[friday1967]

I am a manager of a department. I've had my ups and downs at work and have made my fair share of mistakes. There is tension between my boss, who is typically wonderful, and one of my reports, also a good guy. They mistrust each other, have issues with each other, and it seems to have gotten personal. They sort of have it out for each other.

A couple months ago I held a meeting with my department and asked to borrow this report's computer to look something up. I logged into our project management system on his computer. I thought that I logged out. Last week my boss wrote a long post to me on my account about why he was running out of patience with this employee. Well, it turns out that the employee read it on my account on his computer. He claims that he went to use the project management system and this post popped up. Now he is going to the head of HR to complain about a hostile environment in the workplace.

This employee was kind enough to me to forewarn me as to what had happened. I feel that the honest thing to do is to forewarn my boss, and I let the employee know. I believe in complete transparency and honesty and I am actually unable to act in any other way.

Is there anything I can do to soften this situation? And also look out for myself. Is there any way to keep my boss from fuming at me?

Sigh, such things seem to be the pattern at this job for me.

You really are in a sticky situation and i can appreciate this post. I would go to HR yourself and explain the situation validating your actions and leave it at that. Then while at HR i would tell them that these things tend to be a pattern due to you are working with two people who have it out for each other and you are stuck in the middle. Then at this time you can interject if you want to transfer to a different dept.
You are not responsible for others actions, it is not your job to smooth them out, that is up to HR, if you get entangled in this mess where they have you in the middle, they could throw you under the bus and be friends again. I have seen this type of thing happen, it is almost a sick corporate game. Tend to your career, mind your own business and don't be socially involved with these two at work anymore. Don't use any of their stuff even if it is a company computer cause they use it. This is mostly a game they use to play where i worked in Gov. they would get rid of people this way by setting them up... CYA... Remember... YOU go to HR yourself and then don't discuss this with anyone... not even the other two. That does not make you liable for a confidence conflict. Been there, done that... tc

[friday1967]

I don't think there is a method to this like you are suggesting. But it is possible that this event could cause them to confront their differences, work them out, and I get fired for being careless with confidential information.

I'm trying to find a strategy for making this turn out alright for all of us. I would hope that sunshine would be the best disinfectant.

[hvert]

If anyone gets fired, I think it will be the employee. You may have forgotten to log out, but the employee knew he was not the intended recipient of the message. He should have stopped reading. He has a responsibility to protect confidentiality as well.

I would send an email to both the boss and HR letting them know that you forgot to log off and that the employee read the message - and what Omegalamed said about staying out of it after that is great advice.

[friday1967]

I am realizing one dynamic how staying involved can screw me up at work. When I talk to either party involved, if I agree or empathize, and later that person conveys that sentiment to the other, it will seem as if I am against the other.