Bully claiming Stress?

Shreks-lil-sis

I have a dilmma at work. Wondered if anyone could shed some light on it.

The boss has been bullying and manipulating staff to the point lots of staff won't work there anymore due to his attitude. There has been a couple of major complaints from outside agencies we deal with so management have started to take notice.
Anyway I think the boss has got wind of his intolerable ways being rumbled and has now gone on to claim "stress at work" when everyone knows what he has been like.

How likely is it that he will get off scot free to carry on the reign of terror?

Horace

Probably very likely - why don't the staff who work with him make formal complaints about him?

Maybe he is suffering from stress you never know, maybe he was a bully because he couldnt cope with his own job and therefore picked on others because they had talents in which he was sadly lacking - that's how bullies work.

Shreks-lil-sis

Your reasons for the bullying maybe right. But this person is a known manipulator of staff. Lots of people moan about this person, but none have made official grievances about him for fear of reprisal.

The stress thing is a probably yet another rouse to dig his way out of the dodgy situation he has wittingly put himself in. Thing is he is a master actor and could probably fool anyone into believing his tale of woe, even if it's a pile of bull poo.

wolfehouse

you have to be careful when moaning about the boss- even a bullying one as talking about them at work like that can be used by them of evidence that they themselves are bullied...

sorry, but if it were an ordinary worker and people were talking about them behind their back it would be the same.

lynzpower

Shreks-lil-sis wrote: »

Your reasons for the bullying maybe right. But this person is a known manipulator of staff. Lots of people moan about this person, but none have made official grievances about him for fear of reprisal.

The stress thing is a probably yet another rouse to dig his way out of the dodgy situation he has wittingly put himself in. Thing is he is a master actor and could probably fool anyone into believing his tale of woe, even if it's a pile of bull poo.

I was a unison shop steward in a situation like this a few years ago.

There was no question that our manager was a thoroughly vile creature whose sole purpose was to bully & undermine and not a single member of staff could avoid it.

Individuals in the team felt that they didnt want to take a grievance. this was as many of them were lookign for new jobs and would rely on this creature for a reference. My view was the most appropriate course of action would be a TEAM GRIEVANCE, where all members of the team were involved and I would lead it as shop steward. Unfortunately my colleagues were a bit too spineless to go with this, and I was left shrugging my shoulders over what to do.

A few motnhs later he left and went to another employer. We heard within 4 months he had been fired, and was being struck off - as he had been bullying and threatening members of staff in the new team, including - an alleged sexual assault on one of his new members of staff.

A dispicable man, and definately the sort of man who would change his name by deedpoll to get back to work elsewhere to continue the reign of terror .

ceridwen

Dont know how best to advise you in that situation - just to say "good luck" and hope it works out. I've certainly found before now that bullies can try and turn the situation round and claim that THEY are the ones being bullied. I've had a work colleague bully me before now - so I kept the diary of events one is recommended to do in those circumstances - and found that SHE was keeping one against me (alleging I was bullying HER....:eek: :mad: ). So I do know from personal experience that they sometimes try and make out that THEY are the wronged one.

In my case - presumably she was trying to make out that the boot was on the other foot in order to stop me keeping my diary about HER bullying.......it didnt work....I kept making those diary entries.

tigerlily

People can be so underhand!! I had someone I work with TOTALLY lose the plot at me for no real reason........she is not a person who likes to pull her weight in a team and was having to do so. Anyway, she was literally shouting at me. I didnt report it as I just thought she was having a bad day.....next thing I know I was hauled in as she had complained about me sneaky bint!! you live and learn!!

VfM4meplse

lynzpower wrote: »

My view was the most appropriate course of action would be a TEAM GRIEVANCE, where all members of the team were involved and I would lead it as shop steward.

Isn't this mass-bullying in retaliation?

Oldernotwiser

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Isn't this mass-bullying in retaliation?

Collective action is not the same thing as mass bullying!

VfM4meplse

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Collective action is not the same thing as mass bullying!

I think it would add grist to the bully's case for "stress" and will put him on the right path for a massive payout which would be totally unfair.

I can't stand the gameplaying that goes on in the workplace, some people forget they are primarily there to work and not to play the system. The chap who reportedly wanted to be James Bond and didn't meet the basic person spec is one such case. He is now suing for discrimination.

Shreks-lil-sis

ceridwen wrote: »

So I do know from personal experience that they sometimes try and make out that THEY are the wronged one.

In my case - presumably she was trying to make out that the boot was on the other foot in order to stop me keeping my diary about HER bullying.......it didnt work....I kept making those diary entries.

That's what I'm worried is going to happen. Although even his manager said he had never heard a bad word said about me, so hopefully my word will be stronger than his.