Is this bullying? Harrassment?

coldstreamalways

I work in a small dept and have two people I "Line manage" (A & B)and two others who work for me but are line managed by someone else.

A&B are on EXACTLY the same contract, clearly I know this as I have their contracts and terms of reference in my office. Person A keeps telling B that they are on a higher band and getting paid more than B. A also tells B that if certain equipment isn't working that it's because B doesn't have a steady hand, A has told our cleaner that B has a drink problem and has spread rumours about B to another dept we work closely with.
A has also deemed it appropriate to enter my office whilst I was away and read my "work occurrence book" which is where I record things like lateness, informal chats as well as things such as "B said A removed the equipment before B had finished using it" and "A said B had not cleaned the staff room appropriately" etc etc.

This is clearly a breach of trust and I would like to take disciplinary action against A but I am not sure how to approach it. We have a well established HR system and I am confident with using it but is this bullying? Is it harrassment? I am undecided.

Any more experienced managers out there? (probably hundreds)

DCFC79

Are A and B young teenagers ? they need a kick up the jacksie,

dmg24

Has B complained about these actions? What you describe certainly sounds like bullying, but is A aware of how others perceive their actions? I would invite them to a meeting to discuss your concerns, with HR involvement, but I would not go down the disciplinary route until I had gained the views of others involved.

coldstreamalways

A is about 12 years older than B, B has been married for at least 6 years. B has only complained informally, I have explained to A the way their actions are interpreted but they seem to think that is more B's problem than theirs.

KiKi

Assuming B hasn't put in a complaint about bullying / harassment, I'd go down the conduct / performance route. I imagine you either have a set of competences / behaviours / expectations where this sort of behaviour would go against the expectations (such as team working, integrity, trustworthy, consideration of others etc).

But even without such a set of competencies or behaviours, it is inappropriate to spread rumours, read a line manager's record of issues etc.

Your HR dept will be able to advise well, but you will most likely need to go down the informal route or the first disciplinary step which is likely to be a discussion around behaviour and giving them the opportunity to change their behaviour first. It may be that once their behaviour is pointed out they may stop. Sometimes people do things like this simply because they can get away with it, and as soon as they're pulled up on it they stop.

Hope it goes okay!
KiKi

bluenoseam

I'd certainly be speaking to HR with regards to A entering your office & reading the occurance book, that should NOT be happening under any circumstance and if provable could be grounds for disciplinary - i wouldn't ever dream of walking into any managers office and reading their files without their permission, that could have contained sensitive information for god sakes!

B has put in an informal complaint, this means you have grounds to act on A's persistant negative behavior towards B which you have done. If B should decide to take it to another level then if everything you've said can be proved then A would find themselves in enough hot water to atleast constitute a written warning in my book. This is all stuff you know in yourself, you don't need 30 years of management experience behind you to know when something isn't right - you do however need the experience to be confident within it, but you wouldn't be managing people if someone didn't believe you were capable. You've noted departments, is there a senior colleague in another department who you trust enough to take their opinion? I know most of the managers i've worked under would regularly consult with other store's management in order to get second opinions on things - that's not a sign of weakness it's an independant view on the situation in my opinion.

ohreally

I would take "B" aside and discreetly draw their attention to the grievance machinery - and leave it at that. This then leaves "A" facing a potential disciplinary hearing in addition to a grievance hearing from a bullied colleague back to back - then a second potential disciplinary hearing alleging breach of trust regarding their snooping.

That should cool their jets.

hcb42

I'd knock their heads together;) , sounds like the stuff of playgroup if some of it wasn't so serious

DVardysShadow

coldstreamalways wrote: »

A is about 12 years older than B, B has been married for at least 6 years. B has only complained informally, I have explained to A the way their actions are interpreted but they seem to think that is more B's problem than theirs.

This is the place for a quite stern retort that as from today it is not B's problem and it is not A's problem, because A will stop his stupidity. But if there is a recurrence, it won't even be your problem, because you will be the one making the complaint.

BTW, you need to secure that occurrence book. It looks like a loose cannon which may bite you in the bum.

foxwales

You cannot ensue disciplinary on A unless you have sufficient evidence or grounds to do so. If B told you that A was reading your work occurrence book, then that is just B's word against A's; and does not constitute misconduct of any nature.

If you feel B is being harassed or bullied, then it is up to B to raise a formal grievance against A. There should be sufficient processes in place for B to raise a grievance if B feels the treatment is detriment.

Trying to instigate any form of disciplinary on A without reasonable grounds, be it work performance related or misconduct where misconduct can be evidenced can lead you down a very dangerous path, should A feel persecuted without just cause.

You need to have formal chats with both A and B to lay down clear guidelines about what behaviour is acceptable and what is not and raise any issues relating to work impacted performance.

Savvy_Sue

DVardysShadow wrote: »

This is the place for a quite stern retort that as from today it is not B's problem and it is not A's problem, because A will stop his stupidity. But if there is a recurrence, it won't even be your problem, because you will be the one making the complaint.

BTW, you need to secure that occurrence book. It looks like a loose cannon which may bite you in the bum.

I agree with both points. But get HR on side sooner rather than later.