Team leader checking personal phone

pandaspot

Hi

What are the rules regarding the team leader where I work reading a colleagues personal text messages on a private phone..not company provided. She then pulled her to one side to discuss the messages and made her promise not to tell anyone or tell the other person involved?

The team leader is a bit of a bully, and on a huge power trip. She doesn't like anything unless she likes it.

Eg..went for a team Lunch and she demanded every one has a cavery cause she loved it. There was only 3 of us that refused lol.

She also has strops for some bizarre reason with different people where she snaps, ignores them...and basically makes the working day hell.

We are considering approaching hr but was wondering is there a legal issue here with data protection?

Thanks in advance

prowla

Check your company rules regarding the use of mobiles in the workplace; it may not be allowed. But there is no reason for a supervisor to look at your personal phone.

As for prima donnas and bullies, you are often going to encounter them.

Marktheshark

Sounds like you need a heads together meeting and sink her boat.

~Beanie~

pandaspot wrote: »

What are the rules regarding the team leader where I work reading a colleagues personal text messages on a private phone..not company provided. She then pulled her to one side to discuss the messages and made her promise not to tell anyone or tell the other person involved?

How did she even get her hands on your colleagues phone? It's totally out of order and she shouldn't have done it. I would suggest that your colleague pasword protects her phone in future so that random people can't read her provate messages.

pandaspot

She had the phone as she was showing her a picture. She took it upon her self to go into her messages and read them. She has also gone through her instant messages - which I suppose she has a right to do as its company owned.

tomtontom

You talk about going to HR - are you certain your colleagues will back you up on this? Be careful getting involved in things that don't concern you, especially with less than two years service (assuming you are even employed by the company?).

pandaspot

Personal phone

daytona0

pandaspot wrote: »

Personal phone

Well thanks for clearing that up....

daytona0

This is a precarious situation for you... If you say anything then you have no evidence and you open up Pandora's box. It is probably better for you to just sit this one out and make sure that you protect your own personal belongings (or in case of a private phone don't text anything incriminating to anyone!).

Sounds like the particular employees in question have some kind of saga rumbling on at work. You should also stay out of that wherever possible too, as it can come to bite you in the bum in the future!

All in all, a nightmare boss (TEAM LEADER - call center? haha) is best avoided where possible. They will hopefully get binned or transferred after a while!

pandaspot

daytona0 wrote: »

Well thanks for clearing that up....

I know, I had my son hanging off me and I was going to reply more but couldn't lol

The texts that she read were from me to my colleague. So I am sort of involved, but she hasn't said anything to me yet, but I have been on a/l for over a week. Went back in Friday afternoon. I work p/t...I work for a housing association on the phones answering housing queries.

We have a list of complaints regarding her behaviour...we are the only ones left from the original people who started, she has managed to drive out three others.

I spent 15 years at a local council prior to this where we had an !!!! of a boss but you just got on with it...this woman is just a power trip bully.

I am looking for another job, as I am due my 2 weeks of hell again from her. I'm expecting it to start on Monday tbh

DCFC79

Its good that 3 of you didn't get a carvery, definitely on a power trip.

And for checking messages on a personal phone is out of order.