Workplace bullying
I'm not sure if this is a correct forum for this but I don't know where else to put it.
I believe I am dealing currently with workplace bullying. I'm a temporary worker and recently my hours have been cut to where I'm no longer working full-time. My manager seems to be singling me out for no reason. She doesn't yell or scream, but she is very manipulative and has said some rather nasty/rude remarks to me that I don't appreciate. Whenever she tells me to do something, she comes less than 5 minutes later and tells me to do something else.
Now I know that things can happen on a whim in a busy workplace,but this was different. She told me, for example, that I would have to leave early one day because there was no work. She said I could go on my lunch break and come back to finish what I was working on, then leave. About 10 minutes later, she comes into the break room to tell me that there is no point in me staying, and that I would need to leave. I told her that I had already taken out my lunch (I had made soup in the microwave). I had barely started eating. She expected me to throw all my food away, apparently. I was given a snark smirk in reply and told, "well you can sit and eat here all you want, you will not get paid for it."
This may not be an extreme example, but she expected me to get up and leave after I had opened my lunch. If that's the case why didn't she just tell me to leave before I went on break? I am the only individual who is getting my hours cut, and I don't know if it's because she is selectively discriminating against me or there is more to it than that. I believe it's a combination of both. I am seeing a lot of selective discrimination around where I work.
Granted, I'm not the only person she has harassed like this. But she is doing it to me more and more recently, and some of the technicians are starting to notice but not say anything. I've been looking for a permanent position since I graduated with a Bachelors 1 1/2 years ago. I've only been doing this contract position for a few months now.
As far as I know, I can't go and report her behavior to anyone at the company. Human Resources only exists to protect the company and upper management, not the non-management workers. It hurts me even more that I am a temporary worker, because I have no worker's rights that permanents do. So it's pretty acceptable to verbally, physically, etc. abuse temporaries as far as I know. Going to HR will have them label me as a whiner or troublemaker, and probably fired from my position. I definitely can't confront my manager or her manager. Stuck with no where to go other than to look for a real job as I have been doing.
How am I supposed to deal with people like this?
I believe I am dealing currently with workplace bullying. I'm a temporary worker and recently my hours have been cut to where I'm no longer working full-time. My manager seems to be singling me out for no reason. She doesn't yell or scream, but she is very manipulative and has said some rather nasty/rude remarks to me that I don't appreciate. Whenever she tells me to do something, she comes less than 5 minutes later and tells me to do something else.
Now I know that things can happen on a whim in a busy workplace,but this was different. She told me, for example, that I would have to leave early one day because there was no work. She said I could go on my lunch break and come back to finish what I was working on, then leave. About 10 minutes later, she comes into the break room to tell me that there is no point in me staying, and that I would need to leave. I told her that I had already taken out my lunch (I had made soup in the microwave). I had barely started eating. She expected me to throw all my food away, apparently. I was given a snark smirk in reply and told, "well you can sit and eat here all you want, you will not get paid for it."
This may not be an extreme example, but she expected me to get up and leave after I had opened my lunch. If that's the case why didn't she just tell me to leave before I went on break? I am the only individual who is getting my hours cut, and I don't know if it's because she is selectively discriminating against me or there is more to it than that. I believe it's a combination of both. I am seeing a lot of selective discrimination around where I work.
Granted, I'm not the only person she has harassed like this. But she is doing it to me more and more recently, and some of the technicians are starting to notice but not say anything. I've been looking for a permanent position since I graduated with a Bachelors 1 1/2 years ago. I've only been doing this contract position for a few months now.
As far as I know, I can't go and report her behavior to anyone at the company. Human Resources only exists to protect the company and upper management, not the non-management workers. It hurts me even more that I am a temporary worker, because I have no worker's rights that permanents do. So it's pretty acceptable to verbally, physically, etc. abuse temporaries as far as I know. Going to HR will have them label me as a whiner or troublemaker, and probably fired from my position. I definitely can't confront my manager or her manager. Stuck with no where to go other than to look for a real job as I have been doing.
How am I supposed to deal with people like this?
: Workplace bullying
Bully Online is an excellent resource. However, it is not easy to deal with workplace bullying no matter how many recourses you have, even if you have allies among your co-workers (even if they all are). Unless the offense falls under harassment (that is defined by law and your personnel policies) what she is doing is not illegal. Please note that the website is based in the UK so any legal info they have applies to them.
So, what can you do? Document, document, document. What was said and/or done and by whom, the time, the place, any witnesses. It will seem petty. One incident by itself will seem silly and as thought you make mountains out of molehills or can't deal with authority or with life but keep documenting. Add things that have happened in the past to the best of your recollection. Make a list of people you've seen her do this to or those that seem to notice how she treats you but don't see them as allies yet; most people want to avoid drama or becoming a target themselves.
So, what can you do? Document, document, document. What was said and/or done and by whom, the time, the place, any witnesses. It will seem petty. One incident by itself will seem silly and as thought you make mountains out of molehills or can't deal with authority or with life but keep documenting. Add things that have happened in the past to the best of your recollection. Make a list of people you've seen her do this to or those that seem to notice how she treats you but don't see them as allies yet; most people want to avoid drama or becoming a target themselves.
Workplace bullying 
When I was a child I used to be bullied in school. As I grew up, I thought that finally I was set free from harassment but only I found college raging. After that, company work may bring me to face employee harassment... Everywhere in life there is an exploitation. Funny, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Jimmie Menon
Payroll Providers Guelph