Respecting other people's property extends to workplace
By Dawn Sagario
I am notorious for "borrowing" things from my sister.
I'd come home from college to visit and use her hairbrush, lotion or pen, and then find those things tucked away in my purse on my way back to school.
She'd eventually call inquiring about her stuff that had mysteriously disappeared. I'd fess up, apologize and lament how I was a poor college student who just couldn't afford anything. She'd be a little irked, but forgiving.
I got away with borrowing because, well, we're sisters. We're family.
It is difficult, however, not to let borrowing habits seep into the workplace.
You've been known to grab an occasional tissue or two off a co-worker's desk. You and your pod buddy happily share a stapler and tape dispenser that sits squarely between your two desks.
You also have access, by mutual consent, to calculators, rulers, can openers and chewing gum that co-workers have squirreled away.
While this community sharing is a pretty cozy setup, you shouldn't take advantage of people's goodwill. While your family may be resigned to your filching ways, the clan at work shouldn't have to put up with that behavior. So as a reminder to the office courtesy-challenged, I've compiled some basic, common rules of workplace sharing.
Other things left on (or in) people's desks, such as tissues and aspirin, often become community property through word of mouth.
Just remember: If you're a frequent nose-blower or drug-taker, be nice and bring in a fresh box of tissue or bottle of pain reliever from time to time.
Some people seem to believe more sweet stuff continues to appear via divine intervention.
Unfortunately, your co-workers are no miracle workers and are paying for it out of their own pockets. So cough up some dough and buy some candy.
Sometimes, our co-workers get amnesia over these rules and require prompting. For instance:
You notice you've run out of the chewing gum you usually keep at your desk. Ask your podmate: "Hey, I had some pesto and shrimp pasta with extra garlic for lunch, and I'm supposed to meet with a client in five minutes. I'm out of chewing gum. Do you have any? No? Well, come closer and tell me if my breath is really garlicky. Then I can figure out if I need to buy some gum from the vending machine."
Believe me, your co-workers' IQs are fairly high when tactfully confronted. They usually will get the message.
Dawn Sagario writes for The Des Moines (Iowa) Register.
