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What should one do if their workmate cleans their nose and ears with their hands and everyone in the team (10 people), from time to time, keep touching each other's mouse if someone needs assistance on their workstation?
I am not a super hygienic person myself, but this really seems like a health and safety issue to me.
I have been through that recently. Here is one solution, an alternative to the accepted answer, which is also excellent.
Sit in your chair, in front of your monitor, mouse and keyboard. When the person, that you are collaborating with, reaches to touch your mouse, do not move your hand away from it. They will then ask you
--Could I have your mouse to show you something?
--Just tell me how to do it myself - you should reply.
--But it will be so much quicker if I do it!
--I need to learn and develop, please teach me - your response, or any other silly excuse.
I found this causing a little bit less confrontation than wiping the mouse in front of the offender and less anxiety than secretly doing so.
Pretty simple solution:
I am not trying to be flippant, but you really can't force people to not touch their faces nor forbid them from touching your mouse.
Strictly speaking, you are correct, it is not proper etiquette.
The problem is that calling that out will backfire on you in most workplaces. Just wipe your hands and your stuff clean as needed.
At work I am using a keyboard that does not have letters on it - it's just black. A lot of my co-workers routinely get angry at me when they want to enter a password, so I provide them with a regular office keyboard that they can use to enter passwords or write text.
The same works for a mouse too. Just provide a guest-mouse. This is especially easy if your desk is large and visitors are usually sitting/kneeling on the same side. Just have a second office-issue mouse and leave it on that side.
If asked why, tell them it's easier because no-one needs to move chairs around, no cable pulling on the desk, and anyway your mouse cable is fixed to the table (because of office safety regulations).
As pointed out in the comments, it makes sense to store that mouse in a way that doesn't interrupt your work when someone bumps into your table. Put it upside down, use a cordless mouse that's switched off/in the charger or similar if that is an issue.
An even simpler solution.
On a more serious note, if you're willing to start using your left hand for your mouse and left-handed trackball mouse, I can pretty much guarantee that your right-handed co-workers will learn to stop touching it.
Imagine the image below, but for a left-hand, not a right-hand.
The truth is that, no matter what you do, you will always be touching surfaces that can be potentially contaminated. Avoiding to share the mouse will not make the situation much better.
In my opinion, you should see the problem in the opposite way.
Assume that your hands will be dirty most of the time. The good news is that, in general, your skin will do its job preventing the germs from entering your body. What you should keep in mind that you should avoid touching in your mouth, eyes or any other mucosa with your hands unless you just washed your them first.
I use a wireless trackball, and have a mouse plugged in. I use the trackball, and everyone else prefers the mouse.
Alternately, use a wireless mouse yourself, and have a wired mouse connected nearby. When someone wants to use your computer or you step away, hold onto your mouse, and they'll use the guest mouse.
Get another mouse and put into a free USB port. Both Windows and Linux support multiple mouses no problem (any can move the mouse pointer).
This is often used in pair programming, and you will also save some time normally required to pass the mouse to the partner.
Hold the hand on your mouse and the partner will take and use another one, because it is free. If you need to come to another workstation, you can bring your own mouse too (may take 10 - 30 seconds till Windows understands the situation but later works fine).
Use a wireless mouse+keyboard set with a usb dongle and always carry them with you to other workstations. When you don't want others to touch yours, simply put it inside a locking drawer and take the key with you.
When you need to control another person's computer, consider using a remote control software so you don't have to leave your workstation and touch other people's input devices.
A guest mouse and keyboard can be left on the table for when you're not available, and your wireless set is locked away.
Well, depending on the vibe at your workstation, if you want to make a humorous approach at solving this dispute, why not print out a paper in all caps saying something cheesy, like "Get Your Hands Off My Mouse" and then have a picture of a mouse (The rodent) behind it. It will hopefully make them laugh, and get the idea.
Or, you could just take out the mouse when you leave. And if it's stuck into your computer, just buy your own mouse and bring that wherever you go.
Hope this helped! :)
There are several people in my office who can't help themselves to reach forward to take control of the mouse, type on the keyboard, or touch the computer screen. I have found that moving my chair between the person and the mouse/keyboard/screen to block their access can work very well.
