Work Colleague talking shoes and socks off at desk

nedkelly123 · 09-12-2019 4:56pm #1

My Work Colleague takes her shoes and socks off at her desk and walks around the office barefoot . she then has her legs stretched out and her feet under my desk .. i think this is gross .. whats the best way to handle this ...

Mundo7976 · 09-12-2019 4:57pm

"Accidentally" break her toe. Wont be long about not wearing shoes again

Neames · 09-12-2019 4:58pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

My Work Colleague takes her shoes and socks off at her desk and walks around the office barefoot . she then has her legs stretched out and her feet under my desk .. i think this is gross .. whats the best way to handle this ...

Creep in under the desk and administer a foot rub.

Although if she likes it, you'll never get those socks back on again!

Stovepipe · 09-12-2019 4:58pm

Have your lunch, a jam sandwich (remember them?) at your desk and accidentally drop jam into her shoes.

Diziet · 09-12-2019 5:17pm

I suggest you try and relax about it. It's unusual, not gross.

nedkelly123 · 09-12-2019 5:22pm

Diziet wrote: »

I suggest you try and relax about it. It's unusual, not gross.

To take your shoes and socks off in work and walk around barefoot in an office of 100 people ?
and then sit with your feet under someones desk is not gross ?

80j2lc5y7u6qs9 · 09-12-2019 5:30pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

To take your shoes and socks off in work and walk around barefoot in an office of 100 people ?
and then sit with your feet under someones desk is not gross ?

what is wrong with her feet? Is it the bareness itself or do they smell or what about them bothers you?

hots · 09-12-2019 5:31pm

It's pretty gross and I have had one that does it near me occasionally. I just give a dirty look, like a coward.

TuringBot47 · 09-12-2019 5:31pm

Mine the surrounded floor area with thumb tacks.

Or ask HR to send around an e-mail to everyone about wearing footwear.
I used to work with a guy who changed into slippers around the office, that might be a suggestion to her.

Porklife · 09-12-2019 5:31pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

To take your shoes and socks off in work and walk around barefoot in an office of 100 people ?
and then sit with your feet under someones desk is not gross ?

I work with a woman who wears flipflops around the office even in this weather and bare legs which are often hairy. It is unbelievable. No idea how to tackle it bar maybe having a word with your manager.
I would have thought for health & safety reasons she would be required to wear footwear. What is she stood on a plug or dropped a file on her toe or somebody accidentally stood on her or she dropped hot coffee on her exposed feet for example? Maybe take that angle and yes, it is the epitome of gross!

LollipopJimmy · 09-12-2019 5:33pm

I'm usually in just socks for the first hour in the mornings, however I'm only in with 7 others. I mentioned it a few times but nobody has an issue.

Barefoot is a bit mad though tbh

mrcheez · 09-12-2019 5:34pm

I'd be more worried that you think the shoes and socks are talking

dark crystal · 09-12-2019 5:37pm

TuringBot47 wrote: »

Or ask HR to send around an e-mail to everyone about wearing footwear.

This would be my suggestion, although people like her, who seem completely unaware of appropriateness in the workplace, still don't usually take the hint.

tiredblondie · 09-12-2019 5:53pm

Worked with someone who would do this, she would tuck her knees up to her chest and curl her toes around the edge of the desk - i hate feet, my feet, your feet, her feet.....anyones feet!!!!

Anyway, i discreetly asked management to send an email around telling people that for health and safety reasons, they must have shoes on their feet and that was the end of that!

spurious · 09-12-2019 7:06pm

Bare, non-smelly feet would be preferable to sweaty tights toe smell I think.

c.p.w.g.w · 09-12-2019 7:08pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

My Work Colleague takes her shoes and socks off at her desk and walks around the office barefoot . she then has her legs stretched out and her feet under my desk .. i think this is gross .. whats the best way to handle this ...

Your'd hate New Zealand...The locals there go everywhere without footwear

Odelay · 09-12-2019 7:10pm

Madness, she could step on LEGO or anything and injure herself.

petes · 09-12-2019 7:11pm

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Your'd hate New Zealand...The locals there go everywhere without footwear

It's not New Zealand though.

Its inappropriate for work, end of, talk to hr or your direct supervisor, discreetness is key.

c.p.w.g.w · 09-12-2019 7:15pm

petes wrote: »

It's not New Zealand though.

Its inappropriate for work, and of, talk to hr or you direct supervisor, discreetness is key.

I know a couple of Kiwi's who often walked around barefooted here in Ireland

lawred2 · 09-12-2019 7:16pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

My Work Colleague takes her shoes and socks off at her desk and walks around the office barefoot . she then has her legs stretched out and her feet under my desk .. i think this is gross .. whats the best way to handle this ...

By asking her to put her shoes and socks on.

lawred2 · 09-12-2019 7:17pm

Diziet wrote: »

I suggest you try and relax about it. It's unusual, not gross.

100% wrong. It's gross.

lawred2 · 09-12-2019 7:18pm

spurious wrote: »

Bare, non-smelly feet would be preferable to sweaty tights toe smell I think.

Uuurghh just vomited in my mouth

Tell me how · 09-12-2019 7:22pm

lawred2 wrote: »

100% wrong. It's gross.

Not so sure that it is as simple as that.

HR might have an issue in terms of the increased likelihood that she might injure her self at work, stepping on something, or slipping on a non-carpeted area.

Mrs OBumble · 09-12-2019 7:24pm

lawred2 wrote: »

By asking her to put her shoes and socks on.

And she'll say "who made you God?"

If there's a real safety or customer perception issue, then go to HR. Otherwise, get yourself some body counselling and get over it: feet are a good deal less gross than noses or mouths and we don't insist that they're covered.

wassie · 09-12-2019 8:14pm

Porklife wrote: »

I work with a woman who wears flipflops around the office even in this weather and bare legs which are often hairy. It is unbelievable.

You need to shut that down quick smart. Next thing you know she'll be demanding equal pay.....:eek:

Jim2007 · 09-12-2019 8:26pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

To take your shoes and socks off in work and walk around barefoot in an office of 100 people ?
and then sit with your feet under someones desk is not gross ?

Don't ever take a job here in Switzerland, it is very common, especially in the summer you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the office wearing shoes. In the winter some go around in socks or slippers.

bmc58 · 09-12-2019 8:30pm

nedkelly123 wrote: »

My Work Colleague takes her shoes and socks off at her desk and walks around the office barefoot . she then has her legs stretched out and her feet under my desk .. i think this is gross .. whats the best way to handle this ...

Is she a "Fergie" type?

lawred2 · 09-12-2019 11:08pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And she'll say "who made up God?"

If there's a real safety or customer perception issue, then go to HR. Otherwise, get yourself some body counselling and get over it: feet are a good deal less gross than noses or mouths and we don't insist that they're covered.

Who made up God!?

09-12-2019 11:12pm

Tell management they’re leaving themselves open to a payout if she injures a foot. Won’t be long enforcing footwear.

GhostyMcGhost · 09-12-2019 11:14pm

bmc58 wrote: »

Is she a "Fergie" type?

More Frodo tbh

the_pen_turner · 10-12-2019 12:06am

break a glass (somewhere safe ) and put a few bits on the ground pretend someone just broke it and then make sure she sees you clean it up. tell her its too dangerous to walk around like that. if she takes them off the next day pretent to find a piece and say something like , jesus mary you are fierc luck i found this bit of glass you could have injured yourself. . only an itiot would walk around if they thought there was broken glass on the floor.

Mrs OBumble · 10-12-2019 12:52am

lawred2 wrote: »

Who made up God!?

Typo. Bippo. Whatso.

Now fixed.

10-12-2019 1:23am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And she'll say "who made you God?"

If there's a real safety or customer perception issue, then go to HR. Otherwise, get yourself some body counselling and get over it: feet are a good deal less gross than noses or mouths and we don't insist that they're covered.

thats because we need them to breath,, feet not so much

_Brian · 10-12-2019 3:47am

If they are coming under your desk and getting in your way I’d be saying something. When did we get to the stage in life where we can’t say something to a coworker. Make a joke of it if you want but you could definitely start by saying something.

After that just ignore it.

I see one of my own kids doesn’t like the look of other people’s feet, I just tell her to get over it and ignore them. Ironically she’s a high level competition swimmer where she has to ignore lots of feet all the time.

nedkelly123 · 10-12-2019 4:06am

Yep her feet under my desk every day .
She is a very quiet girl wouldn’t say boo to a mouse if I say anything to her she will be hysterical . Her English is not great either so I’m afraid she will take it the wrong way

worded · 10-12-2019 4:47am

Bring some gravel in a sprinkle around the place?

A box of Lego and some upturned plugs will put an end to this Tom foolery

mvl · 10-12-2019 5:32am

nedkelly123 wrote: »

Yep her feet under my desk every day .
She is a very quiet girl wouldn’t say boo to a mouse if I say anything to her she will be hysterical . Her English is not great either so I’m afraid she will take it the wrong way

you didn't tell us where she's from - but at least confirmed she may have a different cultural background than yourself. sometimes we all need to embrace diversity.

in work, I wouldn't be bothered if ppl hang around their desks bare foot, as long they've no smelly feet. some ppl can be more productive with no shoes on

but I would be bothered by ppl wanting to keep their feet under my desk: barefoot or not, my under desk is just for my feet: I would defo say something about that.

Ironicname · 10-12-2019 5:51am

mvl wrote:

you didn't tell us where she's from - but at least confirmed she may have a different cultural background than yourself. sometimes we all need to embrace diversity.

So if she wasn't foreign, it would be appropriate to ask her?

Always Tired · 10-12-2019 6:09am

Just saya there is a new office rule, any toes I find under my desk I get to suck on.

Cookie_Monster · 10-12-2019 6:15am

nedkelly123 wrote: »

My Work Colleague takes her shoes and socks off at her desk and walks around the office barefoot . she then has her legs stretched out and her feet under my desk .. i think this is gross .. whats the best way to handle this ...

never move to NZ...

Eggs For Dinner · 10-12-2019 8:41am

It is gross. Not even my smoked mackerel on toast at my desk colleague would do that. It's a HR job OP. Let them tackle it

worded · 10-12-2019 6:35pm

OP - Pics or its not happening. From different angles.... mmmm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_fetishism

scudzilla · 10-12-2019 9:36pm

I had an old work colleague who used to do this, he'd also pick at his toes with a pair of scissors.

I went to stationary cupboard and got 4 pair of scissors, every time he took his socks off i started throwing scissors at his piggies, funnily enough he soon stopped

embraer170 · 10-12-2019 9:49pm

Apparently it's a Scandinavian thing. A colleague here does just that and claims you are more productive bare foot.

the_pen_turner · 10-12-2019 9:53pm

can you not put something in her way

mvl · 10-12-2019 10:13pm

yeah, wearing no shoes can be the norm in other countries.
bare foot or not, at the end of the day, it depends what's in the dress code for the job she's doing ... but would tell her to keep her feet away from my under-desk as (and now I struggle to find a PC equivalent for) "no footsies allowed in work" ...

PS: I am under the impression that companies seem to allow individuals more freedom to express themselves these days (race, gender, blah blah).
for example, assume there is a long haired fella with a dodgy hair color in my work place - thinking if I'd complain about that color (e.g. it hurts my eyes to look at, or is not matching with the company image I came to work for ... a number of years ago), I would be the one ending on a HR blacklist...

GarIT · 10-12-2019 10:22pm

Shoes or no shoes I'd be accidentally kicking or stepping on any feet under my desk.

AulWan · 10-12-2019 10:41pm

Bare feet wouldn't bother me once they were clean, didn't smell, and the nails were well kept.

However, the feet under my desk would annoy me - is your office very cramped or the desks tiny? You must be sitting in very close proximity if her feet and legs reach under your desk?

There are rules about minimum space?

frag420 · 11-12-2019 10:21am

Nothing some thumb-tacs thrown under your desk won’t sort out...

It’s also a great cure for sleep walking too haha!!

s8n · 11-12-2019 10:27am

https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-shoeless-barefoot-offices-trend-photos-2019-12

11-12-2019 10:34am

I just clapped myself on the back. While most people seem to have a problem with this I've no issues with it.

And I open toilet doors with the sleeve of my jacket or keep the door open with my foot as I wash my hands and turn off the tap with tissue paper if necessary. This I have no issue with. Bare hands/feet. Meh.

Go me!

Work Colleague talking shoes and socks off at desk

Comments