And my co-worker just told me .....

[kwelch10377]

that if I couldn't talk to her in a professional manner we could take out conversation outside.

The background....we have a storage closet and I have the key to it since I am the one who has to go in there the most since it hold coupons that I have to send out the stores. Usually she will ask me for the key to go in there for whatever she needs to get, which is nothing that is life or death and I really don't know why she needs to go in there as much as she does. Well anyway a few months ago the key went missing and it turns out she had it. She went in my cube without asking and never returned it. When I went looking for it she never responded to my email asking if anyone had it, so I assumed she didn't and then a week later she comes and returned it to me and I told her that I thought either I lost it or someone took it and all she had to say was no I had it all this time. I asked her why she didn't repsonded to my email asking who had it (no response) and then asked her not to take it again without me knowing.

Well fast foward to yesterday it went missing again. She wasn't here for me to ask if she had it. Then this morning she comes into my cube and hands me the key, well needless to say I had a little bit of an attitude with her about it, I don't think I was really unprofessional , but I wasn't nice either. Well she told me that if I couldn't talk to her professionally we could take the conversation outside, I went to go reply and she repeated it. Usually I am very quick to come back with a sarcastic comment in those situations, but I was so taken back by her comments I wasn't sure what to say. I really just wanted to start laughing because it was so absurd. I told my one coworker what she said and I think she is still over in her cube laughing about it.

I would also like to point out that she has no business talking about being professional, she has no problem with filling people in on numerous unprofessional topics on a regular basis.

 

[SaraJayne]

Keep the key in a locked drawer.

And I probably would have laughed in her face. How ridiculous.

 

[Jennasis]

I would march to HR and let them know a coworker threatened you. I assume the "let's take it outside" comment was your standard physical challenge?

In the meantime, it seems the key needs to be locked up. Maybe something with a combination lock?

 

[disykat]

Sounds like she doesn't want anyone to overhear or have reason to speculate about why she keeps taking that key!

Tell her you will be happy to keep it a professional discussion about why she is taking the key and that you'd be happy to have that discussion at a team meeting if she desires.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Kind of makes me wonder what she is doing in that closet.

A hidden camera might be very enlightening. Just saying!

 

[kwelch10377]

I would march to HR and let them know a coworker threatened you. I assume the "let's take it outside" comment was your standard physical challenge?

In the meantime, it seems the key needs to be locked up. Maybe something with a combination lock?

The key is no longer where I once had it and she doesn't know where. I can't lock it up because other people may need it. Those people who may need it are aware not to tell her where it is. If she needs to get in there now she will have to get the other key from our boss.

I am not sure if I could tell anyone in HR the story with a straight face.

This would be even funnier if you knew the person who said it and her entire background. I had a thread about her awhile back titled something like an open letter to my coworker. I should try and find it. My coworker told one of my other coworkers and my phone rings and when I picked it up all I hear is him laughing hysterically.

 

[ols386]

I would march to HR and let them know a coworker threatened you. I assume the "let's take it outside" comment was your standard physical challenge?

In the meantime, it seems the key needs to be locked up. Maybe something with a combination lock?

I'd take that as a threat too. I'd report it to HR.

 

[jen0610]

If the door is being kept locked, it's for a good reason. You have the key for a good reason. Keep the key on you while your at work. If the co-work needs in there, you open the door, then wait while she gets what she needs, close the door and relock it. If she doesn't like it, to bad. There's are reasons she doesn't have the key.

And for her, let's take it out back comment, you had better believe HR/management would be knowing about it.

 

[kamik86]

Wow... at my company you could easily get fired just for taking the key... nevermind the threat.

I would have laughed at her and then started keeping the key with me or in my work bag something like that. Well first I would just keep in a drawer but where I work because there are some types of controlled documents that we are allowed to keep in desks inside our secure building (but that no everyone has the clearance or need to know about) management would take going into anyones desk VERY seriously.

 

[lovesmurfs]

This would be even funnier if you knew the person who said it and her entire background. I had a thread about her awhile back titled something like an open letter to my coworker. I should try and find it. My coworker told one of my other coworkers and my phone rings and when I picked it up all I hear is him laughing hysterically.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2431114

 

[namblazejewskiv28]

I'll take it as threat and report to HR

 

[kwelch10377]

I'll tell me boss what she said, but I'm not going to take it any further. I am sure my boss will laugh just as hard as the rest of us are now, but she will most likely say something to her.

I really wish I would have said, come on let's take it outside. I think the look on her face would have been priceless.

 

[TinklednPants]

Take it outside. Everyone loves a good girl fight!!

 

[TiggerTails57]

I'd have extra keys cut for who needs them.........the end!
As for the 'take it outside'

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Unless you know this person well enough to brush off the threat, I would at least tell my manager. If this person ever actually hits you, you want to have evidence of her threatening behavior in the past. The second hand observations of co-workers wouldn't help at that point. Think of it as a CYA thing.

 

[Pakey]

I would get a key that looks the same but doesn't open the door and leave it where she can easily find it. Then I'd watch the frustration and enjoy it.

 

[kwelch10377]

I'd have extra keys cut for who needs them.........the end!
As for the 'take it outside'

We can't. I work for a huge company and there are lot of regulations for keys to offices and storage closets.

Unless you know this person well enough to brush off the threat, I would at least tell my manager. If this person ever actually hits you, you want to have evidence of her threatening behavior in the past. The second hand observations of co-workers wouldn't help at that point. Think of it as a CYA thing.

I know her well enough to brush it off. We are a pretty close knit team and we all know a lot about each other. I have never really been a fan of hers, but I know that it is not something to be worried about.

 

[jen0610]

I would get a key that looks the same but doesn't open the door and leave it where she can easily find it. Then I'd watch the frustration and enjoy it.

That sounds like something I would do.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...I know her well enough to brush it off. We are a pretty close knit team and we all know a lot about each other. I have never really been a fan of hers, but I know that it is not something to be worried about.

Then let it go. I like pakey's "red herring" key solution.

 

[dakcp2001]

Yes yes make a fake key with the same keychain! Wonder what she is stealing from the cabinet. I probably would have told her to go on outside and tell her Id meet her out there then watch from the window to see how long she waits. Silly girl. How old is this woman? She sounds a bit " off" . I think you should file a written report about the key going missing, so when it disappears again (and it will, now she will be rifling through all your belongings to find it). She seems to lack boundaries.