Instant Chat Bullying at work

36CrazyFists

Hi,

A lot of my colleagues use instant chat at work, we have recently had 22" monitors installed and I have noticed one collagues screen at work where my name has been mentioned quite a few times. I know my colleagues do not like me at work an I think they use instant chat to talk about me whilst I'm in the office which is quite distressing.

I have contacted the data compliance officer to see if I can access data related to me with regards to these instant chat messages but they take place in a "off the record" function.

Is there anything I can do about these instant chat messages?

Humphrey10

36CrazyFists wrote: »

I have contacted the data compliance officer to see if I can access data related to me with regards to these instant chat messages but they take place in a "off the record" function.

Wow. If I knew a collegue of mine was trying to spy on me like that, and was trying to gain access to my private communications, you bet I would be talking about them at work!

Why are you looking at their screens anyway? You must be having quite a good look to be able to read the text on them, this is probably obvious to your collegues, for all you know they are saying "have you noticed 36CrazyFists is constantly spying on us?".

I honestly can't tell if your post is genuine or not.

DCFC79

To be fair to the OP they could have walked past the screens and noticed the name mentioned but why let it get to you. Why dont they like you ?

martinthebandit

36CrazyFists wrote: »

Hi,
Is there anything I can do about these instant chat messages?

Buy a tinfoil hat?

prowla

They need to monitor the monitors.

On a serious note, it seems to me that it is misuse of company equipment, and a manager worth their salt should be capable of nipping it in the bud. The company's IT policy should already cover proper usage anyway.

Chat/IM is a great tool for business, so it definitely is a valid thing for people to be using.

McKneff

Just because your name has been seen on a screen doesnt mean that they are actually slagging you off surely

Do you have any idea why they don't like you.
If I felt like that I'd be job hunting to be honest.

36CrazyFists

Ha! Tinfoil hat has been purchased.

36CrazyFists

DCFC79 wrote: »

To be fair to the OP they could have walked past the screens and noticed the name mentioned but why let it get to you. Why dont they like you ?

Yes, I got very ill at the end of last year and couldn't keep up with my workload. A lot of people were slagging me off due to not completing work and management put me of performance management which I had passed. I have struggled with anxiety and also been diagnosed with a specific learning difficulty in the last year which work have had to make some adjustments for me, which hasn't gone down terribly well.

In the past they have tampered with my lunch, and tampered with my work so it looks like I am not performing all my duties. Basically I need some evidence to back up this all up ie the instant chat logs will hopefully contain messages such as "just put some used chewing gum in his sandwiches" or "just binned worked xyz so he can't find, etc, etc".

I'm not normally a nosy person but my colleagues have made my life hell for the last few months so trying to fight back and not cry about it really.

bargainbetty

If your colleagues are doing those things, they are incredibly unlikely to admit to it in any trackable method. If you genuinely feel that the allegations are true, then perhaps you need to speak to HR about a meeting with the staff members you are concerned about - to clear the air between you.

Private messages between people are just that - private. You don't have the right to see it to find 'evidence', you need to have some evidence to access it.

Did you report the tampered food? Did you openly ask anyone where your files had gone to see who squirmed?

Try speaking to HR. If you can't, perhaps try to communicate with those who you feel don't like you. Talk to them instead of treating them as suspects (I've had to do it, I'm not having a dig at you) and let them see you are a reasonable person. You might find you can build a few bridges.

36CrazyFists

Unfortunately it is not as easy as that. Thanks for all the advice on this thread, think its better just to keep my head down and hopefully find another job (not as easy as it sounds in the current climate). *Re-adjusts Tinfoil Hat*

MissSarah1972

36CrazyFists wrote: »

In the past they have tampered with my lunch, .

!!!!!!? I'd look for another job to be honest. Sounds like a very nasty bunch if they do that.