Going by a different name in the workplace? (prying co-workers)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do the opposite; all my SM and online presence is in fake names. There’s a couple pieces of info from a few years back (people can see my old address and that I volunteered at a certain place) but that’s about it.

Sensible. Sad that we live in 1984.

[Anonymous]

OP sounds so weird. I’m a private person but work is so much more fun when you get along with your coworkers and actually care about them. No need to overshare but strange to want to use a different name. You spend a lot of time with these people. It sounds like you hate working which is sad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had tons of coworkers who go by their middle names or nicknames at work. It isn't remotely a big deal.

+1 there are even sections for your preferred name when filling out job applications

[Anonymous]

You sound fun!

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure OP is trolling. If not, she's the weirdo. This isn't introvert but seriously deep anxiety. As a veteran of the corporate world for 25 years now and surviving multiple layoffs and reorgs, the people who are standoffish or distant or weird are always the first to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure OP is trolling. If not, she's the weirdo. This isn't introvert but seriously deep anxiety. As a veteran of the corporate world for 25 years now and surviving multiple layoffs and reorgs, the people who are standoffish or distant or weird are always the first to go.

Because you know nothing of them.

I had a person are running joke was one day she might tell her the name of hey sister. It took 3 years and never got as far as her parents name. I worked with her 5 years. Never even knew het parents name, dogs name, where she lived, religion, was she straight or gay, what she liked to eat, her favorite sports teams. I had to lay her off and handed her piece of paper. To my surprise calmly said getting bored job and her Dad is having a medical procedure coming up so good timing. I was like what she talks.

[Anonymous]

You might not have a choice. A coworker goes by one name but all her user names for email, teams etc got loaded with her legal name. Then everyone was all who the heck is this person, not making the connection. If anything it amplified her difference.

[Anonymous]

your coworkers do not care that much about you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your workplace will set up your email based on your legal name
My office might allow Susan (Eliza)@xxxxxx.com. They will. Not they will not set up an email for Eliza and then also send a w2 to Susan.

This and then your coworkers will know not only your legal first name but also your legal middle name. Being friendly with coworkers doesn't require being friends. If nosy Nelly starts to pry, learn how to redirect conversations. "Oh yes, have you started on the TPS reports? That's going to be a lot of work, I better get started." or "That's interesting. Do you have any advice on bla bla bla?" Remember people LOVE to talk about themselves, you can always answer a question with a question about them and they will tend to go on an on.

And for goodness sake, if you want privacy, set your social media to PRIVATE so people can't find you. It's kind of ironic that you put all your information out there and then complain that people find it!