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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being preciously here or am I being bullied at work

202 replies

user1481201979 · 08/12/2016 13:04

It's very subtle and I'm probably going to be told I'm ridiculous because it's so hard to explain with examples but i feel bullied by a work colleague.

So I sit on a desk either in the same office or one in the room opposite and he will often pop round and say hi. Several times a day he says hello and it's because of this that I feel I may be wrong to feel bullied and he does go out of his way to say hello so it would seem he doesn't actively dislike me personally. He will go into the other office to say hello when I'm not in his. He is socially confident so likes to chat at people's desk and in this respect doesn't act differently towards me.

But this is where the friendliness ends. He will actively,several times a week go round the office asking anyone if they want to go for lunch with him. But he won't ask me. I don't have a great desire to go but it's a rather obvious snub. It's literally everyone in the office except me and one person commented that he doesn't like going for lunch with me. I felt quite embarrassed. He regularly has house parties at his house but he will not invite me. He invites everyone in the office except me and he does it by asking them if they want to come when I'm not there.

He will get up to make a drink and will grab everyone's cup except mine and make them a drink. Sometimes he looks at me when he's making the drinks but never takes my mug.

He sometimes brings food in from home and he will offer some people it from the tin but never ever me. He just puts in on the side and asks me to help myself.

He was ordering food from his dads website at a discount and asked what people wanted but again, didn't ask me.

He asked everyone for their facebook but when it came to me he pretended he needed to add me for work when I know that's not the case. We aren't even allowed it at work.

In the beginning I would invite him along with other colleagues out for drinks and he would always decline. So he obviously doesn't want to be in contact outside of work which is fine. But I'm worried these invites made him uncomfortable.
I'm wondering if he took me the wrong way. It's now an open invitation and anyone who wants to come can. It's very popular but he never goes when I'm there and if he does he doesn't speak to me.

There will always be people at work we don't like. But he makes me feel excluded and bullied to be honest.
He has also made comments about me being the type of person who
would sleep with anyone although he did apologise several times afterwards

If I need to discuss work with him he will reply quickly to my first text but never ever any subsequent ones unless it's during work time.

He did get disciplined by the manager for not inviting me to his fundraising night so I was pleased the management had felt on that occasion the excluding warranted a discussion. That made me feel better and like I wasn't being paranoid.

I have never discussed this with anyone as I'm worried I will look ridiculous.

Nothing is going to change, I'm not even going to bother myself with why he's like this. I just need you to tell me I'm not being unreasonable and ridiculous. That being excluded, even if it's subtle things like this, is bullying and it's okay for me to feel upset by it.

There's more really, but I just can't explain it.

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 08/12/2016 13:51

The reason he made a sexist misogynistic comment about you sleeping around is because hes pissed you are not sleeping with him.

He fancies you. Hes also a twunt.

ElizabethHoney · 08/12/2016 13:55

I think that adults should have the choice who to spend non-work time with, so although he's rude to invite people to lunch and parties in front of you, it's fine that he doesn't invite you.

However, the drink making, plus the fact that he's making a point of excluding you rather than simply quietly not including you mean that YANBU.

I'd try approaching him about it, and only mention to management if nothing changes.

Ahickiefromkinickie · 08/12/2016 13:57

It's very hurtful, but I think most of what you describe is not bullying. I wouldn't go to your manager and say 'X doesn't make me a drink or offer me food brought from home.' Do you ever make him a drink?

The only thing that is clearly bullying is saying you're the type to sleep around.

Was the fundraiser related to work? If yes, he should have invited you.

You can't force people to like you, I'm afraid. Have you ever tried to talk to him about it? If you ask him why he does this and ask him to stop, and he still continues, then I would speak to the manager (but not about not making you a drink).

user1481201979 · 08/12/2016 14:00

Thanks everyone. If he just wasnt t sociable sort then fair enough. But it's deliberately targeted towards me and he is sociabke with everyone else as well as arranging social events with everyone else.

I'm newer to the team, I've been here a year now. He knows the other lot longer than me but there have been two new colleagues who he has been very friendly to since they arrived.

I'm the only young woman on the team so it may be related to that. Maybe he just wants to avoid any gossip and if he was going for lunch with me it could cause it but to be fair if he makes me a cup of tea it's hardly going to make anyone think we're getting it on!

Everyone else is older or a man.

OP posts:
MontePulciana · 08/12/2016 14:01

He sounds like he has a crush on you. How old is he? I'd confront hin and make him squirm. The comment he made about you would make me livid.
Does your home situation differ to the other colleagues he invites out? For example are you married and the rest single?

specialsubject · 08/12/2016 14:04

the comment about you sleeping around is the biggie for me. That's unacceptable in a million different ways.

there are men who can't cope with women that don't fit into the 'mum' or 'sexual partner' box. They normally grow out of it by about 22 but sounds like this one hasn't. (MN oversensitivity disclaimer - women can be arseholes too)

report the abusive comment, apologies don't cure everything.

MontePulciana · 08/12/2016 14:04

Definitely sounds like he's afraid of going for lunch for you because of what he said n the past. How old are you if you don't mind? Is he married? There is definitely something going on -he really sounds like a pervert though. I feel bad for you

YoHoHoandabottleofTequila · 08/12/2016 14:06

He's deliberately excluding you, and only you so yes I would speak to your line manager. He's a bit stupid really for carrying on this behaviour if he's already been disciplined once. And it's not only out of work, not making you a cup of tea may be only minor but he's still deliberately excluding you. I would speak to your manager and tell them exactly what you told us here.

user1481201979 · 08/12/2016 14:06

I'm single but have a child. He's single and childless. He's 28.

I'm 28 as well.

There's a mix of married/single people here.

The fundraiser was related to work. He has organised it.

He's always been like this.

OP posts:
dingdongthewitchishere · 08/12/2016 14:06

Not being included in social things is not bullying at all. It's a work place, as long as he is polite and doesn't disturb your work, it's fine. Not making you a cup of tea is childish, but frankly I would let it to.

comments about me being the type of person who would sleep with anyone although he did apologise several times afterwards that is unacceptable, and that you can complain to management about, this is crossing the line.

If I need to discuss work with him he will reply quickly to my first text but never ever any subsequent ones unless it's during work time.
Why on earth do you text him? If you have to communicate, do it by email if you can't do it face to face? It's much more professional, doesn't create any confusion. You don't text work colleagues!

On balance, it sounds like you are both awkward towards the other, it's strange, but no, being excluded is not bullying! Unless you are excluded to work related meetings obviously.

YoHoHoandabottleofTequila · 08/12/2016 14:07

The sleeping around comment really isn't acceptable.

blueshoes · 08/12/2016 14:08

I'd say speak to HR and your line manager about this, making it brief, factual and definitely include the part where he said you are the sort to sleep around. Even if you do not need them to take immediate action, it is good to have a record of this so that if it escalates, there is evidence of a pattern of behaviour you have previously raised to HR and management.

Take personal contemporaneous notes of your meetings with HR/line manager. They might come in handy later.

Good luck. It is not good. You should not have to suffer for this man's small w..lly.

MontePulciana · 08/12/2016 14:10

He fancies you. He might see you as a chase because you're single parent? I've heard blokes refer to single mums as "harder ones to catch". Confront him. Be confident. "Do you have a particular problem with me, _? I just get the feeling you don't like me. What have I done to upset you, love?" Make the bastard SQUIRM

Trifleorbust · 08/12/2016 14:12

I don't think you can demand that someone likes you. Sorry. As long as he is professional, then to me, he isn't doing anything wrong. Inviting you to work functions is a professional issue. Personal stuff is his own business.

MontePulciana · 08/12/2016 14:14

I've worked with hundreds of people I've disliked. I'd never make them feel uncomfortable though. Why make people's lives more difficult in the work place? You spend more than half your life there.

WhereDoesThisRoadGo · 08/12/2016 14:17

I am going to go against the grain here and ask: Have you got a tendancy for worrying what people think about you?

I ask because a lot of what you have said he does could be bully tactics based on a personal issue he has with you. But I do wonder about this as his actions seem very suptle and people who feel strongly against others aren't suptle 100% of the time.

Or it could be your location in the office and/or his social ability makes it harder for him to engage with you. I have been here myself!

Or, finally, have you considered how you come across makes him feel? You don't like him and he could be picking up on that.

Lndnmummy · 08/12/2016 14:17

Union rep? Because someone doesnt ask someone for lunch?

loobyloo1234 · 08/12/2016 14:18

Did he get disciplined for the 'sleeping around' comment? Was that in work? That to me is not acceptable at all

I am leaning towards him fancying you OP. Aswell as him being a complete twat

BarbarianMum · 08/12/2016 14:22

He very, very clearly only wants to deal with you in a professional capacity. Whether that's because he doesn't like you or likes you too much is hard to tell from what you've posted. I think you should respect his decision - unless he makes any more personal comments about you. If he does, make a formal complaint. Just colleagues is fine, personal digs are not.

HoridHenryrules · 08/12/2016 14:25

I would keep it professional and don't take it to heart. You are only there to work.

user1481201979 · 08/12/2016 14:25

I have never ever had the belief someone didn't like me before. I haven't got paranoia.

I don't have to be to notice this guys behaviour. He's quite obviously doing these things and excluding me.

He's friendly in some ways. He always looks in my office to see if I'm in but only goes in if there are other people in with me. If I'm on my own he won't come in.

I don't expect him to like me, just not to deliberately exclude me.

I didn't mention the comment about me sleeping around to anyone I don't actually want to get him into trouble. But another member of staff heard it and I think she might have said something as he was called into the office a few minutes later.

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 08/12/2016 14:27

This is bullying, I would keep a log of incidents, and go to your line manager again. Not acceptable behaviour! He sounds like a right twat.

dingdongthewitchishere · 08/12/2016 14:29

if there are other people in with me. If I'm on my own he won't come in

Looking at everything you described, it doesn't sound that he fancies you, but that he thinks you do fancy him and he's very uncomfortable with it. If someone invites me for drinks and texts me, I would be uncomfortable too. He appears very immature, but not a bully.

Aeroflotgirl · 08/12/2016 14:30

dingdong you are wrong, it is bullying! He was report to manager for this same behaviour and was disciplined. So it looks like in op work place, they do take it very seriously. Excluding one and including the rest is unprofessional and upsets work relationships and cohesion, so management need to know.

user1481201979 · 08/12/2016 14:32

If he thinks I fancy him he may need to sort out his detection skills!

Although actually I've had guys think I fancied them before when they couldn't have been more wrong so I think sometimes I may give that impression unknowingly.

I'm quite bubbly which people misinterpret.

OP posts:
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