Coworkers Who Watch Your Every Move

Why do your coworkers watch you?

Before deciding how to deal with a nosy coworker, it’s important to establish why they’re spying on you. It could be innocent, and you may have nothing to worry about. Or it could be a serious case of your coworkers digging into your work or private activities, in which case you’d have to take the spying seriously.

There are several reasons why your coworkers may be watching you.

• They’re intrigued by you. Have you ever met someone you found interesting? It happens at work, too. Your colleague may be intrigued by you to the point where it affects their behavior. In this case, they mean no harm and are likely unaware they’re making you uncomfortable.
• You inspire them. Sometimes you inspire people without trying or realizing it. Your colleagues may be watching you because they see something in you that they aspire to. This can be your role in the company, how you carry yourself at work, your success in your career, and more. However, they may be too shy to approach you to tell you this or engage you, so they resort to silently watching you at work and admiring you from a distance.
• They’re jealous of you. Your coworker may be jealous of you for petty reasons, like how you dress. But their jealousy can also have something to do with how well you do your job or the fact that other coworkers like you. It’s also common for coworkers to dislike you if the management at your workplace admires you or speaks highly of you. If you’ve recently been promoted or hired for a role, chances are your coworker is jealous of you.
• They’re trying to get you into trouble. When a coworker is jealous of you, they may concoct a plan to get you into trouble or, worse, get you fired from the company. Maybe you were appointed to a role they were gunning for, or they see you as a threat to getting the position they’re working toward. Whatever the reason, they may spy on you to catch you doing something wrong, like something against company policy. Alternatively, your superiors may be trying to get rid of you, so they may use backstabbers to find something that may get you a written warning or get you moved to a different department where they won’t have to deal with you.
• They’re obsessed with you. Obsessive stalkers aren’t limited to romantic partners, exes, and deranged individuals; narcissist stalking occurs in the workplace, too. Workplace stalking is dangerous because you typically share a working space with that individual, so they have access to you. Depending on their position at work, they may also gain access to your personal information, which can compromise your privacy.
• They lack boundaries. Some people just don’t know how to keep their hands to themselves; it’s a bad habit, and they can’t help themselves. Your coworker might be one of those people. They may go through your items, like your computer or your purse, while you aren’t watching. They may even start stalking you on social media or contacting you after working hours.
• They’re deflecting. The truth is that not everyone is happy with their job, the trajectory of their careers, or their life in general. Unfortunately, some people in these positions deflect by focusing their attention and energy on someone else. If your coworker is watching you, it may be because they’re failing at their job or they’re unhappy. Instead of dealing with the real issue, they spend their time watching you.

How to deal with coworkers who watch your every move?

Handle nosy coworkers appropriately:

• Keep your distance, be aware of your surroundings
• Try to talk with them and understand why they act like this
• Find a way to befriend them
• Explain the situation to your manager
• Look for another job

Keep your distance, be aware of your surroundings

Your workplace is full of strangers; therefore, the same rules apply as in your non-professional life: be constantly aware of your surroundings. Be careful where and how you leave your work and personal items. For example, keep your purse hidden and lock your laptop when you leave your desk.

Depending on where you work, some laws might allow your boss to monitor you through your work computer and emails, but your colleague has no right to do so. However, that doesn’t guarantee they won’t try, even if your job is remote. To be safe, we recommend checking your computer for spyware. You can do this by performing a spyware scan on your work laptop.

Clario AntiSpy’s Spyware scan tool scans your computer for malware by going through your files. If it finds any threats, it gets rid of them to keep your data safe. The Clario AntiSpy app is compatible with Windows and Mac devices and is easy to use.

1. Download Clario AntiSpy on your computer, get a subscription, and set up an account
2. Click Anti spy scan in the sidebar and hit Start scan
3. Clario will let you know if it finds any spy apps (often marketed as parental control apps). If it does, follow the prompts to remove them.

Additionally, keep your mobile phone with you at all times to prevent anyone from tampering with it. Have you noticed suspicious activity on your phone? Learn how to know if your phone is being tracked.

Try to talk with them and understand why they act like this

Consider confronting the coworker to understand the cause of their monitoring. If the conversation goes well, politely let them know that it makes you uncomfortable. Their response may steer you in the direction of the best course of action to take to resolve the matter.

Find a way to befriend them

In other cases, getting close to someone watching you at work helps alleviate the situation. If they have access to you, they’ll not need to stalk you.

In a situation where a coworker is watching you on behalf of someone else, like your manager, befriending them can help you control the narrative. It allows you to feed them the information you want them to know and limit them from accessing information you prefer to keep private.

Explain the situation to your manager

If you trust your manager and have a good relationship with them, telling them what’s going on may prompt them to take action. They may either handle the situation on your behalf or invite you and your colleague to sit down with them to chat about it. The manager will hear both sides and try to help you and your colleague resolve the issue.

Look for another job

If someone at the office threatens your privacy and nothing gets done to solve it, you’re better off getting a job elsewhere where you’ll be more comfortable. It’ll also make it easier if you decide to take legal action against the employee if needed. Learn how to press charges for invasion of privacy.

Conclusion

Sneaky coworkers can be a nuisance, whether they monitor you in a silly, innocent way or compromise your privacy. Once you find out why your coworker is in your business, you can take the appropriate steps to resolve the matter.

Try the tips in our article to stop your colleagues from spying on you. Use Clario’s Anti spy scan tool to remove any trace of threats on your work laptop in case they’ve compromised it. Always be aware of your surroundings and make the best decision for your mental health.