Bullying / unfair treatment at work or just oversensitive?(long)

yeehaa

Hi,

Not sure how to start this off so I guess I will just get straight to the point! I work in a factory and was successful in being made a section leader, and ever since then my life has been made to feel like hell! I know people will say just quit, but when you work in factories you tend not to have the funds to just do that and I feel as if I’ve done nothing wrong.

Straight off when I was promoted I was told it was because “there was no one else”. Great start.

Things seemed to be okay for a very short while but because I would not go out on social gatherings with the shift manager her attitude completely changed.

I’m trying to keep this as concise as possible, I haven’t kept a diary until now but am now doing so, here are a few examples of what I’m dealing with in no particular order;

Contradictory instructions, such as telling me to report absolutely everything to her and then on occasions where I have been absent on holiday and sick leave other section leaders (including an in-law) looked after my section and allowed messing around, unauthorised breaks etc and when letting her know I was told that I should mind my own business.

I have received no training within my role bar 3 hours over 3 days at the start. I have constantly requested training etc over my 6 month probation and was told that some would be arranged. Then on my 6 month probation review I was told that I should have independently been training myself by shadowing others when (not that time allowed anyway!). Should this not have been mentioned on one of the very many times I requested training?!

In my 6 month review, it was essentially a poor performance review, which I was shocked over. There are comments in there like lazy etc which do not apply to me at all, I was devastated and shocked by the sheer lies about my performance. And all the more shocking as I was supposed to receive constant feedback, never did, and I asked for feedback anyway and was told that no news means nothing is wrong.

There was one training session where a company trainer came in and gave a small amount of training, also saying that company training manuals could be taken home to study. When mentioned to manager she told me that if I took them home that my job would be on the line.

Whenever there were meetings with the manager and all the section leaders I would always be excluded and told that I am not needed as it doesn’t concern me. Then my report said that I do not involve myself enough?! I was even physically blocked from entering the team meeting by the assistant manager (her lackey).

She keeps her back to me when I’m speaking to her, if she sees me approaching to talk to her she will roll her eyes before putting on a bored face and not listen.

I am enthusiastic about my job and for the company and improving production, so when speaking to the manager in charge of waste (someone she mocks) and showing an interest in decreasing waste and coming up with ideas with him, I was told by her (after he had gone obv) that it’s not my place to discuss these things with him...even though she shows no such interest. I have also been told that I should not use email, which I started using as I wanted documentation of my interest and initiative within the company.

She intimidates me, wait until I leave the office and go onto shop floor before phoning her lackey and saying she needs to speak to me immediately.

There are many many other small things, and also the two following incidents.

I had a Ghanaian man using in appropriate and suggestive sexual language towards me repeatedly and I calmly said one day “what would your wife think” at which point he towered over me absolutely shouting at me right in my face, I thought he was going to assault me. I reported the sexual behaviour and was told that it was a cultural thing and furthermore it was my fault for his aggressive behaviour because of my response about his wife.

I became pregnant but at 7 weeks I had bleeding. When I had a scan everything appeared to be okay with just a small clot below the placenta which was the cause of the bleed. When I returned to work the manager placed me on one of the heaviest machines where I would have to strain and exert myself (12 hour shift). Surely common sense and decency alone would have stopped her putting me on this.

Also no risk assessment was carried out for me, which I guess is all far too common in low paid jobs.

I subsequently miscarried, I found out on 10 weeks but it was a missed miscarriage dating back to 8 weeks. Basically my return to work. I’ll never know if there’s a link, and I guess I blame myself for being to scared to speak up about the suitability of the task I was given.
It did not end there, I opted to pass the miscarriage naturally which took 4 weeks in itself. Towards the end of which I had my manager snapping at me and telling me I needed to get it sorted which caused me further shock and upset at a time when I’m very fragile.

I am tired of all of this, of her !!!!!iness towards me, being held responsible for things outside of my control and her bullying and harassing attitude.

I spoke to HR as an informal chat and was basically told that I should stop being so sensitive, and with regards to the Ghanaian...again told that his behaviour was a cultural thing.

Am I crazy and just too sensitive? I guess it’s all just me, although I could literally have written hundreds more things but most people have probably already stopped reading.

I feel so stressed and hurt. 😔

ThemeOne

You describe a horrible sounding situation, and it reads like there's a significant history of bad feeling between you and the shift manager. Have you any idea why she dislikes you so much? It surely isn't just because you won't go socialising with her.

Would it be worth organising some time with her - whether in work or under the guise of "socialising" and try and find out what's eating her?

If you can't identify why she's behaving like this, you don't have much chance of putting things right, otherwise I can see only two choices - carry on doing the best job you can, but document everything, or yes start looking around for something else.

What happened with the Ghanaian colleague sounds like a side issue (though that's is not to diminish it), but presumably HR have a policy on sexual harrassment, and everyone should be subject to the same policy, not some given a free pass on "cultural" grounds.

[Deleted User]

It sounds like unacceptable behaviour from your manager and HR - call ACAS as soon as you can for advice.

yeehaa

I really have no idea of the dislike!

I turn up and always work as hard as I can. We had directors from the parent company visit before I got promoted, they were there to see how the place was and to inquire about issues. There was the usual silence but I raised the point about how communication and teamwork need to improve as it truly is terrible. Didn’t say the terrible bit out loud of course.

The socialising is actually an activity she charges for as well so possibly why she’s taken a personal dislike?!

I just want to work hard and be judged fairly on my merits, like I said working at factory level opportunities seldom arise and it feels so unfair to have to walk away when I know that I’m hard working, able and am committed to the company and improving productivity

Kim_kim

It sounds awful & if I was you I’d be looking for a new job, for my own piece of mind.

Murphybear

I don’t think you are over sensitive as I would have been the same in your situation. I had a job I hated years ago and some of the other people were prone to make unkind personal remarks. I found another job in a mental health charity and everyone was lovely, kind and caring and I blossomed

Before that I worked for the NHS in the laboratories. It was multicultural and we had people from all over the place including Ghana. None of them ever behaved inappropriately, they were lovely, kind and friendly and the only time culture was mentioned was at the Christmas party when they turned up in their national dress.

I believe it may not have been a cultural thing in your case, maybe one rotten apple in the barrel.

I would suggest you look around for another job because your current situation will eat into you and things may get worse, as they did with me.

Good luck, let us know how you get on

yeehaa

I don’t actually hate my job though, and it hurts the thought of giving it up.

I’m new to factory work so I don’t know if this is standard practice, but when I started as a packer I was given just 15 minutes training even though it’s a lot more than just packing, and one machine isn’t the same as another, paperwork etc.

But I thought there has to be a better way, and now that i was in a position to be able to do so, when I am given new starters I train them up and help them as much as I can...EXPLAIN things instead of abandoning them and sitting in the office all night long like the others.

I get a sense of satisfaction when doing so, and other packers that have been there for a little while and sent on to my section are grateful because they have had things explained to them for the first time and now understand what and why they are doing things.

I don’t want to have to give it up, but if my HR are downplaying it then what hope do I have of going through with a complaint?

ohreally

Move on. You're a poor fit for this workplace culture and I suspect you may not have the resilience to push back and get a positive outcome.

Life's too short to be brought down by this sort of behaviour, time to exit, onwards and upwards.