My manager has blocked me on WhatsApp, but no one else in my team (as far as I’m aware). Work as part of a big department on what was part of a close team but a lot of members have left now.
There isn’t much of a back story other than just before my maternity leave 12 months ago I was signed off 8 days early, she kicked off about it, brought up me being part time and how it’s a hinderance to the department, she was really vile, rude, loud and sarcastic and reduced me to tears, I’m not that sort of person but her reaction was just awful. I left for my maternity leave that day after gathering my things out of the office red faced and swollen eyed, feeling crap about what went on and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling. While I was on maternity leave she went on long term leave and is due back to work next week, I’ve already been back a couple of months.
The other part of the back story that might be a cause is a girl in my department in the same role as me who id worked with for years, who was a really good mate went on sick leave as she wanted less hours and the job was stressing her out. She told me she might have to leave if she can’t get less hours. A couple of weeks later I text her to see how she was and she told me she’s doing ok as she’s been promoted to a team leader of our team and she’s managed to get the part time hours she wanted. I didn’t want to shit all over her thunder as only weeks before she was saying she wanted to leave if she couldn’t get less hours but inside I was gutted, gutted that the role been handed to her on a plate and not even advertised so I could at least apply for it. I emailed our temporary manager to ask how this decision was made and she said my colleague is fully aware it’s only fixed term until I come back and that she’s actually gone from a permanent job to a fixed term one. My friend didn’t tell me this bit so I was none the wiser. Anyway my friend got into some shit when our director apparently made her feel like a shit stirrer and liar for causing me unnecessary upset as she didn’t understand why she left out some quite key factors, key factors being it was only temporary. My friend then left the company but wants nothing to do with me anymore. My manager and her are good friends and I think they are still in touch so this might be a reason I have been blocked by my manager. Who knows.
I have messaged my manager on WhatsApp few times to send her my well wishes and we’ve had brief conversations. I was going to message her over Christmas to say happy Christmas etc but noticed her profile picture which changes every week and her status, were blank, I just thought she had come off WhatsApp for a bit. A month passed and still no picture or status, it used to be updated weekly. Another month passes and still nothing. My colleague asked me last week if I’d spoken to our manager at all, I said I haven’t but wasn’t sure if she’s come off WhatsApp and explained why I thought that. She said she hasn’t come off it as she spoke to her last week. I said well I think she’s changed her number and she said she’s got the same number as she always has done. I said ok well I can’t see a picture or status on our chat like I used to, she said she updates it all the time and told me what her most recent one was. I said I can’t see that so is it safe to assume I’m blocked, my colleague cringed and said ‘how awkward is that’. Of course she might not have blocked me but very odd how I can’t see her stuff but others can.
I’m in my 30’s and I feel like I’m being bullied. This is a form of bullying right? Blocking 1 member of your team on social media but not others? I’m dreading next week. She’s going to make my life hell. She did it to another girl last year, was rude to her and it wasn’t pleasant she left because of it and submitted a grievance. The grievance was heard and investigated by our department director, who also happens to be my managers good friend. Of course the grievance outcome was no case to answer because she did all of the witness statements and nobody wanted to admit the truth in fear she’d go straight to her and tell her. The grievance should have been looked at by someone impartial to our department to make it fair, but it wasn’t.
To top it off my maternity replacement has been made permanent and is a senior coordinator, whereas I’m just a coordinator but i have all of the relevant finance qualifications, my mat leave replacement has none and only began working in finance 12 months ago, I’ve worked in it for 7 years. I was told when I returned she would revert back to being just a Coordinator but it hasn’t changed. Her signature, the systems etc all say she is Senior Coordinator, she also manages our central email box which is the main source of our daily tasks. I wish I could say it’s because I’m shit at my job rather than it being personal , but not blowing my own trumpet but it’s not. I’ve won 2 awards for my work, had several pay rises, I’m very good at what I do, I’m just part time. I guess I find it a little bit humiliating and embarrassing.
What should I do? I feel depressed about it all.