I finally snapped at a coworker who keeps "helping" me without asking

There's this guy at my warehouse job, Dave, who thinks he's being a team player by jumping into my tasks uninvited. Last Tuesday I was organizing a shipment of 40 boxes on pallets, I had my own system going, and he just starts rearranging stuff because he thought it looked "off". I told him three times before that I prefer he ask first, but he laughed it off like I was being dramatic. So I finally raised my voice and said to stop touching my work unless I ask for help. Now the supervisor is pulling me aside saying I need to be more "collaborative". Am I the one in the wrong here for wanting my own process respected on the job?

2 comments

2 Comments

samwalker2d ago

Got a buddy like Dave at my place. Guy once "helped" me reorganize my toolbox and I couldn't find a socket wrench for two weeks. Told him if he touches my tools again I'm hiding his lunch in the break room freezer.

lilyg832d ago

Yeah, the "collaborative" thing from your supervisor is rough. I dealt with almost the exact same situation with a guy named Mike who kept "fixing" my inventory counts without asking. You're not wrong for wanting your process respected. I'd suggest talking to your supervisor directly and explaining that Dave's "help" actually messes up your system and slows you down, not helps. Frame it as a workflow issue, not a personality clash. If the supervisor still sides with Dave, then it's on them to deal with the consequences when orders get mixed up or time gets wasted.