Instant Chat Bullying at work

Valli

and, in the meantime, join a union

prowla

bargainbetty wrote: »

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.

That is incorrect - messages on company computers are not private, and companies generally have notices saying that use of their equipment is subject to monitoring/inspection/etc...

Orville

prowla wrote: »

That is incorrect - messages on company computers are not private, and companies generally have notices saying that use of their equipment is subject to monitoring/inspection/etc...

Yes i agree and how can they be private messages if the workstations are being left by the user with the message still on screen so anyone passing can read it.

My advice op, if you do see any message which have derogatory comments, take a screen shot and print it immediately. You then have evidence on paper which should spur HR into taking some sort of action.

Mindless_Clone

bargainbetty wrote: »

If your colleagues are doing those things, they are incredibly unlikely to admit to it in any trackable method.

Oh I dunno, people can be incredibly dense sometimes.

OP, I am sorry that you are going through this. FWIW I don't think talking about you in instant chat is bullying; more just gossiping about you which, while not very nice, isn't actually hurting you.
The tampering with your lunch and work is though, if it is done maliciously and not as part of the normal workplace high jinks. If they are using the chat to arrange the next "prank" then this could be considered bullying.

Have you spoken to HR about the other incidences? Perhaps start keeping a record of incidences... and make sure you make it clear that you do not find them funny and want them to stop (otherwise people will just say they thought you were enjoying the laughs along with them).

System

Its not nice but its not the end of the world. If they don't like you then they don't like you.

Without instant chat they would just talk about you behind your back. Which to be honest they probably do.

Some people are just bad seeds and I wouldnt let it bother you if some prats you work with like to talk about you behind your back!

bargainbetty

Unless the company has stipulated that the content of the IM is monitored and restricted (and is limited to professional use only) then the OP will not be able to see private messages, and from the comments made I don't think that is the case, the dialogues are not recorded. While there is an argument that the use of the works machine can override this, please note the relevant bit -

You cannot read the messages to find evidence - you have to have some evidence to get access to them.

You can't just make an allegation and expect to have everything handed over, is the point. There would have to be reasonable grounds for supporting the allegation, and the proportionate need to balance the severity of the claim versus the level of investigation.

The OP thought they saw their name on a work-mate's screen. It is entirely possible that the conversation was utterly innocent and work-related. How would that possibly justify the need to review all IM data? Again, if the food tampering was not reported at the time, then there is no formal history of problems, which means your complaint could be written off as 'Someone typed my name and I'm paranoid about what they might have said because people don't like me'.

You say it's not that easy - I don't know if you mean talking to HR or the protagonists. If you aren't prepared to follow the HR protocol within the organisation, then your plan to move on is the best one. Be aware that you would be unlikely to receive any form of settlement (if that was part of your thought process) for constructive dismissal/bullying etc if you do not follow procedure. You have to give the employer the opportunity to fix things.

I'm sorry for your troubles, and wish you luck.

marybelle01

Mindless_Clone wrote: »

Oh I dunno, people can be incredibly dense sometimes.

OP, I am sorry that you are going through this. FWIW I don't think talking about you in instant chat is bullying; more just gossiping about you which, while not very nice, isn't actually hurting you.
The tampering with your lunch and work is though, if it is done maliciously and not as part of the normal workplace high jinks. If they are using the chat to arrange the next "prank" then this could be considered bullying.

Have you spoken to HR about the other incidences? Perhaps start keeping a record of incidences... and make sure you make it clear that you do not find them funny and want them to stop (otherwise people will just say they thought you were enjoying the laughs along with them).

I agree - it isn't bullying. You cannot convict people of having tampered with your lunch or your work simply because they don't like you and are expressing that opinion in private - whether it's by instant chat or not. Nobody can make people like someone, but providing that they do not take it to the exetnt of actual bullying, then there's nothing you can complain of.

If there are actual incidents then of course you should report them, but I think it would do you more harm than good to complain about people talking about you amongst themselves and without offering you any harm. We're all entitled to an opinion... Even them.

Orville

marybelle01 wrote: »

I agree - it isn't bullying. You cannot convict people of having tampered with your lunch or your work simply because they don't like you and are expressing that opinion in private - whether it's by instant chat or not. Nobody can make people like someone, but providing that they do not take it to the exetnt of actual bullying, then there's nothing you can complain of.

If there are actual incidents then of course you should report them, but I think it would do you more harm than good to complain about people talking about you amongst themselves and without offering you any harm. We're all entitled to an opinion... Even them.

Unless of course you were from india for instance and they were calling you a packi, or coloured and calling you black whatever.. Personally i think that even talking about someone even if it is saying they don't like you in the workplace is wrong. If you are going to express your personal opinions about someone, do it outside the office.

And how can you not convict people of tampering with your lunch..? If they have actually gone into your lunch box and done whatever, moreso if they don't like you, to me that is gross misconduct.

System

Orville wrote: »

Unless of course you were from india for instance and they were calling you a packi, or coloured and calling you black whatever.. Personally i think that even talking about someone even if it is saying they don't like you in the wrokplace is wrong. if you are going to express your personal opinions about someone, do it outside the office.

I thought that "black" was the socially acceptable term these days and "coloured" was frowned upon?

Orville

goater78 wrote: »

I thought that "black" was the socially acceptable term these days and "coloured" was frowned upon?

Who knows..? but whichever way it's still wrong.