Love the job, not too keen on co-worker!

BitterAndTwisted

I wouldn't do any of the things mentioned so far. What I would do, once I had authorised access to her email account would be to forward any emails mentioning the OP to my own personal mail account (not the work one if the colleague had access to it). And then delete it from the "sent items" box once it had gone.

This is likely to get worse before it gets better. If the colleague sees the OP as reporting to her, even if that's not the case in reality, she'll be on her case almost indefinitely in order to prevent the OP as being seen as more efficient, reliable and therefore more valuable to the business. If she's had six days off sick in seven weeks even an idiot could see which one that is.

Document everything. Any instructions need to be confirmed in writing, even if that's just in the form of a personal diary to prevent her claiming the OP hasn't done X or Y when it was the colleague who agreed to do them. There's far too much scope her for the OP to be hung up to dry. I expect the colleague really wanted an assistant to direct and give the !!!! tasks to rather than someone on an equal footing and that's what she's working towards.

The answer is to outshine her at every opportunity without descending to outright sabotage. It all sounds like really hard work and unless I had some emotional or professional attachment to the role I'd be looking for anther one.

ska_lover

If it were me, I would speak directly to the co worker, and to HR. I wouldn't be able to stop myself.

You can't keep trying to guess what this womans problem is.

I would let it be known that I had been instructed to access her emails, and had seen some relating to myself, and assert myself with the direct line ''Do we have an issue?''.

I would definitely raise it with HR also, ''I see there are email report logs of when I am making tea - is this an issue for HR?'' . The HR dept will not want to be seen to be unprofessional, and at the very least this will cause them embarrassment for joining in on gossiping.

People like your co-worker, are more comfortable with a back-stabby approach and I guarantee if you speak to her direct, she will be on the back foot, as she isn't used to it. She will likely insist there is no problem, but then you can tell her that her actions speak otherwise = sit back and watch her squirm

The idea of forwarding these emails to your personal email is an excellent one also

katie_saver

Thanks BitterandTwisted, I agree with you to a certain extent, I don't want to make the situation worse. I really don't have any options here without my co-worker getting very snotty with me and making my life even worse...

I can't raise it with HR as she is in on this too. The fact that my co-worker gets away with all this time off sick and yet I'm getting spied on for a tea break says it all!

I will be the best employee I can, stick to the rules and keep my eyes open for new opportunities. The boss seems to like me a lot and is taking me away on a business trip on Monday which I believe is what has got her back up massively!!!

purdyoaten

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I wouldn't do any of the things mentioned so far. What I would do, once I had authorised access to her email account would be to forward any emails mentioning the OP to my own personal mail account (not the work one if the colleague had access to it). And then delete it from the "sent items" box once it had gone.

.

And then delete it drom the 'deleted items' folder. There was a case that I was involved in ....................perhaps I'd better not!!

venetianlagoon

HR sound v unprofessional. Do what has been advised re emails, keep your back covered and wait it out. Office politics peeps, it can be the pits.

Callie22

purdyoaten wrote: »

And then delete it drom the 'deleted items' folder. There was a case that I was involved in ....................perhaps I'd better not!!

When I forward emails from my work email account you get a little purple arrow to show it's been forwarded - deleting them from the sent items/deleted items folder won't stop this. You're better off dragging a copy of the email(s) to your desktop and then saving it in a folder somewhere - password protect it if you have to share PCs. Or get a memory stick and store them on there. Or send yourself the saved emails and then delete them from the sent/deleted folder - that way she won't see that the emails have been forwarded.

katie_saver

I've printed out the emails from today which prompted my rant on here...Will take them home tonight. However, as I have only been there 2 months, I can be out on my ear within minutes so not much point really...
I think what they would say is: why are you spying on us? When I'm trying to prove they have been doing the same to me...and they started it!!
Weekend coming up and I'm out of the office for 4 days on a business trip with the boss, maybe I'll drop a few things into conversation with him :-)
Away from co-worker and HR lady!

Yorkie1

Callie22 wrote: »

When I forward emails from my work email account you get a little purple arrow to show it's been forwarded - deleting them from the sent items/deleted items folder won't stop this. You're better off dragging a copy of the email(s) to your desktop and then saving it in a folder somewhere - password protect it if you have to share PCs. Or get a memory stick and store them on there. Or send yourself the saved emails and then delete them from the sent/deleted folder - that way she won't see that the emails have been forwarded.

I was going to post this too. Don't forward them because that will leave a trail on the original email which you can't do anything about.

Either copy via drag and drop to a folder on the computer, print out or take screenshots.

Enjoy the business trip.

coolcait

katie_saver wrote: »

I was told to look through her emails to find a particular email. Therefore I had to open emails to find the one I needed. ...

Psst - she has just gone out to make tea - (in the title of the mail I might add).
...

If you were asked to look for a particular email, what was the business reason for opening an email entitled "Psst - she has just gone out to make tea?"

Kayalana99

I know most will disagree but personally I wouldn't confront ~ but I would make comments for fun.

I.e HR asked me to look for an e-mail the other day I do hope you didn't mind me logging in (with the sweetest smile that will leave her worried about what you saw and hey...she may even be nice to you after that out of embarrassment !! )