Bullying At Work
Did you know that there's a Protection From Harassment Act on the statute books? I didn't either until I wrote an official letter to my boss about the verbal bullying and intimidation I have had to put up with from a colleague.
Matters came to a head last week in the office car park when I suffered what I can only describe as the most degrading incident of verbal abuse in my life, and I state this as somebody who was born with ginger hair and suffered the outrageous slings and arrows of bullying at school.
When I got home I was visibly shaking and so upset that I decided that matters had gone to far and that what may have been started as harmless office banter had stepped beyond the line. I have posted about the person concerned before and to be honest most of my colleagues have treated him with kid gloves since his wife was diagnosed with cancer three years ago but there comes a point when you have to say enough is enough.
My first instinct was to ignore it but the problem there is that if I, as an office manager, ignore it where does that leave people further down the chain of responsibility. I have the full support of my immediate superior (she insists she isn't my superior but she said it appears that way through her forceful personality which is quite a nice comment) who said she is surprised nobody has hit the person concerned before.
Unfortunately I am out of the office now and won't see my boss for two weeks to hand in my letter and discuss matters. My initial instinct was to walk away and find a new job and although I have had low points this year I have put a hell of a lot of hard work into making sure that new IT is operated correctly and the new paperless office is a success, I think I should stick it out.
4 comments:
Absolutely. Post the letter Paul. Things like this should be taken up. If you wait two weeks you won't bother and some other poor sod will be bullied.
Use the mail while it's fresh, and if necessary talk on the phone but don't wait or you won't do it.
I hate bullies!
Hi Gavin, you're right. I've got to call in the office over the weekend to pick some things up for next week so I'll drop the letter off then.
Very early in my career I was bullied at work and it's desperately unpleasant. Personally, I think you should take whatever action is necessary to "nip it in the bud". The Protection from Harrassment act was passed in 1997 and is weighted very much in favour of the victim. It would, of course, be a shame if you had to invoke it but I think you have to do whatever it takes to deal with a bully.
Go with it Paul and good luck.
xx
Post a Comment