Loitering (at my desk)

[gee4]

How do I stop a particular individual from loitering at my desk, pulling up a chair and plonking himself beside me?

For the last 2 days I have been assisting this person by organising travel for visting subcontractors as well as car hire.  I can action these requests on my own, I don't need someone sitting beside me while I do it all.  As the visitors are not British nationals some clarification was needed on a few issues so this individual sat at my desk for quite some time yesterday afternoon saying, phone Mr X, ask him bla bla bla and see if he can approve xxx.  Now phone Mr Y and see if he could do xxx.

I actually asked him would it not be better, since he knows what legal clarification he needs, to keep me out of the loop and follow up on those actions himself, while I concentrate on the other aspects of the visit.  It went in one ear and out the other.

He's just arrived again this morning, pulled up a chair, asking me to phone such n such to see if bla bla bla.  Again I suggested that since he knows what info he requires, to contact the legal team himself. 

If only the person behind me had been at his desk there would have been no chair to pull up.  It's annoying!!

[msmarieh]

How long are these subcontractors going to be needing assistance? Is this at least a short term project?

Does this other employee not have an administrative assistant of his own?

That does sound really annoying.

[peaches2160]

I would start a check list / action plan for this travel and arrangements project.  I would then assign roles and responsibilities ie:  Mr Squatter - Action:  Contact Legal, etc.  My boss would endors it since it would be taking away form time I could be working on a project for him..  I had a co-worker once that always leaned over the counter in a cube I used to sit in.  One day, my boss came out and told him he was going ot start charging him rent everytime he saw him there.  It worked, the guy quit hanging around. 

[gee4]

The team working on this particular project are in the middle of an offsite 6 week training course.

The problem is, as I have come to realise, things happen at the last minute.  So whilst this training course is already half-way through, various requests have arisen like sorting these guys out with car hire etc. 

It makes me wonder how my predecessor handled this before?  After the re-org, she moved with her boss to his new role.

I have tried several times asking the project managers to ensure I have all the details I need when organising travel and other aspects for such an event, but it seems to fall on deaf ears and I am left doing things at the last minute and I get funny looks when I tell them that I need a turnaround period to get it all actioned.

I got so frustrated last Thur/Fri with this particular individual that I explained my predicament, and as usual with men, he assumed I got out of the wrong side of the bed.  That's not me.  I only get annoyed when others don't allow me time to do my job.  They think I can magically sort everything with a minutes notice.

Peaches - I like the rental comment, I might use that next time.

Marie - I am the admin support for any projects that fall under the remit of my boss's business area, so I'm afraid I am it as regards booking travel, and any other requirements.