Any advice?
Someone slashed the tire on my bike while it was in an unmonitored by CCTV area at work. I'm pretty sure who did it - he's been acting very oddly for a couple of months, just towards me, although I have no idea why. I figure I've got about two options - tell the boss and tell him who I suspect and why, or pretend it never happened and either move the bike somewhere under a camera or stop taking it to work. Obviously the first option looks slightly bad for me because I knew there was a problem and didn't do anything about it apart from trying to keep out of his way.

 

A general rule of workplace disputes is the first one to complain wins, but you have to complain to the right person. That is definitely NOT your boss who has no idea what to do with your complaint and finds it intrusive to whatever he sees as his main mission.

The proper person is the HR manager. HR people spend most of their time inventing important sounding things to justify their position, so employee to employee disputes are wonderful. Do not attempt to get the other person in trouble or fired, instead just explain you need your bike to get to work and someone is sabotaging your mode of transportation. You can explain your "suspicion" but expect nothing without any real proof.

A written log of interactions may help one day make your case, but is useless to the current situation.

DO find a camera monitored place to leave your bike from now on.

 

I suspected that might be the way to go. It's certainly going to be a fairly unpleasant experience. I hope this doesn't provoke the suspect into doing something worse, he's already gone beyond what most normal people would do.

 

Aye there's trouble at 'mill.

Seriously, as already covered, the important thing is to have it on record, at this point you don't necessarily have to name names.
Max.

 

Laxative in coffee.

 

I'm going to have to watch out for that. The room I work in is also in a camera free area.

 

Gotta ask: Is this place pretty top heavy with a "too many cooks in the kitchen" thing going on? Is the dude potentially disgruntled? Also, is there a possible misdirected reason for this co-worker's disturbance that may come to mind? The lame thing there is that, from my experience, it can be something you are totally oblivious to. I had this happen at my place of employment too. Until the black cards were put down on the table, it would not end. The torment I received was much more passive-aggressive, but the guy had a beef I didn't even know I was responsible for.

 

Possibly, I'm not really a people person, so maybe I directly offended him without realising. Or maybe that he had to do some work that I didn't have time for, but it was the boss that asked him to do it not me.

 

Based on that, I'm wondering if the 3 of you then need to sit down and hash this puppy out. It's a tricky spot however. Seeing as he has already opted for destruction/defacing of private property. I guess picking out the right "upper" to talk to would be what I would contemplate; and decide how to begin the discussion with said "upper." Sucks he can pull the here-say card though... catching him would be the cat's meow. Irrefutable. That will seal the deal on his fate.

 

is there a possible misdirected reason for this co-worker's disturbance that may come to mind? The lame thing there is that, from my experience, it can be something you are totally oblivious to. I had this happen at my place of employment too. /QUOTE]

Oblivious has happened to me, also. A long time ago, (maybe 25 years) I had a neighbor that was having difficulties with his wife. He used a B-B rifle to make little dents all over my aluminum shed, months before I learned that he thought I had something to do with his problems. I never did meet his wife. Never knew her name. Never knew what the marital problem was about. Just happy that the marriage eventually disintegrated and they both live somewhere else now.

 

Possibly, I'm not really a people person, so maybe I directly offended him without realising. Or maybe that he had to do some work that I didn't have time for, but it was the boss that asked him to do it not me.

Tell HR you've have your tires slashed. Tell them you will park in an area covered by CCTV but you expect your property to be protected. That you don't feel comfortable with someone using a sharp tool/weapon to damage your property and possible intend that damage as intimidating message to you.

Clearly put it on their plate and don't mention names of who may have done it unless they press you. When they press you, only say, "mr X has changed to be kind of unfriendly lately". Don't say, "I think Mr X could be the guy".

Make HR take care of it. Make sure you imply that it is there job, and you are getting bullied/intimidated and that your stuff had been damaged with a sharp tool/weapon on their watch, on company property.

It wouldn't hurt to review the workplace violence policy before you talk to them.

 

Thanks, I'll find out what is happening when I go in tomorrow. I may go in early so I can have a word while it is quiet. It's a small company so the boss is essentially HR, there's someone who does payroll but the boss makes all the decisions.

 

he's been acting very oddly for a couple of months, just towards me, although I have no idea why

Why don't you just ask him directly, but not agressively? He must have a reason (real or imaginary).

 

Think it's safe to say we are all curious about an update to this situation. It kinda reminds me of something from American Beauty. Just a series of bad misunderstandings... yeah. Anyway keep us all posted.

 

Gopher nailed it. It's not your job to solve the problem, but it IS your job to report a problem. This behavior may endanger other employees as well, and you have some responsibility to your colleagues.

 

Sure, I'll let you know tomorrow night. The dust may not have settled by then but I should have an idea.

 

Or you could settle it like US postal employees used to.

 

I vote panawire the guy haha

 

I'd set a trap for the bastard. I wouldn't wait around for the company to install a cctv in the area, and I wouldn't relocate the bike to a cctv area. I'd leave the bike in the same spot, with shiny new tires just begging for round two, and install my own cctv camera; <$100 on amazon you can get a wireless foscam HD IP camera with pan, tilt, zoom, and zone-based alarm triggered recording. It can record via FTP to your computer if you're in range, or to an SD card if not. Catch his smug mug on candid camera and then you hold all the chips, proceed however you like. Bring the pics directly to him and scare some sense into him, or post it up on the company billboard anonymously, or bring it to HR, whatever floats your boat.

 

You have a right to a safe work place that is free from harassment and that includes your bike parked on company property. It is your responsibility to report such acts to your employer and it is your employers responsibility to investigate, call the police, or whatever is necessary to stop the harassment. If your employer does nothing, he will be as culpable as the person who cut your tires.