive...
2. Logon notice which reminds every user that the computer, etc, is company property and for company use only. You cannot logon to any computer without "agreeing" that you understand this.
3. Annual review of company policies such as data safeguarding.
4. One such policy is to always leave your machine turned on (with info stating why: so IT can push updates when/if needed).

If this person has acted this way more than once, I'd suggest that regardless of the reason, that person needs to be dealt with. In our day, people are going off the deep-end for seemingly sillier and sillier things. If nothing else, you may very well need to notify your manager, that person's manager and/or someone in HR. Whatever you do, don't get into a I said/he said type situation. If you contact the person back, it'd probably be best via a polite email, which you cc or even bcc your manager at the least.

You can nip this in the bud while still being nice and polite. If you just ignore it, and it's happened already before, well, things may very well get worse. And what's bad is that the worse part may not involve you. If he got to "run over" one person, the worse might come when he does the same with someone else... perhaps a nearby coworker.

If nothing else, do be particularly mindful of that user, and keep a close eye out for any even seemingly disturbing looks, acts, etc. Don't act suspicious or anything silly, but just be mindful that this person has already exhibited SOME signs of aggression, even if it was just via an email.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[Annihilannic]

4. One such policy is to always leave your machine turned on (with info stating why: so IT can push updates when/if needed).

Very environmentally friendly!!

Annihilannic.

 

[Diancecht]

You can use the wake on lan utility to power up PCs remotely, no need for wasting energy

Cheers,
Dian

 

[kjv1611]

Good point, Diancecht. I don't personally agree with such a policy of leaving hundreds of computers running around the clock, being the WOL function has been around for ages anyhow.

Just curious on that point, though. Is it possible to run the necessary WOL commands from a remote PC as part of a script that would also run the system updates? I would venture to say yes, but I've no clue, myself, as I've never messed with it.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[Diancecht]

Not sure, but once started you can run a remote session or configure some kind of local service to do that

Cheers,
Dian

 

[jAndroid]

Hines,

It's all very simple really - if you isolate personal emotion from company policy.

My view is much in line with KVC, except mine is much more clinical:

Forward such emails on to your manager stating:

"I have 37 hours per week to perform preset tasks in my job-role. My job / task spec is quite efficient in that it DOES take approximately 37 hours.
If I am to respond to employee emails and enter into dialog with them - I will become inefficient in my job-role (responding could take 37 hours per week).
Can you please respond to this (and any other future emails) via whatever means you see fit".
I would suggest that a policy be put in place whereby employee comments, complaints be forwarded to a central IT email - managed by whomever".

Done, dusted.

;-)

J

 

[msplants]

I guess the only time I get annoyed when someone messes with my computer is when they shut it off and I can't remote in, they are running performance software on it interfering with what I am doing. Just stuff like that. Otherwise I don't care.

It is annoying when someone takes your chair and you come in and it is way down on the floor or up so high your feet are dangling.

What is more annoying when you come back to your desk from the toilet and someone is sitting in your chair and they won't get up so you can sit back down at your desk.

So this person is going overboard when you are just doing updates. I would just consider the source and ignore their whinging.

 

[kwbMitel]

On a related note - humourous (at least to me)

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/19/i-warned-you-to-stay.html

*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.