Boss Ignoring Me

Dr.Tom

Long story short..............

I was put on a three day week 8 weeks back and this lasted for only 3 weeks. The way in which the transition form 5 day week to 3 day week was handled by the production manager was a disgrace and 22 employees were left extremely put out over it. I wrote a letter to the boss (family run business) and let my feelings known.

Since then the production manager has totally ignored me and continues to do so,excludes me from work and other production related activities and gets other people to ask me/direct me to do work. I called directly to the company boss and let them know the story last week. Still nothing back. We have no HR depratment or no dignity and respect act or any grievance procedures etc.

What do I do now?? Ignoring someone is an act of aggression in the sense that it is done intentionally and is hateful in nature. Is there not some sort of workplace bullying that falls under the term "isolation bullying"

Dr.Tom

Anybody gimme a hand here??

Irish_Elect_Eng

Are you seriously surprised that the production manager has the hump?

Dr.Tom

Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »

Are you seriously surprised that the production manager has the hump?

Thanks for stating the obvious :rolleyes: Im surprised by his lack of management skills and higher managements acknowledgement that there is indeed a problem that needs addressing. As a manager he has a duty of care to me as an employee,this is being overlooked by everyone. I work in a place where does who speak up get sent to Coventry by the production manager but I plan on getting the first ticket out of here .......legally

Dr.Tom

Actually just looking at this thread I think it should be in the "Work Problems" section. My apologies. Can this be moved please

Mrs OBumble

Moved.

But if you want a legal remedy, then you need to see a lawyer, not us.

If you want pragmatic advice about how to resolve the situation .. good luck with the job hunting.

tricky D

From an employee handbook I have:

Indirect bullying can include:

• setting impossible deadlines.
• persistent and unfair criticism or condemnation.
• unfair selection for unpleasant task.
• constantly changing work deadlines.
• ignoring or excluding an individual.
• communicating only through a third party.
• refusing or cancelling leave for no discernible reason.

Keep a diary of relevant incidents.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Dr.Tom wrote: »

Thanks for stating the obvious :rolleyes: Im surprised by his lack of management skills and higher managements acknowledgement that there is indeed a problem that needs addressing. As a manager he has a duty of care to me as an employee,this is being overlooked by everyone. I work in a place where does who speak up get sent to Coventry by the production manager but I plan on getting the first ticket out of here .......legally

My point is that managers are people too, together with all the vulnerabilities, weaknesses and flaws that make us all human.

Can you put yourself in his shoes and imagine how difficult it may have been for him to put the workforce on a 3 day week, he may have seen this as a personal failure on his part, a failure in the sense that the business was not doing well enough to keep everyone working full time. You do not state how this was "handled badly", but I am sure that it was no fun for him or the owners either.

Perhaps he put most folks on a 3 day week to be fair, rather than let go a few workers?

Perhaps he fought with the owners trying to keep everyone on full time and then having lost the battle was not thinking clearly when he passed on the news?

Then try to imagine how he felt when the owner walked into his office with your letter......perhaps he criticized him, perhaps he gave him a roasting, perhaps he threatened to fire him...perhaps he laughed at him.... perhaps they laughed together, who knows.

But I'm sure that he felt strongly about the letter... be it anger, hurt, betrayed, wounded, pissed off, embarrassed who can know for sure....

Maybe he does not look forward to speaking with you because he dislikes confrontation or is embarrassed, and seeks to avoid making things worse by acting through others?

• What would you have felt?
• What would you have done?

• Honestly?

Laneyh

Dr.Tom wrote: »

Long story short..............

I was put on a three day week 8 weeks back and this lasted for only 3 weeks. The way in which the transition form 5 day week to 3 day week was handled by the production manager was a disgrace and 22 employees were left extremely put out over it. I wrote a letter to the boss (family run business) and let my feelings known.

Since then the production manager has totally ignored me and continues to do so,excludes me from work and other production related activities and gets other people to ask me/direct me to do work. I called directly to the company boss and let them know the story last week. Still nothing back. We have no HR depratment or no dignity and respect act or any grievance procedures etc.

What do I do now?? Ignoring someone is an act of aggression in the sense that it is done intentionally and is hateful in nature. Is there not some sort of workplace bullying that falls under the term "isolation bullying"

You should have some sort of grievance procedure is there nothing in your contract ? The managers response doesn't sound too professional or mature but you may have bypassed protocol in going straight the business owner

How did the other 22 people handle their dissatisfaction with the situation ?

the_syco

Dr.Tom wrote: »

I was put on a three day week 8 weeks back and this lasted for only 3 weeks.

Instead of letting people go, probably as they hoped the problem wouldn't last long, they put everyone on a 3 day week.

No doubt your boss was under a load of pressure when this happened.

Dr.Tom wrote: »

I wrote a letter to the boss (family run business) and let my feelings known.

In return for not letting you go, you wrote him a letter to let your "feelings known".

I'd thread carefully, incase the next time business slows down, the boss has to let people go.