Mad to leave Job?

LegacyUser

Hi
I work for a local government job so have brill perks and it's a permanent job so I know I'm really lucky but the office is really small about 25 people in total and it's all open plan. We're not allowed to talk to each other or make private phonecalls. Every letter I type has to be checked by a supervisor who is terrified to make a decision so has to run everything by the head of HR who is also the head of the place and a total bully. This head is in a clique with the CEO and three other woman and together the five of them rule the place with their bullying and hateful personalities. They make life hell for the ordinary decent people in there. You have to be a loudmouth bully to get ahead and I'm just not like that.
I keep getting so much work to take on and am other feirce pressure while the rest in my section get away with murder. When I complain to my supervisor, she has to run to the HR manager who piles more work on top of me or witholds it till the deadline is just up then piles it all on me to do!! They really are evil people we are dealing with here. The CEO is a fat little bully who hasn't a clue how things work in there because he is rarely there, when he comes in he shouts orders at us all and demands the window beside me is opened even though his office is the other side of the room and the window doesn't effect him, so I'm left there freezing!!
Sorry for the rant, I really hate it so much and want to leave but everyone tells me I'm mad to leave a permanent government job. The thing is I can't even complain to HR becasue the cow that is over it is one of the bullys.
I have a mortgage and a child so I have responsibilities, I prob would have left long ago if I didn't have any.
Another thing they do is take on their friends, children even though there is an embargo on and no-one is allowed to be taken on! And they shout about people's personal problems in HR for the rest of us to hear. The CEO is the worlds worst for this.
Any advise?

looksee

Maybe you need to think about this some more. On the one hand you have a permanent job and a mortgage to consider, on the other you don't like your bosses. You are not saying you don't like the work, and you have, as you say, some perks with the job.

You maybe don't want to hear this, but would you think about your attitude to your colleagues and bosses. You are doing all the work and the others are sitting around? Why would that be? You are not complaining about those people, just the bosses, I wonder is it strictly accurate that 'the rest of the section get away with murder'.

Could it possibly be that you have an attitude at work, you are glowering and suffering while the others just quietly get on with the work. I wonder are you so busy hating the bosses that your work is suffering? Have any of your colleagues seriously complained about the situation, or are you the only one who can see all the injustice?

Look at the words you are using - 'fat little bully', evil, cow, hateful personalities. These are not reasonable descriptions of people you work with - yes maybe in an occasional gripe over the coffee break, but not in a supposedly reasoned discussion about whether you should leave a good job.

Does the supervisor check everyone's work, or just yours? I am sure she has better things to be doing than checking straightforward typing, in a permanent job you should be able to work at a level that does not need checking.

How many times have the various incidents that you relate actually happened? Could it be that you have been 'collecting' issues until you have made a mountain of them?

If I am completely wrong, then I apologise. I am not making light of your problem, but there are issues in every job, and you just have to work with or round them, or, indeed, leave.

bocky

I believe you are in a very difficult situation.If there is a Union, I would seek advice from them. I would consider the advice carefully, you don't want to get yourself in more trouble - which could happen as well.HR won't be able to help you anyways, they would take the managers side in this.Here is a phone number that you can use - 01 6136700. Its for people who are suffering bulling in the work placeBest of luck

looksee

The phone number in the last post is for the Freedom of Information section of the Labour Relations Commission.

Poster possibly intended to link to http://www.lrc.ie/documents/publications/codes/6Bullying.pdf

which is the code of practise for dealing with bullying. It suggests going through management, but since your CEO is part of the problem you may wish to approach your Union.

InReality

your not allowed to talk to each other ?
that seems a bit extreme.
how long has the job been this 'bad' ?

mikemac

Job from Hell wrote: »

Hi
Every letter I type has to be checked by a supervisor

Do the supervisors check everyones work?
You are a full time professional so surely they know you can write a letter on your own

Job from Hell wrote: »

The CEO is a fat little bully

the window beside me is opened even though his office is the other side of the room and the window doesn't effect him, so I'm left there freezing!!

The thing is I can't even complain to HR becasue the cow that is over it is one of the bullys.

They really are evil people we are dealing with here.

Look at what you are typing.
Your CEO is fat and short, how is that relevant? You have issues with their professional ability and that's fine. But resorting to personal comments??
People are not evil.
As for the window, people will complain whether it's closed or open, every office has people (always women) complaining they are freezing and then close the window.

I'm not saying you don't have vaild complaints but from reading this you seem to believe you are persecuted here.
How are your teammates getting on? Did they keep the head down and do their job without drama?

Since HR won't help go to your union rep.
Before you do, then calm down and think exactly what you want to say.
Too much an emotional rant, you have to be calm and clear when you list your issues to the rep and what you expect done.
You won't be taken seriously if you lash in dramatic words like evil and fat.

littlemissfixit

At any other times, I would probably have said that it is important to be happy in your workplace, to feel valued and appreciated. And nothing stops you to look for something else while keeping your job. Or maybe just ranting about it once in a while will make you feel sufficiently better to put up with it.
But don't kid yourself, there is very few jobs out there, and while for many years the employees might have had a bit of an upper hand because they could leave a job and be confident to find another one fairly quickly, roles have changed and most employers know that there is hundreds of candidates for any jobs, therefor making any employee less valuable and certainly not irreplaceable. It's a pity, but it's likely to have changed the attitude of a lot of bosses out there. Although the no conversation and no private phone calls is something you could expect to find in many workplaces, after all you are there to do a job, not to take care of your social life. But keep in mind another job could be just as bad or worst and you wont know before you start, sometimes, maybe better the devil you know.

Take it from me, any job at the moment is better than no job at all. But I would say to you, look around for another job, send cvs and if you have a better offer, than you are taking a lesser risk than to just quit your job!

Good luck with everything!

superbad50

I would put your complaints or some of your concerns in writing and either email or post to whoever looks after such issues. state it is causing a great deal of stress and anxiety. It is then up to the company to solve the issue or else they may be liable , down the line of harassment or bullying to a member staff. most companies nowadays take such issues extremely seriously.

Try and talk to your colleagues and express how you are feeling and how there behaviour , you feel towards you is affecting your work. in this day and age there is no reason why you should have to work under these conditions. You need to be more outspoken how you feel whether you are that type of person or not. You will probably find you will gain more respect from speaking up for yourself.

we all have enough stresses and pressures outside of work without having to deal with constant anxieties from daily work life .

the click is present in all companies but just because a certain group stick together and try enforce bullying techniques does not mean that it is right or you should go along with it just because it is more hassle to speak out

northdubgal

Since you are working for the government, is there any chance you can apply for a transfer to a different department?? Least that way you still have your permanent job and probably the same benefits?