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Is having a lot of personal stuff at work really that much of a thing? I don't think I've ever seen that, except in executives' offices.
There is personal and there is personal work related things. In some companies they are so concerned of theft of proprietary information, they won't let you take anything the day you leave so they can look it over at a later time. In some environments, the only way to take information out of there is to print it out, and take it home. Many enterprise systems are so secure you can't drag files from your workstation to a USB drive to leave with it. If you email it to yourself, they is logged in the mail server the company uses. So someone walking out with a stack of paper that looks like work to security, they won't let you leave with it.
Im actually working from home now, but we will be back next week. I'm hoping I can give notice without trouble, but if not, I'd rather have everything gone.
Can you tell us what kinds of things are you looking to smuggle out? Are these your personal things, or work things? How big are they?
Are we talking a paper weight rock that your now-passed Grandpa gave you from the war, or your 100 gallon aquarium from home?
Can you tell us what kinds of things are you looking to smuggle out? Are these your personal things, or work things? How big are they?
Are we talking a paper weight rock that your now-passed Grandpa gave you from the war, or your 100 gallon aquarium from home?
Since we spend at least 8 hours a day at work -- some of us more -- it IS "a home away from home," and some people (women especially, I've noticed, including me) feather the nest with a lot of personal stuff... A coworker has all her most prized possessions on shelves so she can look at them, family photos and documents on the wall, etc. I once even had curtains on the windows and potted plants. Now I've got it pared down to just books and pictures I could live without, but I'd still like to take them. I also use the office fridge for spillover when my freezer gets too full and have a few things stored there. I think it'd be unusual to work in a place for any length of time (over 20 years for me) and not personalize your space to a degree.
I retired in 2015 but have always used the "gradual" method- carry out a few things each night in my gym bag. Even at my last job, where I was there only 18 months, I had a couple of pictures, some desk items (paperweights, etc.), a few books and a couple of coffee mugs. I quit on a Monday and my last day was Friday but I wanted to keep it quiet so I could wrap up a few things. I was on very good terms with my staff and didn't want to leave them with half-documented stuff. Fortunately, boss agreed.
Companies vary. At this same place we fired a guy and he wasn't allowed to go back to his desk- I went back and picked up his backpack and, at his request, a little cartoon figurine of Einstein (he was a Physics major and idolized Einstein). I guess they sorted through the rest and shipped the remainder of his stuff. At my first job, they were extraordinarily trusting- I gave my 2 weeks' notice on a Friday, was told that was my last day but I'd be paid for 2 weeks (standard practice in the department). My boss allowed me to come in that Saturday and document my work. I used the 2 weeks to fly out to the new destination, find an apartment, arrange for a mover, and then move.
Originally Posted by rummage View Post
Security can stop you, and not allow you to take it with you, and have you get things at a later date after they've been scrutinized. The problem is, you go to something important to you, like a workshop and make personal notes. If you leave them in the office, they consider it company property. Even if they are going to toss it in the trash after you leave, they don't get into the details of what it is and prevent you from taking it.
Mod cut: Quoted post deleted.
I don't know about they can consider the employees' personal "hard" belongings to be the company's. I have very few things there, such as a kettle, a coffee mug, a stapler, a hole puncher (yes, I brought my own because I like the good stapler and hole puncher). If whatever happens, I can leave them there, no problem. Or I can even leave them for my co-worker if s/he likes, except the coffee mug of course. But I don't think my company would be that mean, does not let employees to bring their stuff home when they leave.
About the "soft" belongings like notes, documents, spreadsheets, or workbooks you create on your own for work, they will become the company's "properties" (in their name). I noticed that because I used to spend lots of times at home to create many spreadsheets that would help to do my work better, and sent them to my computer at work. These spreadsheets are shared with the team because they are about work that everybody gets involved. Later, I clicked the Property on the worksheets, everyone of it showed Created by the company's Administrator, not my name that I created from home. When I sent those documents I created to my home computer, they still said Created by the company's Administrator. I was not upset, but surprised.
It's better not to bring too many personal things to work, then you don't have anything to worry about.
It depends on what is in the agreements you signed when you started. I worked at several companies that retained the right to 'inspect anything entering or leaving the premises. This may involve a reasonable delay in having access to the item' That isn't the exact wording but you get the idea. The term reasonable delay was never defined. Some electronics had to sit in quarantine for up to a week. this partially had to do with government work we were involved in but was even extended to commercial projects.
Except for a reference book or two, I never kept any personal items at my office. No photos, no awards, no momentos, etc. My office was for business.
But to answer the OP's concern, just take your stuff out. If someone asks what you are doing, either tell them the truth or tell them you are redecorating.
But first they have to get the new job. If they don't, and are starting to take stuff out of their office in a noisy or public way, people will suspect.
Sneaking in in the weekend is looking like a good idea, but there are usually some people there then, too.
I honestly just wanted to get my stuff out so I can bail, if need be, without having to go back for my stuff later. that would just be awkward. I didn't expect this to blow up into a 5 page thread.
Thank you to everyone for their input.
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