Work Issue

I've not said it's bullying anyway.

Sleeping dogs sounds like the best option, and today I've already used words I never use. I shocked myself. Putting my head down (especially below the parapet) is no doubt the thing to do. Move on and move up.

I do feel sympathy for you but I think you made a mistake going looking for this stuff and the best thing you can do now is learn the lesson not to do it again.  

 If it's any consolation I bet most of us with work colleagues aren't universally popular among all of them - that doesn't mean they might not respect us or even admire us - being liked by everyone isn't the be all and end all is it.    On the diary question - no no way would I read it - I don't even read my 9 year old daughter's diary.

I agree with Vrap about not reading other mails but confess that if I stumbled across a mail with my name in it I probably would glance/read....not sure I'd look further though.

I think you have to consider whether you have ever expressed a private comment to someone else about a mutual friend/colleague?   It happens and I don't think is either uncommon or abnormal.  They have been careless in their privacy which I would say is their only fault. I accept many people will hold views about me which are not complementary.........I don't wish to go looking for them though!

It would have hurt and upset me but I think I would treat it in two ways

1) Have they got any points which could be considered constructive criticism? If so act

2) Does their opinion really matter? If no, ignore. If so ....accept and reconsider point 1)

Good call, Nykie

I think you were brave to ask the question here at all!

Merry Christmas! 

I wanted unbiased opinions, which I've certainly got. I know I should have left it with the one line that I initally saw and if I could change looking for them I would. But hey, as has been said, they're entitled to their opinions, as is everyone. It's a reminder to double-delete any emails you wouldn't want other people to see.

And thanks, 'Raptor, Merry Christmas to you too

I've worked in a couple of places where people have been disciplined for sending bitchy emails: however, I think it's a question of whether pursuing something along those lines would make them even more nasty. With the email policies most companies have in place, using email for bitching or other questionable activities is a complete no-no, and the contents of the email you read also raise questions about harrassment. Organisations often have something in their policy to allow them to monitor email.

Fact of life (1): we all send emails that we shouldn't really in work time. Fact of life (2): email/internet abuse is one of the main reasons for people getting booted out of their jobs. However, the reality is that in the big scheme of things, taking any kind of action in these kind of circumstances can just make things worse.

If you want more information on where you stand, check this page  ACAS e-mail policies, and it might be worth looking at your organisation's handbook too. Then what you do with the info is up to you. Personally, unless I thought my position was threatened in some way, I'd pretend nothing had happened. Knowledge is power. You never know when it might come in useful...

My e-mail at work actively informs me that it is not private

I hope the people in IT have enjoyed my personal mails

Nykie- you are a marathon runner- they sound like a couple of lard arsed slappers/knobheads to me! I would have read the emails, I read all my last bosses emails about me and it gave me the advantage over her that I knew what rubbish she was circulating.  I used to pointedly do whatever she said I wasn't and vice versa.   Run them into the ground!

I work in one of these old-fashioned places where people still walk along the corridor to talk to one another

Mr P - One of them is a short fat orange-haired bloke, and the other is a girl with a missing tooth and fake b00bs (not like mine, mine were enforced, and I'm not dissing fake, only that she wears shirts that she obviously wore before she had the b job. Plus, she only had an A cup beforehand, so I totally understand her reasons for having it, before anyone boshes me). Both not bright though. And I'm going to be as nice as pie in the NY

MG - That's why the 'Delete this email and all ones about Nykie' warning went out, because they knew I'd be checking their emails. But they weren't smart enough to a) delete the emails and b) double delete them.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who's posted on this thread, I'm going to shelve it and pretend it  never happened.

Completely agree with Velo (doesn't happen all the time )

Why did you look at the mails you weren't meant to, did you suspect you'd find something you wouldn't like? Were you happy enough at work before you read these mails? Curiosity killed thecat!

If this is just plain and simple bullying (attempting to isolate you etc), just avoid these people as much as you can and when you do have to deal with them, just be courteous and professional and keep things to a minimum.

Otherwise, it might be that you're doing something unconsciously which upsets them, the only thing there that I can suggest is re-evaluating your behaviour. Sorry if that's blunt.