Very worried about being moved in work

LegacyUser

Hi,I know I am lucky to have a job and Im not complaining about work itself,just a situation that is going to loom its head soon. I work in the Civil Service and people in my department are being moved from offices where they have worked for some time to offices where staff are needed.Thats fair enough.The problem is that the offices that need staff are in very awkward locations for commuting to and also, one of the offices has a very serious bullying situation going on,hence why staff are reluctant to move there.

I am one of the people who got a phone call about a move and was told the call was off the record and would I be interested in a move. I said no and said why,for both commuting and for family reasons (both my parents have cancer,I live almost the opposite end of the country to them and I need to be able to get to Heuston station easily enough to travel to see them, which I can do from my present location).It seemed to be accepted but someone warned that I will get a phone call again in a few weeks and just be told I am going.

The main reason why I am so worried is that I was severely bullied for a year in my first office and I honestly nearly was driven to suicide, it was that bad.Personnel know about this and for the last six years,the office I have been in has been fine.There have lots of changes of staff in the six years ive been there so its not as if I havent had to adapt to different people and different work (which has changed three times in my time there).

The thing is,I would move but there are no moves being offered within my own building and I am petrified of finding myself in another bullying situation again.I feel Personnel wouldnt care as I had to fight like anything to get myself moved out of that first horrific office.

I dont want to do- I have got advice from some good friends who both work in the civil service and know what happened to me in the first office and they said to stand my ground and remind Personnel of the first office if they force a move on me to somewhere that would affect me.I feel though,in the current climate that Personnel wont care about that.I have already witnessed two colleague get moved against their wishes and they are desperately unhappy.

Oh to win the lotto! Any advice would be appreciated - I feel there is a noose hanging around my neck. I wouldnt mind but we are manic busy in my own office anyway and I am coping fine. What I cant cope with is going into work everyday wondering if my phone is going to ring and Im being told you are moving and that is it.

LegacyUser

There's no point worrying about things until they happen, particularly something that you've no control over.
To be honest I don't really know what else to say to you. You say people are aware of the bullying. Anywhere else something would be done about it. My impression of the civil service is that it operates at glacial speeds, so I'm guessing nothing will be done about it anytime soon? How big an issue would it be if you were moved further from Hueston Station, really? I work in the construction industry, and you just get told on any morning you've to go somewhere else the next day, there is no negotiation choices, and it's regardless of where you're living or anything else. The phonecall hasn't happened for you yet, and might never so there's not much point in getting too worked up about it. Concentrate on your work and worry when it happens.

krudler

bullying at work? no time for that shyte, if anyone ever tries to talk down to you or bully you call them out in front of everyone and watch their attitude change, bullys only get away with it because people let them,you're an adult and not in school anymore, dont take any **** off anyone, its only a job after all

The_Conductor

krudler wrote: »

bullying at work? no time for that shyte, if anyone ever tries to talk down to you or bully you call them out in front of everyone and watch their attitude change, bullys only get away with it because people let them,you're an adult and not in school anymore, dont take any **** off anyone, its only a job after all

Bullying is a major problem in the civil service- far far worse than in the private sector (where its so easy to knock it on the head). In the civil service 'due process' can take months- during which time the person who the complaint has been made about will be interviewed for their side of the story several times- along with co-workers and their version of the story compared to that of the complainant. All this time the people will be expected to continue working together.

There are many reasons why bullying is rife- one reason being a lot of people who were recruited back in the 1980s (during the last major recession), see people much younger than they being promoted and given far more responsibilities than they (principally because they are far more capable)- and the resentment this causes is enormous. In addition- there have been seismic changes in work practices and many people simply aren't up to the greater challenges in front of them.

The OP is right to stick to their guns and try to make sure they do not accept being transferred into a situation where there is a major bullying issue (there are many offices which are reknowned for bullying- so I don't doubt what they are saying for a moment).

Best of luck OP- if you continue to be pressurised to move- your department will have an Employee Assistance Officer who should be in a position to intercede on your behalf.

S.

The_Conductor

krudler wrote: »

bullying at work? no time for that shyte, if anyone ever tries to talk down to you or bully you call them out in front of everyone and watch their attitude change, bullys only get away with it because people let them,you're an adult and not in school anymore, dont take any **** off anyone, its only a job after all

If only it were this simple.......

The_Conductor

Unregistered wrote: »

There's no point worrying about things until they happen, particularly something that you've no control over.

The big problem in the current context- totally aside from being informally asked all sorts of things- is the rumour mill. In the absence of hard facts- small nuggets of truth can take legs of their own accord. The OP does have a measure of control over the situation. When he/she joined the civil service it was by competition for a specific job in a specific location.

Unregistered wrote: »

To be honest I don't really know what else to say to you. You say people are aware of the bullying. Anywhere else something would be done about it. My impression of the civil service is that it operates at glacial speeds, so I'm guessing nothing will be done about it anytime soon?

I can take upwards of a year to deal with a serious complaint- the excuse being that the person against whom the complaint is made is entitled to due process- and if found against- could potentially be fired. All the time- the person is expected to continue with their work- and whatever interactions or dealings it may have with the person who is bullying them. This leads to many serious confrontations- and is at least partially accountable for the level of suicides, alcohol and substance abuse, mental break downs etc- that the civil service is notorious for...... Statistics are delibertly not published- but there have been two general circulars dealing with this (this year so far).

Unregistered wrote: »

How big an issue would it be if you were moved further from Hueston Station, really?

The OP has answered this. Both their parents have cancer- and they rely on the train to see them- this could be an emergency.

Unregistered wrote: »

I work in the construction industry, and you just get told on any morning you've to go somewhere else the next day, there is no negotiation choices, and it's regardless of where you're living or anything else.

Its a wholly different job. A civil service job is an office job at a desk with a computer (I assume), in a specific location. A construction job by its nature, is liable to move literally anywhere with very short notice. If you are in an office job in the private sector you get compensation if you're randomly requested to move around the place. If you are in the construction industry this is not the case. If you are in the civil service- this is also not the case.

Unregistered wrote: »

The phonecall hasn't happened for you yet, and might never so there's not much point in getting too worked up about it. Concentrate on your work and worry when it happens.

The OP is correct to assume something will happen. In the current climate they could be randomly given new instructions without any notice whatsoever. That they have been informally approached already- this indicates they should at very least prepare to be given new instructions. For their own sake- they need to contact their Employee Assistance Officer- and request he/she make some attempt to find out what is happening.

Schumacher1

Bullying is a serious problem in the civil service.

I went to HR twice about the same person who was a viscious b1tch. They did nothing, however about 1 year after making my life hell I confronted her 1 to 1 and she backed down. I left years ago and recently found out she had loads of other complaints against her.

Confront the person immediately in front of as many people as you can, because if they are bullying you then the are defo doin it to others

wylo

OP, unfortunately the story about your parents isnt going to sway them Id imagine, you say they live at the other end of the country, I dont think another half hour to 45 mins of travelling to get to the station(where you'll be travelling for 2 or 3 hours after that anywy) is going to convince them.
It seems to me the truth is more about the bullying. The only thing I can think of is for you to come up with some story of why you have to stay where you are, i cant thnk of anything off hand, thatll be up to you

Kidchameleon

Hi OP,

I find in life that bad situations happen again and again until you learn to overcome them. You dident learn to deal with bullies before and now life is giving you another go at it. You cant keep running away from these people, the only way to deal with a bully is to show them you have no fear of them. If you dont get moved to another office (or you win the lotto!) have you learned to stand up to the bullys?............... No! If you do get moved to the office in question, be a strong person and tackle the bullying problem head on!!!

Good Luck.

Ps. I hope your parents are ok.

DM_7

As you have personal reasons for needing to work in a certain locations I would suggest you make contact with the Employee Assistance Officer as soon as possible. He or She will be able to provide you with advice, they will be able to talk through your problems with you.

The Employee Assistance Officer is independant and all detaills discussed with them are kept private. If anyone can help you He or She will be able to and at the very least provide you with real information rather than hearsay. Good Luck.

LegacyUser

OP here - many thanks for the couple of insightful posts from posters who seem to know the workings of the Civil Service and have given good information, they have really helped.

However, I am very upset by two postings that were incredibly insensitive to my situation.To whoever said I was still letting bullies win - if you read my post correctly, I said I had been bullied for a year in one section and that I fought to get out of it. Where does it say that I am allowing the bullies to win? I got myself out of a bad situation, with no help from anyone, and have never bullied by anyone since, in the six years past. Also, to that guy in construction, I couldnt understand your post, you just seem to be coming down on me for no reason, even though I said I have elderly very sick parents which is at the back of my mind for not wanting a move that would seriously interfere with seeing them quickly.

Thanks to those who suggested the Employee assistance service. Unfortunately, I had a very negative experience with this office in relation to my first section, I found they made my situation worse back then instead of better. However, I wont rule out going to them, should I find myself in a corner regarding moving.

Firetrap

If you are in a union (I'm guessing you probably are because you are in the civil service), would it be worth having a chat with your union rep?

Kidchameleon

My apoligies OP, having re-read your post it seems you did beat the bullies the first time, fair play. However I feel worrying weather you are going to be bullied again is not what you should be doing, you should be stronger from your past experience and know that you can overcome these things...

LegacyUser

Bullying is rife in the Civil Service.

The public sector is a weird wild and wonderfully spooky place where normal rules do not apply.
It's David Brent with a completely malicious edge.

There are a number of combined reasons for this:

1) HR departments were mainly focused on recruitment for a number of years and never got involved in mediation unless a solicitors letter was posted.

2) Mis-management with an intertwining of institutionalisation.(sp?)
No one is told off at a local level and told their behaviour is inacceptable. As a result some tend to think this behaviour is normal and continue with a sense of entitlement.

A good analogy would be the prison wardens in the prison service. A bullying inmate isn't going to break out and bring the whole prison down, once the prison continues as normal there is no problem.

3) Personality rather than business.
in the public sector personality is allowed to overtake the business at hand, see point 2 no one is told off.

In the public sector the best thing to do is have people afraid of you. Not in a bullying sort of way, but more like a cat marking it's territory.
The first time anyone tries it on be really really firm and direct. Like a forty year old english teacher. Seriously. Smile at those who are important and be very firm with those who try to bully.