Office politics - point scoring!

DavidF

You so must inform the manager on how this basically effecting your morale . He has already indicated that he values your worth (Glowing reports at last review), He has also hinted at the fact that he is "aware" of this woman's office games and is also aware that she can't cope with her own workload so I would have thought she would be fairly "easy" to manage from a half decent managers point of view.

He "should" basically inform her that SHE is under review due to not meeting her own targets and also at the same time inform her that word has got back to him that SHE is undermining team morale by the way she is acting within the office environment. (He can go into specifics if she asks ie the piece of work she commented on that you dealt with well enough in his opinion and point out it was/is not her place nor is it professional nor good for office morale ) He could then (based on her reaction to this) tell her that he expects to see not only an improvement in her work but also expects to be informed that everything within the office is kept at a strictly professional level and that he is monitoring the situation more closely than before.

Basically I will finish by reiterating TELL your manager sooner rather than later.

belfastgirl23

Tbh I think you should speak to your manager as part of your appraisal. Not complaining but just making him aware of the situation. Make it clear that you haven't mentioned it before because you had hoped that if you ignored it, the behaviour would go away. I would definitely not get into her poor work practices btw! This will look petty. And ask if he has any advice on how to handle it. Stress that you are willing to speak to her but you have concerns about how this will be represented given your previous experiences with her. And allude to one of the instances he has witnessed.

Assuming he gives you the go ahead then you need to say to her directly that you would appreciate it if she brought any concerns about your work to you directly rather than raising it with other people. And if she does otherwise publicly remind her. It won't be fun but if you don't act it will only get worse!

pickledonionspaceraider

Reggie256 wrote: »

And that's assuming that the manager even cares.

I went through something VERY similar to what the OP is experiencing a few years back. Thankfully, the idiot in question thought she was too good to work in a reception office (which always begged the question why she even applied for the post, since it was made clear from the onset that the post involved working in a reception office) and left.

Saying that, looking back, it was an extremely miserable time. People like the idiot I refer to have a way of manipulating everyone. More or less everyone else thought she was wonderful - she was, of course, as nice as ninepence whenever they were around; the epitome of a master boot-licker.

What was worse though was that our manager was sufficently gullible that she fell for the act too. There, therefore, wasn't any point in complaining - it was a true no-win scenario. Our manager of the time wasn't a particularly sympathetic person in herself, and so far as she was concerned the idiot was doing her job and doing it well. The one attempt I made at addressing the problem failed very quickly, with manager saying "she's ambitious" in a manner than indicated that the idiot was more worthwhile than me.

Without sounding mean, upon thought I do think this lady is a bit like your ex colleague, in thinking she is 'too good' for her role. She has been doing her role for 14 years.

pickledonionspaceraider

3v3 wrote: »

I'm not sensitive to your age comments; I think you have misunderstood why I suggested you reflect on it.

But, having made the suggestion, it has brought out where some problems lie.

You say that you have been brought up to respect your elders (hopefully, we all were ) but, that is while you were being brought up (e.g. a child).

You are now an adult in the workplace trying to rub along with other adults in the workplace. It would seem her age is a barrier to you in finding a solution to this problem because, as you admit, if it was someone your own age you would find it easier to deal with.

That suggests that you would feel more "confident" in dealing with it if the person was the same age. But, take "age" out of the equation and just think another "adult" and you may find that you can handle her behaviour better.

There is a difference between 'respecting' your elders and being intimidated by them based simple on the fact they are older. Irrespective of her age, her behaviour (as you describe it) does seem petty and somewhat childish.

The simple fact is, there are people in the workplace of all ages, cultures, gender who will behave like this woman. It's a human condition and not age related. But, by your own admission, her age is proving a barrier to you on how you handle it.

With that in mind, and your admission you would be able to handle it if she were the same age as you: how would you deal with it? Because that may well be the answer you are looking for

Thank you for that, it has given me food for thought indeed.

pickledonionspaceraider

suki1001 wrote: »

I don't think it's neccessarily the age thing per say. I think the op probably feels intimidated by this woman, because she is more confident/sure of herself/been in the workplace for longer - all which come with age. So she has the confidence to speak out and moan about things that she thinks are wrong, even if she's not right! I suspect it's the whole package that this other person brings to the table, rather than her actual age - a bit like dealing with a teacher who's been in the job for years compared to one who's just started. You often get it in many jobs, where someone's been there for years - they're part of the furniture and often because they almost own the place there's an almost !!!!! like tendency to manage the place. My mother was a teacher for years and when she moved jobs, there could be some frightful teaching assistants, simply because they'd been there for so long.

Definatley how I feel. She is definatley more confident and sure of herself. And has been with the company 14 years on an admin level..and constantly reminds anyone within ear shot..''I can retire any time I like..I don't need to work, y'know'' like she's doing the company a big favour just turning up for work every morning lol. I hear what she says about everyone else behind their backs, and I feel that what I hear, is only the tip of the iceberg.

pigpen

When she starts bustling about when the managers come in.. say .. WOW!! you DO move!! You sat still so long I was just going to check you were still alive or dust you!

Most employers aren't daft they know who does the work and who they are carrying!

re earwigging on calls.. can you put the call on hold and ask her if she would like to speak to them instead.

Could you have a desk reshuffle at all so you are further away? (and can flick things at her like bogies heehee.. I don't think I matured past 12)

Sounds like she is just bored.. maybe she would like to retire

marisco_2

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

Part of me is very much afraid to be seen as a whiner.

You would not be seen like that, not by a good manager at any rate. If you feel awkward about speaking with your manager why not write a letter and detail what is happening and how you feel this effects the company. Your colleague does not appear to be very bright. She blatantly behaves unprofessionally in front of her colleagues on a daily basis. By changing tack so completely when the manager is around this only goes to highlight even more how much she takes the preverbial at all other times.

From your description of her, she comes across as arrogant and as if she thinks she is invincible. You would be doing your company a huge favour to bring to their attention that they have an employee who is not pulling her weight. Unless you work in the lumber business your company does not need to keep carrying dead wood

pickledonionspaceraider

pigpen wrote: »

When she starts bustling about when the managers come in.. say .. WOW!! you DO move!! You sat still so long I was just going to check you were still alive or dust you!

Most employers aren't daft they know who does the work and who they are carrying!

re earwigging on calls.. can you put the call on hold and ask her if she would like to speak to them instead.

Could you have a desk reshuffle at all so you are further away? (and can flick things at her like bogies heehee.. I don't think I matured past 12)

Sounds like she is just bored.. maybe she would like to retire

I love your post, it cheered me up thanks x

Brecon_Beacons

A couple of things which have crossed my mind.

You have named this thread "Office Politics - point scoring", so you appreciate that the actions you have raised are on a personality (or dare I say it, a !!!!!y?) level rather than being really, really serious, job-threatening occurrences.

I would go against all the previous advice given. Don't raise this with your Managers. They are probably already running themselves ragged with real work, and just don't want to hear about the dreaded "personality clash" where they are required to judge who in the office is right, who is wrong, when a) they don't know; and b) they couldn't care less.

Don't take this woman on in an escalating game of hostilities. You have already acknowledged that she is pretty good at being manipulative - and you, by your own admission, are not. Ms backstabber has survived for 14 years in your company,using those tactics. For all you know, they may admire her for it! I doubt there is little that you could do to change her behaviour. On the other hand, I do think that you could run the risk of hurting yourself more, by trying to commence an offensive.

And most of all, don't upset yourself about it! Work is work - it is not fair play, it is not justice, it is not good v evil! Every office, every workplace, is full of stories like yours - of people who 'get away' with things, of fools that prosper, of ambitious people who ingratiate themselves. If you allow yourself to get wound up by all this, you will not survive!

My two cents says: ignore, ignore, ignore. Concentrate firmly on YOUR job. Do a good job, smile nicely at everyone (even this woman) - and go home at the end of the day and forget about it.

Your job pays for life - don't let it rule you. Meet unpleasantness with complete sweetness and light - and concentrate on your hubby and everything else that really matters in your world.

Because honestly, this woman and her sour words doesn't really matter in the great scheme of things, does she?

*Hope this is of help, it is meant genuinely to try to keep you out of worry and upset at work*.

optimisty

Have to agree with Brecon Beacons.

You work to live not live to work. Do your job, grabs the cash and forget about crying Myrtle or whatever her name is. Seems she has good reason not to retire, who would listen to that all day long and not get paid for it???

Chin up, shes obviously just lonely and perhaps a little regretful that she didnt actually DO IT herself. Watching you much younger than her perform tasks she must have regrets.

Infact, now I am starting to feel a little sorry for her. Buy her a cream bun and let her enjoy he last days in the work place.