General Chat

Has anyone had any experience of being bullied at work by a senior manager?
I am currently being victimised and my area of the operation is being unfairly foused on and Im being constantly criticised for both my performance and that of my staff.
Other than go sick or quit (which is what my manager is striving to get me to do) has anyone got any ideas of how to address the matter?

Do you belong to a Union - if so, contact them. There are too many bullies about these days.
Liz

No, no union where I work and even HR are petrified of the manager in question - I do get full sick pay so may well see my GP and see if he will sign me off with work related stress

Colin have a word with the CAB (citizens advice) they should be able to help.

I too was bullied/picked on by a chef while working in a hotel kitchen, it got to the point I pulled a knife to him - I just snapped... I went right to the hotel owner and told her I was leaving that I would finish my week off and that would be it, I finished my shift went home and wrote my resignation.
It was getting to such a point I was wondering what it would be like to drive into a big tree that I passed on my way to work.

I have never looked back since leaving.

I nearly walked out of a meeting today but I know thats what the manager wants and Im not willing to give them that satisfaction - but i'm close to snapping

Hello Colin.

Sorry to hear of your situation. But I can relate to it.

My immediate line manager, is not my best friend. No worries there!

But, a number of my colleagues, do appear to be!

Although, on this occasion, bullying is,perhaps, a strong word to use, I have,in the past, felt excluded, when the others have got together, and I have not been told about things,until after the event.

To feel that you are more valued, if you are friends with the boss, makes us others, feel in our manager's eye, we are of less value to her!

Colin,

I have dealt with both bullying and work related stress complaints, so here are some thoughts for you to consider.

If you havent already done this, I suggest you keep a record of dates and times that your manager criticises you and your team, and what exactly has been said. If you see your doctor, please tell him exactly why you are under stress so that it is on record. A decent company should have a policy on bullying and also on workplace stress and any record you keep will support your complaint and strengthen your case. You could contact HR first and make a complaint - if they do nothing, going sick with work related stress should focus their minds. They will know that there is a possibility of a constructive dismissal claim as their failure to act on your complaint has resulted in you going sick and they should then start to take you seriously, if they haven't before. However, if you just go sick, they could always claim that they weren't aware of the bullying and didn't have the opportunity to address it.

I know you are going through a rotten time, but unless you really want to leave your job, don't give up. Good luck.

Hi Col
what Tiger Lil has said is very good advice plus you can talk to somebody at ACAS for more advice
You will need to keep a record and dates of everything you can remember no matter how small it is

Colin. Make sure you keep an account of whats going on, another thing to realise is if you did leave your job because of the bullying and victimisation you can still claim for unfair dismissal.

Colin, l really hate bullys in the workplace, a few weeks ago l popped in to Mcd's for a drink and the manager was really shouting at a young girl and all the rest of the staff were laughing at her, l didn't find this funny, also the manager loved being the center of attention, when the poor girl went into the toilets l went to see if she was alright, poor thing said she couldn't report her as she'd lose her job, well l wasn't going to let this bully get away with it so l phoned the head office up and made a complaint, what also annoyed me was that all the customers could hear what was going on, hopefully something was done about it. I hope you get some satisfaction from someone, best of luck............

Colin,

As others have said, document everything.

Is there a head office you can contact?

We need someone from HR to advise here.

http://www.acas.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=306&p=0

Rose

Thanks I have started to gather evidence including the amount of work and projects that land on my desk as opposed to the other managers - looking at last week alone I had 75% against their 25% of actions to complete. ACAS has been suggested a number of times both on here and in PM so its something I will definately consider.

I hate this kind of thing. In Australia company bosses have what's called a "duty of care" which generally means they are obliged - by law - to make sure your work place is a safe and stress-free environment in which to do your work. I should imagine this is in place in the UK. Bullying is a rising problem in the workplace and results in loss of productivity so the government should look at ways of dealing with this problem. Colin you've received good advice and I really hope you can resolve this issue.

Sue x

BULLY HELP LINE...ANDREA ADAMS TRUST
01273/704-900.

WWW.andreaadamstrust.org

for fact sheet.

ACAS 0845-747474


Hi Colin, a few numbers to get you started.
If however, they have changed, they will be easily found again.
Don't take the bullying and it is not right that anyone should make your working life a misery.
Good luck with that.
So sad that people can get enjoyment out of upsetting people especially when they are in a position of the tiniest bit of power!!

I hope I have managed to help a wee bit.
Deanna X

Have been on the ACAS site and some really useful information on there - thanks havent heard of the Andrea Adams Trust but will have a peek to see what they suggest - it is helping to 'talk' to you peeps so thanks for listening...As you might imagine I have a throbbing headache right now and am already absolutely dreading tomorrow

Colin, do phone the trust and see what they advise.
It is often comforting to actually talk to someone.
Deanna X

Colin,We have it in our work place now.5 people have already left but one has taken it higher.Was off with Work Related Stress and asked HR for a grievence.That woman has finally come back to work after 2 months off.The staff now that are frightened of our manager are all totaly ignoring her.She told me earlier on she will now leave.What a shame. Annie

Dear All

Hello,

Yes, I have experienced bullying in the workplace.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, the employer has to take all reasonable steps to look after your health - alll aspects.
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For substantial information on handling workplace bullying:

www.bullyonline.org
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I would suggest that anyone who is experiencing this behaviour gets copies of the following policies from their employer:

1. Stress at work policy.

2. How the employer deals with bullying in the workplace.

3. Health and safety policy.

4. How a performance review/appraisal is done.

5. How the employer deals with performance/capability issues

6. Grievance and disciplinary procedures.

7. Sickness policy.

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No one has to suffer any type of victimisation and bullying in the workplace.
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Hope this helps

Best wishes to all
xx

My son and his colleagues are getting this since the episode with the sweeping, or non sweeping of a warehouse, happened, no bonuses since and targets constantly raised, and so much unpleasantness. They are classed as self employed so haven't a leg to stand on apparently, but my lad is looking for a new job and has an interview next week, altho at 11am so is trying to change it. It's at a mortgage company near where he works now, sounds a bit like a call centre type place but says he doesn't want to take a half day holiday to go in case it's only about £10,000 and commission etc, as that isn't any good to him, and would be similar pressure as where he is now.
Wish they would sack them all so he could apply for funding for retraining, would be much his best option and might give him a more solid future.

Lizx

I am sure I saw something in an advice column recently about companies having a duty of care and responsibilty for stopping stress to the workforce.

Lizx

I feel for you, Colin.
I was bullied for over 2 years by my line manager. I started when the council started a trial of people having IPP's - a sort of personal achievement plan, that , if you reached it, meant you got a pay rise.
This is overseen by your line manager - the person above you who in all reality had no idea of management and (in my case and many other's) wasn't management material at all - just someone who had been in the job longer.
I kept a diary. Just came home and wrote down what had happened, in my own words and, as it wasn't for 'public consumption' didn't care what I wrote - just had to get it out of my system. Not only was it my line manager, but she managed to create an atmosphere where I couldn't do my work properly, and her 'pal' managers thought it fun to join in - and she enabled them to do this by devising 'Admin support' forms, where they could comment on my work, but I couldn't comment on the handwriting/lack of information etc. - I was accused of being 'nitpicking' if I did, and the very small box was removed from the form!
The council offered counselling for those being bullied - but I didn't have the problem - my line manager did! If anyone needed help she did! (like trying to get her head out of her a*se)
I went to the union, but the whole procedure put the bullied in the wrong - the picked on are just causing trouble - if you lose your claim - you lose your job!
As we were about to be split into 2 departments I decided to wait and hope line manager and i chose different departments - or I would have to leave.
I chose the one I thought she was least likely to go for she of course didn't give her decision until the last minute.
Finally I had a 'capability procedure' because of my sickness absence - usually Thursdays, as my stress levels were at a peak by then!
By now there was a new manager (higher than the line manager). Line manager was still around but due to move within the month.
I just printed out my diary and showed it to the union - the rep couldn't make the meeting but said I had the upper hand.
I gave it to the manager the day before the meeting. I also gave a copy to my sister - who happens to be a manager. My sister was horrified. She said you could see my stress levels going up by what I wrote, and insisted on coming to the meeting with me.
The manager was really nice - he was a bit shaken by what I'd written - he'd been in the same department as us, and knew the woman, but I have to admit he'd nt had much to do with her, but the other manager who attended, from another department, was a friend of hers.

Line manager was there for another month and the new manager made sure she had nothing to do with me. Even now, if she or her 'bestest pal' contact me, my new manager wants to know, and insists that if they send me an e-mail I forward it to him.

Now have a new line manager and the atmosphere of the place has changed beyond recognition! It's (almost) a joy to go to work!

Union still have a copy of the diary, and my manager knows I have a copy and to be honest they were scared sh*tless I would go further and accuse them (the council) of derivation fo care to their staff, or go to the press.
I know I'm not the only one who has been bulllied by a jumped up 'manager' created by their new procedures. We have a woman joining our department soon, who I know was also being bullied - and I let the management know!

One day soon, I will go through my diary, remove the names and ask the union to submit it to head of HR (so I remain anonymous) as an example of how their poxy ideas - enabling non-managerial people to have power over another person can affect the lives of the 'underlings'.


Sorry to ramble, but you're not alone Colin. As others have said - write it down. Don't go back and read it - it's too depressing - just get it down on paper.

maggiexx