Bullying again

Evilm

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

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

'deliberately undermining a competent worker by overloading and constant criticism'

In this case, the OP has been asked to meet 'impossible' targets.

Fair enough then... apparently I should tell my boss I'm being bullied by higher management and so are they too!

(Not being nasty to OP, they really do need to stand up to management and point out they CAN'T do it all being so understaffed. However calling it bullying seems a bit "victim" mentality and that its deliberate to hurt them rather than a boss with no sense of reality.)

Tiddlywinks

Evilm wrote: »

Fair enough then... apparently I should tell my boss I'm being bullied by higher management and so are they too!

(Not being nasty to OP, they really do need to stand up to management and point out they CAN'T do it all being so understaffed. However calling it bullying seems a bit "victim" mentality and that its deliberate to hurt them rather than a boss with no sense of reality.)

But you are not the OP - you do not have his / her perspective and view of what the line manager's motivation is.

Stretching targets are one thing BUT unreasonable and virtually impossible tasks (where failure might equal inefficiency proceedings) is on a whole other level. Add in the fact that the line manager is using his position to impose those targets and you have all the ingredients of a bullying case.

wantsajob

No one seems to understand what bullying is, because quite a few people seem to do it, enjoy it, and see it as normal every-day behaviour. Just look at bullying in schools. People rarely try to fully explain to kids what they're doing is wrong, and what negative effects their behaviour might have. Is it any surprise there are adults out there who just don't understand?!

Yorkie1

I had to complain about a colleague bullying me. It was upheld, then she lodged an informal grievance about me because she didn't like the term bullying. She completely failed to comprehend that it wasn't defined according to her intentions, but according to the other person's perspective (well it is in our workplace anyway). She got her apology because I couldn't stand up to her and the mediator didn't do anything to prevent it.

It really sucked.

sniggings

Yorkie1 wrote: »

I had to complain about a colleague bullying me. It was upheld, then she lodged an informal grievance about me because she didn't like the term bullying. She completely failed to comprehend that it wasn't defined according to her intentions, but according to the other person's perspective (well it is in our workplace anyway). She got her apology because I couldn't stand up to her and the mediator didn't do anything to prevent it.

It really sucked.

crazy :eek:

You should have put in another grievance saying her grievance was only another form of her bulling you.

spamhater

The advice from YosserUk is spot on. Sadly I've been where you are - could even have been the same employer (the one which is now 80% taxpayer owned).

If you are not a member of the Union then please join now. It was only with their support that I got through my situation.

I kept a daily dairy. It detailed what staff I had, what I was short of, where and who I asked for help and their responses. I noted my working hours, if I managed to have a 10 minute lunch break, when I was interrrupted etc. Where I could I updated the diary as I went along, mostly it was late at night when I finally had time.

I recorded when there were visits to my branch by line managers and area managers, when they were expected and when they weren't.
When I was refused holidays, when I was granted them but had staff removed the day before my holiday meaning I couldn't be off without endangering the safety of the remaining staff.

It might sound monotonous but when the Union reviewed it they said it was absolutely what was needed in terms of evidence.

I eventually moved on to another employer and the Union were not happy that I refused to bring a case against the Bank as they said the evidence was overwhelming and in their opinion I would probably have been offered a settlement to go away and keep quiet. I chose not to pursue things as I wanted to put the 2 years of hell behind me and move on and I was also worried that my new employer would find out and mark my card accordingly. I got even with my ex manager in another way (but that's not for here).

Please. for your own sake, get support from your Union. At the very least it gives you someone to speak to when things are really bad and it means that there is an ongoing record of things.

I really feel for you - it seems that some organisations simply never change.

amyloofoo

spamhater wrote: »

The advice from YosserUk is spot on. Sadly I've been where you are - could even have been the same employer (the one which is now 80% taxpayer owned).

If you are not a member of the Union then please join now. It was only with their support that I got through my situation.

I kept a daily dairy. It detailed what staff I had, what I was short of, where and who I asked for help and their responses. I noted my working hours, if I managed to have a 10 minute lunch break, when I was interrrupted etc. Where I could I updated the diary as I went along, mostly it was late at night when I finally had time.

I recorded when there were visits to my branch by line managers and area managers, when they were expected and when they weren't.
When I was refused holidays, when I was granted them but had staff removed the day before my holiday meaning I couldn't be off without endangering the safety of the remaining staff.

It might sound monotonous but when the Union reviewed it they said it was absolutely what was needed in terms of evidence.

I eventually moved on to another employer and the Union were not happy that I refused to bring a case against the Bank as they said the evidence was overwhelming and in their opinion I would probably have been offered a settlement to go away and keep quiet. I chose not to pursue things as I wanted to put the 2 years of hell behind me and move on and I was also worried that my new employer would find out and mark my card accordingly. I got even with my ex manager in another way (but that's not for here).

Please. for your own sake, get support from your Union. At the very least it gives you someone to speak to when things are really bad and it means that there is an ongoing record of things.

I really feel for you - it seems that some organisations simply never change.

I have a feeling we've all gone through this - seems to be endemic in that organisation; PIPs are used as a way of undermining you, making you feel powerless and stopping you leaving (as it will be reported in any reference). They should be there to help you improve your performance, but with the complete lack of support and necessary resources that's impossible

RuthnJasper

Just wanted to say thanks to the OP and the posters on this thread. I've recently been "restructured" and now have a line-manager about whom I have raised concerns in the past. I'm in the public sector, have been for almost five years, and have never encountered ANYTHING (in this sphere OR in the private sector, where I worked for some pretty wretched people previously) like this individual.

As just one (among many) examples, a member of the public (i.e. a taxpayer, chief source of our existence and wages), having repeatedly sought assistance from my manager on a genuinely distressing issue and been ignored (and even mocked by said manager within the office) finally lost his already-finely-stretched rag and threatened in an email to go to the press over the matter.

It was nearly the end of the day and so everyone, including the most junior on-site colleagues, was in the office. On seeing the emailed threat I judged it of sufficient importance to warrant telling my manager there and then. I briefly read aloud the salient points of the email and asked what I should send in response. My line manager didn't tell me what to say in reply, but laughed aloud and said "Good! Let him bleat all he likes! I f*cking LOVE this sort of thing! F*CKING bring it ON!!"

And I'm not even going to go INTO the way she treats her colleagues. I daresay you have a vague idea from this one instance (among MANY similar) I describe. I'm at my wits' end. NONE of my complaints have been heeded; leading me to suspect that she is either sleeping with, or has some significant dirt on, managers higher up the chain. HER line manager has suggested she attends behavioural training. But to no avail.

Anyway - much useful advice here. And so I thank you.

Best wishes OP - it sounds like a wretched situation; hope life improves for you very soon. xx