Bullying and intimidation in work

dave10

Hi all,

For the past 2 years I have been subject to bullying, paranoia, irrational behaviour, physical assault (on one occasion), disrespect, laughed at in meetings and intimidation. I have escalated each issue to my HR manager but nothing seems to be getting done about it. My HR is based in the UK which makes things very difficult. I have plenty of emails detailing each issue I've had and among them are 2 formal complaints that I have made. Each time these have been sent on and HR got onto it straight away but it doesn't seem as if they are giving warnings to these individuals, more like just talking with them and telling them don't do it anymore.
I have tried to sit down and talk to them to resolve the situation with my supervisor at the beginning but it was met by a brick wall. It is useless talking to them about it. On one occasion, I took one of them aside to have a reasonable chat regarding work and from there the individual got agitated with me and turned aggressive. I realised where this chat was going so I tried to leave. He held the door shut on me so I couldn't go. So I went for another door and he followed me and held that door shut too. When I threatened to talk to my boss, he allowed me to leave but as I was walking out he tried to trip me and I stumbled out the door. This left me very shook up and that was when I made my first formal complaint...nothing was done. Since then I escalated all issues I had and I expressed how I was feeling and still nothing was being done about it. I was made team leader which put me as an authority figure in charge of the individual but they constantly gave me hell. I didn't receive the back up I needed to resolve the issues therefore 2 years later it's still continuing.
I recently went for a managerial job in the same building to get away from these 2 but I found out in order to get the job I had also still supervise my old department including them. It got me down and feeling even more stressed than before as I thought I'd have a fresh start. Obviously I'm not that lucky. I sent an email to my HR stating that I refuse to work with them any longer as they cannot act as a team.

Over all I'm quite stressed out all the time, I haven't gone to a doctor at all about it but I was wondering is there any legal action I can take? All I want is to have a normal day in work. They have had so many chances and I simply don't have any time for them. I found out lately that my HR is introducing procedures that they will have to follow. There was supposed to be a conf call today but I sent another email this morning and told them how I felt about the situation and it was postponed for 2 weeks.

All of this could have been handled better from the beginning. I'm leaving a lot out but you probably get the point of it anyway.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Janedoe10

Dave . This I guess is private company . Is there a union ? At all . As long as u document all that happens and u all ready have a paper trail with the emails file them too . u defo don't need the stress of this .

dave10

I work for a recruitment agency that is based in the UK. It is their HR that i deal with. I'm outsourced to a company in Dublin.
I have all the emails I have sent printed and in chronological order.
Unfortunately all replies by HR was via phone and I was stupid enough not to take a record of them. My emails were reviewed by a colleague to ensure that they were not unreasonable. A few of my colleagues have left because of this behaviour as some of it was directed towards them.

I don't really want to sue or go to court over this, I would settle for those 2 gone so I can carry on normally.

Clauric

OP, sorry to hear what is happening to you. It is terrible.

I suggest that you contact the head of HR. Title the email as a "Final Formal Complaint". In the email outline the entire problem, from start to finish, with the dates that you sent the emails to them. Ask them what has been done to address the problems and what they intend to do address the problems given the current situation.

I would also remind them that bullying in the workplace is unacceptable and that they are responsible for the behaviour of their employees (and contractors/sub-contractors on site).

I would ask the company to specify what actions it took on each occasion that you made a complaint, and what actions it intends to take given the totality of the complaints. The company should be given a set date by which it must respond, and that it must respond in a set manner (e.g. email, or formal letter). If the response is not received by the date set out, set out the specific actions that you will take (e.g. NERA, Rights Commissioners, Employment Tribunal, legal advice, etc. - take your pick).

I would also send the email to both the CEO/MD of the company, as well as any inhouse legal adviser that they may have. You might also consider including your boss, or the head of the company in Ireland, or the people you are sub-contracted to. This could include their CEO/MD.

Hopefully this helps OP.

Mrs OBumble

dave10 wrote: »

I work for a recruitment agency that is based in the UK. It is their HR that i deal with. I'm outsourced to a company in Dublin.
I have all the emails I have sent printed and in chronological order.
Unfortunately all replies by HR was via phone and I was stupid enough not to take a record of them. My emails were reviewed by a colleague to ensure that they were not unreasonable. A few of my colleagues have left because of this behaviour as some of it was directed towards them.

I don't really want to sue or go to court over this, I would settle for those 2 gone so I can carry on normally.

Dave10, a quick question; are "those two" employees of the agency, or of the client who you are outsourced to?

If it's the latter, then your HR people may have very little recourse, even though they are responsible for providing you with a safe workign environment. Their only option may be to pull you off the site, and if that happens it's possible that they won't have any other work for you.

Have you tried complaining directly to the manager of "those 2"?

Atlantis50

dave10 wrote: »

Hi all,

For the past 2 years I have been subject to bullying, paranoia, irrational behaviour, physical assault (on one occasion), disrespect, laughed at in meetings and intimidation. I have escalated each issue to my HR manager but nothing seems to be getting done about it. My HR is based in the UK which makes things very difficult. I have plenty of emails detailing each issue I've had and among them are 2 formal complaints that I have made. Each time these have been sent on and HR got onto it straight away but it doesn't seem as if they are giving warnings to these individuals, more like just talking with them and telling them don't do it anymore.
I have tried to sit down and talk to them to resolve the situation with my supervisor at the beginning but it was met by a brick wall. It is useless talking to them about it. On one occasion, I took one of them aside to have a reasonable chat regarding work and from there the individual got agitated with me and turned aggressive. I realised where this chat was going so I tried to leave. He held the door shut on me so I couldn't go. So I went for another door and he followed me and held that door shut too. When I threatened to talk to my boss, he allowed me to leave but as I was walking out he tried to trip me and I stumbled out the door. This left me very shook up and that was when I made my first formal complaint...nothing was done. Since then I escalated all issues I had and I expressed how I was feeling and still nothing was being done about it. I was made team leader which put me as an authority figure in charge of the individual but they constantly gave me hell. I didn't receive the back up I needed to resolve the issues therefore 2 years later it's still continuing.
I recently went for a managerial job in the same building to get away from these 2 but I found out in order to get the job I had also still supervise my old department including them. It got me down and feeling even more stressed than before as I thought I'd have a fresh start. Obviously I'm not that lucky. I sent an email to my HR stating that I refuse to work with them any longer as they cannot act as a team.

Over all I'm quite stressed out all the time, I haven't gone to a doctor at all about it but I was wondering is there any legal action I can take? All I want is to have a normal day in work. They have had so many chances and I simply don't have any time for them. I found out lately that my HR is introducing procedures that they will have to follow. There was supposed to be a conf call today but I sent another email this morning and told them how I felt about the situation and it was postponed for 2 weeks.

All of this could have been handled better from the beginning. I'm leaving a lot out but you probably get the point of it anyway.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

This may sound Harsh, but you need to man up and tell them you're not going to put up with their sh!t anymore.

Call them into your office and put your foot down. Tell them you'll make their life a living hell every day in work if they continue bullying you. Turn the tables on them, if you like. Get angry. Bang your fist on the desk. As bullies are cowards, they will probably be shocked by your new 'take no sh!t' attitude. Let them know you will have them fired if this continues.

Tom Harward

how can they view your emails?

dave10 wrote: »

I work for a recruitment agency that is based in the UK. It is their HR that i deal with. I'm outsourced to a company in Dublin.
I have all the emails I have sent printed and in chronological order.
Unfortunately all replies by HR was via phone and I was stupid enough not to take a record of them. My emails were reviewed by a colleague to ensure that they were not unreasonable. A few of my colleagues have left because of this behaviour as some of it was directed towards them.

I don't really want to sue or go to court over this, I would settle for those 2 gone so I can carry on normally.

clairebearxxx

contact NERA for advice on what to do. Or seek legal advice if your HR is doing nothing.

dave10

JustMary wrote: »

Dave10, a quick question; are "those two" employees of the agency, or of the client who you are outsourced to?

If it's the latter, then your HR people may have very little recourse, even though they are responsible for providing you with a safe workign environment. Their only option may be to pull you off the site, and if that happens it's possible that they won't have any other work for you.

Have you tried complaining directly to the manager of "those 2"?

They are with the same agency as myself. I have tried getting it sorted out but it seems that every time my HR talks to them about it then it quietens down for a while but starts back up again. I have sent email after email to them and to me it seems pointless. On a few occasions my HR have gotten back to me in regards to the nature of the emails claiming they were aggressive. Clearly they were not as I got 2 of my previous colleagues to look over them and they said there was nothing aggressive in my emails.

dave10

Atlantis50 wrote: »

This may sound Harsh, but you need to man up and tell them you're not going to put up with their sh!t anymore.

Call them into your office and put your foot down. Tell them you'll make their life a living hell every day in work if they continue bullying you. Turn the tables on them, if you like. Get angry. Bang your fist on the desk. As bullies are cowards, they will probably be shocked by your new 'take no sh!t' attitude. Let them know you will have them fired if this continues.

Been there, tried it but it doesn't really work tbh. Also I think it's never the way to deal with these situations. I get what you're saying but that could end up back firing on me then they can go to HR and complain about this approach to them. I'm not willing to stoop to their level, at the end of the day, I can't afford to be unprofessional in dealing with these kind of people.

Atlantis50

dave10 wrote: »

Been there, tried it but it doesn't really work tbh. Also I think it's never the way to deal with these situations. I get what you're saying but that could end up back firing on me then they can go to HR and complain about this approach to them. I'm not willing to stoop to their level, at the end of the day, I can't afford to be unprofessional in dealing with these kind of people.

Fair enough. If you've tried it and it didn't work, not worth repeating I suppose.

Once people have decided on a persons character and behaviour (someone who'll take all sh!t thrown at them with no retaliation, someone who'll take it up to a point/certain level and then retaliate and someone not to be messed with) it's very difficult to change their opinion.

If you have a problem with their behaviour you should send them the email outlining your complaint (for your records) and then walk up to them to reiterate what you have said in the email. Just sending them an email is too easy for them. Best discuss the problems man to man.

Also, if they disrespect you by laughing at you in meetings, call them on their behaviour right there, on the spot. Don't wait later for an email expresssing your displeasure at their behaviour.

Good luck.