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Bullying in the workplace

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  • 24-09-2008 10:42am
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi folks,

    A very close friend of mine recently started working in a pretty well known Dublin company. She's been there the guts of 3 months, but she's become very unhappy about with what she has to put up with every day.

    She's constantly being bullied by her manager. She's not the only one in the office, but she's the only one who's decided she's not going to take it. Her manager is constantly barking orders, shouting at her over menial things, generally destroying the enthusiasm and confidence of a young graduate. She met with said manager to discuss this recently and she might as well have been talking to the wall. On approaching the highest ranked employee in the company in her local office, she just got the "talk to your manager" rhetoric. Shes already looking for other jobs, but as you can imagine in the current economic climate its not that easy. The worst thing is that this manager has been getting away with this for years, without anyone standing up for themselves. Several employees have had to leave the office for "stress and anxiety" related problems.

    What i'm asking is, whats the best way to deal with this? She's already been keeping a diary of events and doing everything thats available on the HSA website. To me, it seems as though there are several statuatory bodies that deal with this (HSA, Enterprise, Trade and Employment etc), but they all seem to pass responsibility on to each other.

    If anyone has any experience dealing with similar circumstances can they give me any advice? Whats the best way to continue once you've already followed the company protocol and have gone nowhere?

    Any feedback appreciated,

    AtWitsEnd


Comments

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    #2
    John1984
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭John1984


    Well after she spoke to her manager and got no change she should then speak to the manager of the floor (he didnt seem too helpfull)

    next step is to goto HR and log a complaint with them about the manager's.
    get her to get the whole team to do this as a united front if possible and they will have to listen or get a petition so she has proof of this happening.

    if nothing changes after that speak to them again and after that id say contact the citizens advice
    or the Union manager that she is apart of if she is. if not SIPTU offer free advice


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    #3
    m4j
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭m4j


    I would agree with John, very good advice. After addressing the issues with the person who she feels is bullying her and if this person continues with this behaviour then it is classified as bullying. I.e. it was an issue of harrassment or disagreement, it was addressed and the behaviour continues therefore it is bullying.

    Now the understanding of bullying might be different for different people, its important your friend is not consumed by this or builds up a vendeta against this manager. This is easily done if everyone has a problem with the manager but no one will do anything, your friend might find herself alone very quickly. The manager also has rights and may not see the wrong they are doing, again if your friend is new and no ne has ever said anything then the manager may not really know they are doing wrong.

    The Idea of brining in HR is vital, mediation would be the step they use to resolve the issues at a local level, if not resolved then it might be a case for constructive dismissal whereby your friend leaves and takes a case against them, in this respect a record of the request to stop, the diary and the record of contact with HR is vital.

    Its a very difficult case in relation to Bullying, there has to be a 100% understanding that it is in fact bullying.

    For advice on support in relation to stress and links to the Citizen Info sites etc try www.stresskills.ie

    Wishing you the very best of luck.


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    #4
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    m4j wrote: »
    The Idea of brining in HR is vital, mediation would be the step they use to resolve the issues at a local level, if not resolved then it might be a case for constructive dismissal whereby your friend leaves and takes a case against them, in this respect a record of the request to stop, the diary and the record of contact with HR is vital.

    her "company" doesnt actually have a HR department. As i'm sure you can understand, I cant go in to any more detail about the company but is relatively small but well known. Wages are sorted out by an accountant, and bar a few managers and one boss it isnt really that top heavy of an organisation.

    Honestly, i think its getting to the point where she's just going to leave the job, and i cant blame her to be honest its a terrible situation to have face every morning. But i know she definitely wants do do something about it before she leaves. As far as i know she's already been on to SIPTU but didn't get much of anything from them.

    m4j wrote: »
    if your friend is new and no one has ever said anything then the manager may not really know they are doing wrong.

    at least one other person in the company has raised concerns about this managers attitude and conduct to the highest ranked boss in the place. there may have been words between the boss and this manager behind closed doors, but the situation seems to improve for a day or two after it is raised then return to the status quo. The manager definitely doesnt think htat they're behaving in this way, its just pure ignorance. and i reckon the boss is cut from the same cloth - he doesn't realise her behaviour either.

    Sorry for the long post, but you never think one of your friends will have to go through this kinda craic at work, so when it does happen your totally unprepared.

    Thanks for all the advice so far,

    AWE


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    #5
    m4j
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭m4j


    I completly understand, the truth is currently Unions seem to be able to do little overall, it stems from the pay deals etc, dont really know why fully but I have seen a down turn in IMPACT a union that was at the front of all challenges to employers.

    It may just be that your friend needs to go, her health is more important than anything else, I do believe however that the equality authourity should now be contacted, they I understand will hold investigations and mediate were practicle. The citizens information site will give much more detail on this.

    Now that you know it has been raised before, in any investigation this will come out if employees are asked confidentialy.

    You could ask the Equality Authourity if she should write formally to the senior person in charge and state clearly that as a result of bullying by this person with an overall lack of support her health is being effected. And then see what comes back. Also she could seek the advice of a solicitor however ensure that they know about employment issues, first visit is usually free and will not hurt at all.

    Wishing you and your friend the best, its a difficult one and I would love to be able to give you better advice. I do know that advice changes from person to person but the Employment Authourity will be able to advise better in all incidents. Let me know how it goes


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    #6
    Darragh29
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    Just a bit of rarely seen good news on this front, because it is rare you will hear a story like this these days...!!!

    A good friend of mine has just told me that her manager, who recently had made a loose, inappropriate and derogatory remark to another employee about maternity leave recently taken, which was subsequently escalated to HR by the employee who was the subject of this remark, has been dismissed today.


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    #7
    Deadeyes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭Deadeyes


    Darragh29 wrote: »
    Just a bit of rarely seen good news on this front, because it is rare you will hear a story like this these days...!!!

    A good friend of mine has just told me that her manager, who recently had made a loose, inappropriate and derogatory remark to another employee about maternity leave recently taken, which was subsequently escalated to HR by the employee who was the subject of this remark, has been dismissed today.

    That's good news? I hope there was more to it than that, someone losing their livlihood for the sake of making one derogatory comment, thats madness.


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    #8
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Seems extreme.


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    #9
    Darragh29
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    Deadeyes wrote: »
    That's good news? I hope there was more to it than that, someone losing their livlihood for the sake of making one derogatory comment, thats madness.

    Don't think so at all. I wouldn't consider the problem to be one derogatory comment, the comment is indicative of a discriminatory mindset and a deeply rooted unprofessionalism that can land a business in seriously hot water if this philosophy starts to branch out and grow roots within an organisation. This is what has MBNA being ordered to pay an employee over 50K yesterday for allowing this type of behaviour to go unchecked...


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    #10
    Deadeyes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭Deadeyes


    Darragh29 wrote: »
    Don't think so at all. I wouldn't consider the problem to be one derogatory comment, the comment is indicative of a discriminatory mindset and a deeply rooted unprofessionalism that can land a business in seriously hot water if this philosophy starts to branch out and grow roots within an organisation. This is what has MBNA being ordered to pay an employee over 50K yesterday for allowing this type of behaviour to go unchecked...
    So you don't think one comment to be a problem but you'd sack them anyway? The story as you relayed it does not come close to what happened to the woman in MBNA. It's a long road from one to the other, you may consider it the thin edge of the wedge but responses should be proportional.


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    #11
    Darragh29
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    Deadeyes wrote: »
    So you don't think one comment to be a problem but you'd sack them anyway? The story as you relayed it does not come close to what happened to the woman in MBNA. It's a long road from one to the other, you may consider it the thin edge of the wedge but responses should be proportional.

    Well this guy exposed the company to liability. I've been down this particular road with a manager in a past employment and I can tell you from first hand experience that the road from muttering a discriminatory remark to making very real negative decisions about an amployee with regard to things like promotions or annual salary increases, is non-existant.


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