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Possible Bullying at work by a manager- advice
I started a new job at Home Bargains about 2 months ago after being out of work for about 18 months due to ill health and because of the recession. When i first got the job i was so happy but now i dread going in every day due to a manageress who seems to have it in for me for no reason.
Ever since i started the job one of the managers has constantly being on back at first it just started as snide comments which i let pass as i was new and didn't want to cause any trouble but recently it has got worse.
Everything i seem to do is wrong, for example recently a couple brought there 2 children into the shop and the little girl asked if she could go to the toilet a female member of staff took her to the toilet when her brother who was about 3 yrs old asked if he could go too, so i took him to the toilet afterwards the manageress asked me into the back and gave me a right bollocking saying i shouldn't of let him go to the toilet as it was a health and Safety issue and if he would of had an accident he could of sued me and the company, yet she said nothing to the female member of staff for taking the girl to the toilet. I explained to her i could hardly refuse to take the boy after we let his sister go and i didn't want the boy to have an accident but it was to no avail.
Also recently she has had a go at me for placing stock too high again saying it was a Health and Safety issue, i explained to her it wasn't me who put out that item, she just tuttered at me and told me she didn't believe me and i was lying to a manager which i wasn't.
At Home Bargains when a new item of stock comes out you are meant to make a space for it and get a price for the item. Every time i go to get a price i get told off for leaving the shop floor despite the fact that every other member of staff does the same thing (Again nothing is said when they do it). The manageress tells me to leave the item to one side and someone will get a price later on but know body does and customers are moaning they don't know the price of items whilst other members of staff are complaining as i'm not putting prices on new items when they ask me to and i'm making there job harder. However I'm shouted at and told off when i try to get a price and i feel as if i'm damned if i do and damned if i don't.
Another incident that often occurs is that when a cage is getting low, and there are a few items left to put out on the next isle a fellow member of staff asks me to take the cage to the next isle and put the remaining stock out so they can get on with the next cage of stock, however i'm again told off by the manageress as she says it is unsafe despite the fact i have seen her do the exact same thing countless times and she says nothing yet again when other staff do it and also she says nothing when another lad throws stock across the floor. I often feel it is one rule for me and another rule for everyone else. There has been countless other incidents.
Also during breaks she constantly goes on about her sex life with her husband and what positions they do it in, i'm not interested in listening about the sex life of a women who is old enough to be my Mother.
At the the store i work at there is about 5 or 6 managers and all the others are fine with me and none of them have commented on my work, so i have just let it go thinking it was her. I would of continued doing that however today she reported me for not doing my job correctly, i.e not handling stock correctly, not putting prices on stock etc, today i was asked in the back by another manager to discuss the complaint made by her against me and although i should of said something at the time i didn't however after talking to my family after my shift, i decided to go back down to work and report it to another manager, as she was leaving for the day she said we would speak about it tomorrow. I'm just wondering what should i say? Am i taking things too personally? or should i just look for a new job? Sorry for the long message any responses would be welcome.
Ever since i started the job one of the managers has constantly being on back at first it just started as snide comments which i let pass as i was new and didn't want to cause any trouble but recently it has got worse.
Everything i seem to do is wrong, for example recently a couple brought there 2 children into the shop and the little girl asked if she could go to the toilet a female member of staff took her to the toilet when her brother who was about 3 yrs old asked if he could go too, so i took him to the toilet afterwards the manageress asked me into the back and gave me a right bollocking saying i shouldn't of let him go to the toilet as it was a health and Safety issue and if he would of had an accident he could of sued me and the company, yet she said nothing to the female member of staff for taking the girl to the toilet. I explained to her i could hardly refuse to take the boy after we let his sister go and i didn't want the boy to have an accident but it was to no avail.
Also recently she has had a go at me for placing stock too high again saying it was a Health and Safety issue, i explained to her it wasn't me who put out that item, she just tuttered at me and told me she didn't believe me and i was lying to a manager which i wasn't.
At Home Bargains when a new item of stock comes out you are meant to make a space for it and get a price for the item. Every time i go to get a price i get told off for leaving the shop floor despite the fact that every other member of staff does the same thing (Again nothing is said when they do it). The manageress tells me to leave the item to one side and someone will get a price later on but know body does and customers are moaning they don't know the price of items whilst other members of staff are complaining as i'm not putting prices on new items when they ask me to and i'm making there job harder. However I'm shouted at and told off when i try to get a price and i feel as if i'm damned if i do and damned if i don't.
Another incident that often occurs is that when a cage is getting low, and there are a few items left to put out on the next isle a fellow member of staff asks me to take the cage to the next isle and put the remaining stock out so they can get on with the next cage of stock, however i'm again told off by the manageress as she says it is unsafe despite the fact i have seen her do the exact same thing countless times and she says nothing yet again when other staff do it and also she says nothing when another lad throws stock across the floor. I often feel it is one rule for me and another rule for everyone else. There has been countless other incidents.
Also during breaks she constantly goes on about her sex life with her husband and what positions they do it in, i'm not interested in listening about the sex life of a women who is old enough to be my Mother.
At the the store i work at there is about 5 or 6 managers and all the others are fine with me and none of them have commented on my work, so i have just let it go thinking it was her. I would of continued doing that however today she reported me for not doing my job correctly, i.e not handling stock correctly, not putting prices on stock etc, today i was asked in the back by another manager to discuss the complaint made by her against me and although i should of said something at the time i didn't however after talking to my family after my shift, i decided to go back down to work and report it to another manager, as she was leaving for the day she said we would speak about it tomorrow. I'm just wondering what should i say? Am i taking things too personally? or should i just look for a new job? Sorry for the long message any responses would be welcome.
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I'd definitely complain to whoever you can, and strongly. There's no point in trying to be quiet about it. That won't stop it happening.
I hope it works out for you.
When you speak to her, tell her you find the situation with not knowing how to do your job to her satisfaction very stressful and that you may have to contact HR to make sure you are following company policy properly. That should put the wind up her.
No the kids were with there parents and the parenrs asked if they could go to the toilet. Thanks for the responses so far i will complain tomorrow and let you know what happens.
The bullying stopped there and then.
As you get on well with other staff members, it does sound as if she's victimising you for some reason.
I've had a boss like her before and it's not nice. But as the other managers haven't found fault with your work, I would say to report her behaviour and work with them to resolve this. Don't think of quitting your job because of one woman on a power trip!
She'll trip herself up and sooner rather than later.
I did that once. I got sacked for it. Luckily enough, I had another job to go to and it was my last week anyway. Had me escorted out by security. Long time ago, mind. I remember seeing them again a few years later in a local shopping centre, they did not want to make eye contact but they certainly knew I was there!
Definitely do this. Write it all down and ask HR how you can instigate a grievance against this manager for bullying. Do NOT ignore the stuff she's been saying during breaks as this IS relevant and helps to paint a picture of how unprofessional she is being. It doesn't matter that she's said these things during break time, it is still in the workplace and is unacceptable behaviour. However, the sustained victimisation is more disturbing and you need to fight fire with fire by bringing a grievance out against her. It would help if you could begin to prepare a statement - actually you're almost there with your original post here. Just refine it a bit and add as many dates and times as you can remember, plus try to identify occasions when other members of staff may have witnessed her being unreasonable to you. They may be useful witnesses if the grievance goes to a formal stage.
Who knows why she has taken a dislike to you. At a certain level, that doesn't matter. But you should not allow her to wreck your job..at least without a fight! Do not let this person get away with it.
PS I am an HR Consultant and please feel free to PM me if you need advice.
or report them, gather some proof like voice recording using your phone or something.
or turn the tables and intimidate them, show them who's boss.
Don't take any shit.