Bullying in CS

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Administrative Officer (graduate) (general) 2022 civil service.

Avenger2020

Hi guys,

Thought I’d leave a message here for new entrants in the Civil Service. I had to leave my job in the CS due to bullying by management. My manager was constantly threatening to withhold my increment and not sending work up the line and calling me stupid. If you have the option of a well-paid job in the private sector with targets grab it. You can climb up the line faster. The CS takes years to climb the ladder and there is a lot of nasty talking going on. Often the best people leave. 5 have left my section in the last year. This included guys who studied at Cambridge. I was in a central department and HR would do nothing. I contacted a private HR specialist who said it was bullying being done very cleverly. He said to go to the WRC but that would take years and be a headache. So I just gave up and started a new job in the private sector. Best say of my life telling my manager I was leaving but he slandered me viciously amongst my colleagues before I left.

Use the CS as an opportunity to build contacts and open doors to the private sector. Don’t waste too much time with it if you are a smart/good worker. (Each situation is different though.)

I have recordings of the bullying if a journalist wants to get in contact.

Avenger2020

Having worked many years inside the Civil Service, I think this interview reflects the “toxic work practices” in some departments. It is easy to come across a bad manager or a bad interviewer. Few and far between. Don’t take it to heart. The best people leave the CS when they get experience. If I were you, I would of course report him to PAS. Maybe you are not alone. Eventually they will see such toxic managers are pushing talent out if the CS. Interrupting you while speaking is just plain rude. I have experienced it from a former manager in the CS just because I wasn’t saying exactly what he wanted to hear, which would actually have helped speed up the project! Your example may well have been relevant so please report such behaviour. Otherwise they win and there are too many in the CS to count already. Take them out when u can!

Avenger2020

Having worked many years inside the Civil Service, I think this interview reflects the “toxic work practices” in some departments. It is easy to come across a bad manager or a bad interviewer. Few and far between. Don’t take it to heart. The best people leave the CS when they get experience. If I were you, I would of course report him to PAS. Maybe you are not alone. Eventually they will see such toxic managers are pushing talent out if the CS. Interrupting you while speaking is just plain rude. I have experienced it from a former manager in the CS just because I wasn’t saying exactly what he wanted to hear, which would actually have helped speed up the project! Your example may well have been relevant so please report such behaviour. Otherwise they win and there are too many in the CS to count already. Take them out when u can!

Avenger2020

For those who got through, congratulations!! Please consider joining the union, it will really help you with integrating into the Civil Service which is rather a unique beast as the below articles will show:

http://forsatradeunion.newsweaver.com/designtest/zwfczo4mmag

http://forsatradeunion.newsweaver.com/designtest/1igljm23csc

exitstageleft

Repeating my comment here since Avenger is a fan of posting the same thing on multiple threads -

I think if you're joining the CS as an AO Forsa doesn't reflect your priorities. You'll work alongside HEOs who do exactly the same job, for the same pay, while being paid €20,000 more and with 5 extra days holidays. As far as I'm aware, Forsa negotiated and accepted this deal.

The Forsa rep for the AO grade promised great things but over a year later they've failed to deliver.

I reckon save your few hundred quid a year on membership fees.

Avenger2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120853305#Comment_120853305

Why are you so against Forsa’s work to allow Civil Servants bring bullying and harassment cases to the WRC??? This is something good for everyone in the CS. I am very certain that without Forsa it would not even be discussed. The greater the numbers Forsa represent the better the chance AOs will get access to the WRC along with many other better working conditions that are common rights in the private sector.

I am only trying to give support to new AOs by informing them about the Union. Forsa represents thousands of HEOs across the Civil Service yet very few AOs. you are correct AOs are not joining the union and so it would have a relatively weak AO contingent hence the lesser priority when Forsa are negotiating salary.

Avenger2020

The bullying in CS destroyed my life. I entered severe depression. It wasn’t work it was outright bullying. This has been independently verified by HR professionals. I found out people in other departments committed suicide over bullying. I am not letting people like you side with bully managers and block my Human Right to the workplace relations commission just so u can smile and get a promotion. People in the private sector have full access to the WRC and on double HEO pay. Ireland has not changed one bit its public sector is as dirty as ever before.

Avenger2020

I’m sick of hearing that just because most Civil Servants are good and extremely hard working (which is correct), one can do whatever the hell he wants to destroy someone’s life. This may have worked for some institutions but I believe public servants should be held accountable. There are processes that should have been followed and were not in my department. The behaviour was totally unprofessional and quite frankly disgusting. I had to leave because if anyone found out that someone could get away treating staff like this it would make me sick to say I was a CS.

And I am sick of people putting ‘alleged’ before everything to completely cancel it. I know what I experienced and I have evidence its just that I cannot take this to the WRC or even speak about it really or I loose my pension credits as I signed an official secrets form when I joined the department. It is only ‘alleged’ because I am powerless unless I go to the media and no doubt they will sully my name even further. I can’t afford the lawyers they can. In the end, my name will be dragged through the media or people will assume I was a troublemaker and I will never get a job again. Anyway I signed the official Secret s act. (I believe this is why people don’t speak up in these cases. It is better to save face.)

And If you have been following my threads you will know that I contacted HR (who would not take on the case, they tend to avoid confronting big characters with contacts in the CS.) There should be a separate branch across the CS to deal with this if the WRC is out of reach and all senior management agrees with senior management unless they take issue with the senior manager himself/herself. This is so complex I don’t think the culture will change overnight and DEI in the CS is basically greenwashing for DEI. Look at the stats, minorities are nowhere to be seen as u go up the line and Im taking about people with common disabilities as well. It is a complete disgrace.

Avenger2020

Once again I have had a completely sleepless night over remembering the bullying that went on.

I have so much proof of senior management incompetence and bullying but I cannot use it. I feel so powerless.

There needs to be access to justice for bullying cases within the CS.

CMR23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120873283#Comment_120873283

I am sorry for what you experienced. I also think you need to read the room and this is a public forum whereby people are looking for details of a campaign. I think that if you cannot let this go and maybe you shouldn't - I don't know but this forum is not a place to address these issues. Mental health professionals and qualified persons to deal with these issues such as these is where you should be looking.

There are good police in the US - there are awful, power hungry police in the US.

There are good people working in the field of AI - there are evil people working in that field.

There are good people within the civil service and there are unkind, manipulative people working there.

Your experience is valid. Your feelings are valid. However, coming into a forum for information about a campaign is not where you should be constantly harping on about this. You are forcing your experience onto others and your incessant comments detract from other people's queries and well intentioned help of others.

Avenger2020

Moderator

please call this thread Bullying in the Civil Service rather than ‘Bullying in CS’ as otherwise people may not find it.

Again, i have emails from an official saying language used by the Minister was not suitable for the Department. More officials going against Ministerial orders. Time the opposition get in might sort this kinda thing out.

SortingYouOut

This isn't close to my experience of the Civil Service at all.

OP, be careful not to assume all cases are like yours and deter people from what could potentially be a promising career over your bad experience.

Avenger2020

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Avenger2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120911996#Comment_120911996

Hello,

we are not talking about the good experiences in the Civil Service or the Civil Service in general. Is your statement meant to shut me up? The title is very clear: it refers to a specific case of bullying in the Civil Service. 

I’m a woman but I’m not flooding message boards for survivors of coercive control saying my life as a woman has been great and my partner is great. So it must be their fault right! 

The internet is full of small minded people. Its obvious this is not a platform for change. I’m happy to let it be. The bully is no longer my problem. Some other poor girl will have to deal with him! Haha all the best.