Inappropriate emails between team member and supervisor.

jordata

I work as part of a small team doing shift work in a call-centre type place. Shifts cover 24 hours so we share desks. It has been noticed that there are inappropriate emails being sent from one team member to the supervisor about other team members. The supervisor’s replies are just as bad. This was noticed accidentally when the operator left her desk without closing her mail, no intentional snooping went on.
Basically these emails pass hurtful comments on other team members, their appearance, how they are doing their job, etc. Were these comments made directly to the other team members it would be considered bullying.
What can we do about this? The concern is that the person who noticed these emails might get in trouble for reading someone else’s mail. She is not too computer-savvy and of all the people on the team would be the least likely to notice the email account open was not hers. These emails are being sent on the work email accounts not personal ones.
Can anyone advise where we stand and what we can do? Obviously going to the supervisor is not an option as she is part of the problem.
Thank you.

fguihen

Has the supervisor shown any of this hostility/unappriciation towards this person? If not then I dont know if there is anything you can do.

Everyone is allowed to have personal opinions on other people, im sure you have plenty on people you know, good and bad.

Until the supervisor displays this attitude by treating this person differently for no good reason there is nothing you can do about this.
If the supervisor singles out this person for all extra unpaid overtime, or passes over them for promotion with no valid reason, then you have to assume the supervisor has an opinion, but is not letting it affect their professional judgment.

Unless you have examples where this opinion is affecting their treatment of this employee....?

Gurgle

jordata wrote: »

This was noticed accidentally when the operator left her desk without closing her mail, no intentional snooping went on.

No, of course not.
Its so easy to accidentally read emails as you walk by someones desk.

Honestly, I have no patience for this kind of shìt. You haven't been harassed or bullied, this reads just like some lazy fecker who just heard the 'Ka-Ching' sound.

Can anyone advise where we stand and what we can do? Obviously going to the supervisor is not an option as she is part of the problem.

I'd advise you & your friends to get your shìt together and do your jobs properly.

Consider this 'accidental' reading of the e-mail as a lucky break - you got to see where you're going wrong before the time comes around for your performance review.

Otis Driftwood

Gurgle wrote: »

No, of course not.
Its so easy to accidentally read emails as you walk by someones desk.

Honestly, I have no patience for this kind of shìt. You haven't been harassed or bullied, this reads just like some lazy fecker who just heard the 'Ka-Ching' sound.


I'd advise you & your friends to get your shìt together and do your jobs properly.

Consider this 'accidental' reading of the e-mail as a lucky break - you got to see where you're going wrong before the time comes around for your performance review.

:rolleyes:
Jesus Christ,get a fcukin grip will ya.
Under no circumstances should a supervisor be commenting on other peoples performance with anyone other than other supervisors or with management.
This shows bias,whether you are too blind and/or naive to see it or not.

The emails wernt "accidentally" read as you so condescendingly put it,the OP said they share desks and computers and that the other person didnt properly log off.I will agree whoever saw the emails shouldnt have read them though.

these emails pass hurtful comments on other team members, their appearance

This is tantamount to bullying.If the supervisor has an issue with staff members appearance then this is a matter for discussion with the supervisor and the individual in question but from the sounds of things its not something as simple as not dressing appropriatly,it sounds as if the supervisor and the other person are bitching and sneering about how people look physically.Like the OP stated,if these types of comments were made to a persons face then disciplinary action could and should be taken.

OP,you and your co-workers need to have a think about the last few months and decide if the supervisor has been treating the other person favourably compared to other staff members or if the supervisor has been picking on anyone in particular.

The fact of the matter is that the supervisor has been conducting themselves in a highly inappropriate manner and if you or your co-workers can prove instances of bias or unfair treatment then you need to report it to the higher powers in your company.

Ignore everything Gurgle has said,its blatantly obvious that they havnt a clue about matters like this.

KarlDrake

fguihen wrote: »

Everyone is allowed to have personal opinions on other people, im sure you have plenty on people you know, good and bad.

Be that as it may, not on work mail. There's an electronic trail and the servers will hold all this information.
If unionised the OP should seek advice and use FOI to get senior management to look at this email trail. How these emails were found should be irrelevant.

Alternatively, you could just put it down to experience, remember, no matter who you are, there's always someone who thinks you're a gobsh*te.

damnyanks

If it really bothers them just say the supervisor or staff member made the comments. HR look into it and they see the e-mail.

Gurgle

damnyanks wrote: »

If it really bothers them just say the supervisor or staff member made the comments. HR look into it and they see the e-mail.

Yes, good plan.
Lie, get someone in trouble, get an investigation started and.... KA-CHING!!!

damnyanks

You wouldn't get a settlement from this. Just a simple caution would be put in place. It's inappropriate for the supervisor to be engaging in such activities. They should know that their mail is monitored and should treat it as such.

Nonoperational

I would probably say it to the supervisor and then let it at that.

Otis Driftwood

Gurgle wrote: »

Yes, good plan.
Lie, get someone in trouble, get an investigation started and.... KA-CHING!!!

Oh for Gods sake.

Lie.
Lie about what exactly,that the supervisor was making inappropriate comments about staff?Emmmm,they were.

Get someone in trouble.
They are using company equipment to talk shit about other staff.Its proper procedure if action is taken.

Get an investigation started.
Too right.Everyone has a right to reply on this,staff and supervisor alike.

Ka-ching.
You are obviously watching too much American TV and that coupled with your blatant lack of even the most basic knowledge regarding employment law means you really cant comment on this.Going by your posts,you dont have a clue TBH.

Hal1

Forward the mails to All. That'll learn 'em.

AARRRGH

You're probably more likely to get fired for reading your supervisors e-mail. No one is going to buy the "I read them accidentally" line. It is impossible to read a bunch of e-mails on someone elses computer accidentally.

JJJJNR

OP - print off all the bitchy emails and just say you found them at the printer, it cannot be proven otherwise and get your work mates together and make a formal complaint about it.

Tough S*** for not locking her PC, time to teach them a lesson in IT security.

AARRRGH

JJJJNR wrote: »

OP - print off all the bitchy emails and just say you found them at the printer, it cannot be proven otherwise and get your work mates together and make a formal complaint about it.

Tough S*** for not locking her PC, time to teach them a lesson in IT security.

Bad idea.

1. It's childish.
2. It's a sackable offence.
3. She may be able to prove she was not at her computer when the e-mails were printed (a network log will record the time of printing) which could result in everyone being called to meet with HR one-on-one to find out who printed the e-mails.

sunnyjim

Gurgle wrote: »

Yes, good plan.
Lie, get someone in trouble, get an investigation started and.... KA-CHING!!!

Well said Gurgle.

This is not tantamount to bullying (nice line though nedtheshed, surely you're the local shop steward...). It's essentially private correspondance between 2 staff. This "just noticed" business is what I'd be more concerned about - you take umbrage to 2 people having a private conversation, yet you see no problem with your colleagues working their way through anyones inbox? And damnyanks, you are suggesting that people lie in order to get an investigation going? Niiiiiiice.

Jordata, maybe you should grow a pair.

Jordata wrote:

Were these comments made directly to the other team members it would be considered bullying.
What can we do about this? The concern is that the person who noticed these emails might get in trouble for reading someone else’s mail.

And damn right they should. You'd be up in arms if you had left your phone on the table and had read through your inbox. You are worried that someone might get in trouble for privacy invasion? You should be, because that is something that employment law does cover. It's there for reasons like that, it doesn't cover petty in-house bitching and biting by stingy, compensation hungry.... I'll leave the rest out.

HashSlinging

AARRRGH wrote: »

Bad idea.

1. It's childish.
2. It's a sackable offence.
3. She may be able to prove she was not at her computer when the e-mails were printed (a network log will record the time of printing) which could result in everyone being called to meet with HR one-on-one to find out who printed the e-mails.

Its a "sackable" offence to leave your computer unlocked in most companies, for this specific reason, they wouldn't have any proof that she printed it off and they could never produce evidence to support it, even if they could it would come up under the offenders username and computer not the OP.. Print it off, store it somewhere for a couple of days...oohh looky what I found on the photocopier.. x20 copies

AARRRGH

HashSlinging wrote: »

Its a "sackable" offence to leave your computer unlocked in most companies

Come on now, don't be silly...

HashSlinging wrote: »

they wouldn't have any proof that she printed it off and they could never produce evidence to support it

All it takes is a bit of pressure from HR and someone on the team will rat out the person who printed the e-mails.

Anyway, printing the e-mails is a stupid idea. If a member of staff and a supervisor want to have a private e-mail conversation, that's their business.

If you can't stand the truth, don't go reading other people's e-mails looking for things they've written about you.

kittenkiller

It's not nice and it's silly.

You could mention it to someone who's do something about it, but then you'd look bad.
In this day and age, I'd keep my head down and forget about it.
Maybe even take some of the criticisms about the quality of work on board and grow from it.