Potential work bully

LegacyUser

I work part-time for a company, only a couple days a week. I've noticed a particular individual has gone out of their way to make me feel uncomfortable and intimidated. At first I didn't notice it as I thought a couple underhand comments were directed at somebody else but I slowly coped it was directed at me. This person doesn't know me personally but we would be aware of each other etc.

It would be small things like intimidating stares, tuts under the breath and an arrogant smirk as they notice me. Now the obvious thing would be to tackle this person but I know only too well that the simple solution to this problem (from a management perspective) would be to get rid of the temp.

I don't have to deal with this person directly but some of the paperwork I have to do goes through them eventually. A colleague did bring it to my attention that this person is looking for a reason (possibly within the paperwork) to have me gotten rid of so to speak. So as you can imagine this can be quite dangerous.

The comforting thing is that this person is known for this kind of behavior and I wouldn't be the first victim. This person is just one of those arrogant, obnoxious people that uses vile language on a daily basis. Lets just say that without been told directly from anybody, I get the impression that a reputation precedes itself.

I don't think approaching them would be a good idea, nor would loosing my head and having a real go for obvious reasons.

What do you think?

looksee

I suggest being serenely oblivious to being bullied might be the only way to go, since you don't have to work directly and you know its really not you. If this person has previous I think you would have to seriously mess up before management would take on board any complaints from the other person.

They will have had to pay to set you on, and pay again if you are replaced. Try and remain cool, professional and don't allow yourself to be fazed by this person, it would be very frustrating to be a bully if the victim didn't acknowledge they were being bullied!

jessiejam

I would go straight to someone in your HR dept about this person. Where I work and in most legit businesses, bullying is taken very seriously.

If she does chance her arm and try and get you let go for some silly reason, at least you will have a record of her behaviour on file.

In the meantime kill her with kindness.

LegacyUser

If you have HR in your company, I think you should go.

In the meantime, keep a log for your own records. Dates, times, the specifics of what the person did to you. Even if you think you can remember everything, you don't really. It all blurs after a while.

A loose definition of bullying is if it's an ongoing issue, not a one-off. You need to be able to have a piece of paper or a file that will have all the incidents on it. It's likely that this person will come out fighting fire with fire. They might claim that you're as culpable as they are, that they're the victim, that it's your imagination. Log everything.

Best of luck to you. I've been bullied in my workplace so I know how upsetting it can be. I've learned to my cost that if you let things sit, it just gives the bully leeway to turn the screw. Nip this in the bud if you can.

username123

Spend a couple of weeks logging every incident and report it.

To do nothing is the reason this person gets away with bullying. If you make it official by reporting it, the company has to deal with it properly and not by letting the temp go or they risk a lawsuit from you.

bakergirl91

when i saw this i had to respond. I was on coop last year and suffered the same thing. i worked so hard and to have someone trying to taint my good work ethic and possibly have me fail placement was extremely stressful. what i did was write every single incident down and bided my time until they really slipped up and they did. but if you feel you have good evidence then report them because your work place will have to look into it regardless ! good luck!

LegacyUser

Thanks for the responses guys.

I would be a bit wary of reporting this to anyone as my position is on tender hooks as it is. The last couple days I just played it cool, acting like I don't notice. This person hasn't done anything in the last couple days but on one occasion I was about to enter a room and I was caught midway as caught the eye of a college as I was chatting to them for a few secs. After a bit, I realised somebody was standing behind me waiting to enter the room but I was blocking. Without seeing who it was I stepped back and apologised only to see that it was the person in question. They barely muttered a response and that was that.

Hoochiemama

I just have to thing to say about your reply. You worry about being let go if you report it because you are temp. Heres the thing, you report a bully, you get let go, you bring them to court. It is against the law to fire someone for reporting a bully, temporary or not!

AnonoBoy

anti_bully wrote: »

After a bit, I realised somebody was standing behind me waiting to enter the room but I was blocking. Without seeing who it was I stepped back and apologised only to see that it was the person in question. They barely muttered a response and that was that.

They mightn't like you and might have been giving you a hard time before but there is nothing in that incident as you described it.

LegacyUser

Hoochiemama wrote: »

I just have to thing to say about your reply. You worry about being let go if you report it because you are temp. Heres the thing, you report a bully, you get let go, you bring them to court. It is against the law to fire someone for reporting a bully, temporary or not!

Well I wouldn't be let go as a result of it. They would be clever about it and my contract may not be renewed because they "no longer have enough work" or whatever. They know how to phrase these things.

LegacyUser

AnonoBoy wrote: »

They mightn't like you and might have been giving you a hard time before but there is nothing in that incident as you described it.

Well they have no reason not to like me, they simple don't know me not to like me.

I was hoping that incident I described would break the ice so to speak. I was polite and nice o them so hopefully that may cause them to rethink their preconceived notion about me.

discus

I'd report it mate. I've worked in some places that were rough enough, and bullying was always taken quite seriously, so I can imagine an office job will defo be ok to get onto HR about it.