There is ALWAYS one... I have a woman in my office who has been there for nearly 10 years (Me only 4 months), she has all the relations to the senior (Authority) staff members, except her supervisor. Her supervisor is my supervisor. Our supervisor has been tortured by her and now treads very carefully around this women... To the point of lying to her, just so she doesn't upset her. This co worker whispers to other co workers all day long, she never fully explains to me the job she has given, talks in riddles, sometimes she will explain to me a task as she is doing it - Only new, she goes to quickly and I miss steps and when I ask her a question, she gets frustrated or just tells me not to worry about that bit. We had training and in training she announce how someone in the office had done a task wrong. I knew it was me, so I owned it there and then. She shrugged it off in front of everyone. She knew and never told me previous to her grand standing that I had done the job incorrectly... Even 4 months on, I have had trouble with a particular task and each time I ask for help, she will just do it herself without coming to me or asking me to go to her to explain what I maybe doing wrong. So today when I bought it up with the supervisor when she was walking past how I had trouble with my program as she lead me to believe this was the case, she announced she could let me know what was happening.... She bloody well knew the whole time what I was doing wrong each time and never told me!
I have even seeked assistance from our other work site, with the person who does the same role as the co worker. The assistance I was needing was to do a report for another section. The person needing the report had already seeked assistance from the co worker, but she didn't get any answers so had gone to our supervisor. Who then had myself, supervisor and other section staff member in a secret closed door meeting to not upset the co worker. So when I got permission to go over to the other site to get help with this. My supervisor asked if I had told anyone in the office. I hadn't. My supervisor told me to not tell anyone and she would sort it. The next morning getting ready for work, I got a text from supervisor advising she had lied to co worker saying she had forgotten to let the her know and to head over to other site as a team as I had organised procedural work. Supervisor knowing full well the co worker would never take the invite. Supervisor even asked for me to lie and get the worker from the other site to ring pretending she wanted her to come over.... I never did.
As a result, the co worker then let our supervisor know she felt betrayed and not part of the team due to my lack of concern for her feelings, I could have just mentioned it to her before leaving on the previous day. The co worker then went to the site manager advising of what I had done and how she was betrayed..... So thanks to the lie and sneaking around of my supervisor, I am now made out to look like a total bitch.... That day at work after returning from other site, I apologised (Not sure why - Just being polite) for not saying anything and the co worker snapped at me saying how I could have just mentioned it.... So she had good ammunition and made sure EVERY other co worker knew what an ASSHOLE I was and how much of a victim she is. Since then I feel the entire office has lost all respect for me. Even today working on a job away from my desk, this co worker announced she had received an email requesting information and had it been done. All 3 co workers sat there saying they they hadn't done it and one even said that is was my job! We all got the email.... After finishing my job I walked out and asked if this was something I needed to do. One co worker said, I am leaving it to you. I've never done it before..... I haven't either. This co worker seriously knows how to manipulate EVERYONE! I feel I am just unappreciated, stupid, judged, incompetent and really unhappy.
There are so many other things in the scenario, but I am sure you get the picture.
I was told all week by my supervisor that the co worker was going to be called into a meeting and spoken to.... Today I got told, she was given a loaded comment in a conversation..... So she was basically told to have a think about her attitude and behaviour in the office...... Wow, thanks for supporting me. NOT
Sorry for the essay.... What do I do? Just quit, let the site manage and supervisor know I have not happy with the out come and seek assistance further up the ladder?
The only reason I am sticking it out is are the hours are perfect - school hours, school holidays off as I have a son with cerebral palsy and it's not a stressful job, except for this one co worker.
4 Replies
I would seek assistance further up the ladder! This woman is a work place bully and how she is acting and making others feel uncomfortable for them and yourself to work around is unexceptable!!! Go higher and explain the whole situation, if how you have written this is exactly what's going on something needs to be done about it and your name should be cleared! This woman is clearly threatened by her work mates and uses her knowledge as a weapon and that isn't ok!
Don't quit because in time you will also have the knowledge and won't need her assistance. You poor thing she sounds like a world class areshole and needs a reality check!!!!
Take it higher. Then higher. Until this bitch doesnt have a job. Seriously hate it when adults act like they are still in high school!
I have recently had to make a formal complaint about a coworker who I actually used to be friendly with.
Document everything for about a week and then submit a letter stating nothing but facts to HR. Make sure you take all emotion out of the letter as you write it as not to come off vindictive or too precious. Also ensure you state that it is a FORMAL complaint. HR/management will have to act on this.
Be prepared though that a) your name will most likely be mentioned to the coworker b) you may be asked to have a mediation meeting and c) you are probably doing what most other colleagues wish they had the guts to do.
Good luck going forward with whatever you choose to do with your situation :)
Thanks everyone for your advice. I really appreciated it. I stuck it out and ended up with the co worker standing over me, yelling and pointing. This was done in front of other coworkers(who she dragged into her abuse) and a local news reporter waiting in the foyer. I walked out that day, submitted my report of the incident and the bullying leading up to it and refused to return till she was dealt with. It lead to a few meetings and the end result was she resigned! Happy Ending.....