Colleague ignoring phone-calls and emails

[czechout]

Hello all,
Just a quick question - a colleague is currently ignoring phone-calls and emails. By way of background we are recently out of redundancies and a colleague was made redundant in a very unfair manner, I could not take on all their workload (I took on what I could) despite the organisation trying I fought back as already do well beyond contracted hours.
Boss was very unhappy with result (they have to do some of this work) and the team secretary has now clearly been asked not to cooperate with me.
I'm emailing politely, getting no response (working from home). If I call secretary they are refusing to pick up phone. Have been advised by another colleague to keep emailing so there is a record of refusal. Not sure what else to do, not sure there is any point complaining to the boss who is likely behind this.

Any ideas most welcome :)

Okay thanks @Margaritatime, I will also now ask them if they are now following formal grievance procedures as this is what is apparent, even though I haven't made one. Very confused by their tactics given only 2 days ago they wanted an informal chat!

It sounds like they have backed themselves into a corner and are now trying to work out how to resolve the situation with out giving you more evidence.

An experienced HR would try to take the heat out of the situation by pointing out politely where they have gone wrong and seekto resolve the situation.

Hello hope you are all well.
By way of update, the bully boss and secretary ended made a major safeguarding error whilst trying to undermine me and lo and behold the senior team pulled the plug on the 'investigation' saying they would like 'peaceful resolve'.
Since then (very recently) they have tried a few 'low level' (comparatively) bullying tactics eg secretary has just published who will be doing training to staff next week and everyone's name is beside their training except mine. This is the second time it has happened. It feels pathetic having to say 'could you add my name please' but I think I have to. They dropped the informal investigation (in their own interests) and I just thought let me see if they behave. They have improved (it's all relative) but there are examples such as above which simply aren't acceptable. I will have to address the lack of recognition for training but wonder why I feel pathetic having to do so?!

When I say improved also, it's been 5 working days since investigation was dropped

The union did get involved thank you for your advice and asked them to account for their treatment of someone who had said she was bullied.

@czechout

Hello hope you are all well. By way of update, the bully boss and secretary ended made a major safeguarding error whilst trying to undermine me and lo and behold the senior team pulled the plug on the 'investigation' saying they would like 'peaceful resolve'. Since then (very recently) they have tried a few 'low level' (comparatively) bullying tactics eg secretary has just published who will be doing training to staff next week and everyone's name is beside their training except mine. This is the second time it has happened. It feels pathetic having to say 'could you add my name please' but I think I have to. They dropped the informal investigation (in their own interests) and I just thought let me see if they behave. They have improved (it's all relative) but there are examples such as above which simply aren't acceptable. I will have to address the lack of recognition for training but wonder why I feel pathetic having to do so?!

I’m glad the senior team stepped in.

They are being really stupid to continue the low level undermining. Make sure you keep adding to your time line with examples so you continue to build the evidence.

Regarding the training, email bully boss and secretary and politely point out that this is the second time you have been excluded from the list. Please could they add you so there is an accurate record of who provided training. cc the email to HR and their line manager (I assume they are part of the senior team). This will alert them that the behaviours are continuing.

If this continues keep politely pulling them up and cc HR and their line manager to the correspondence. If after 6 weeks/2months this is still continuing then ask HR and their line manager for a meeting with you and your TU rep. Take the time line to the meeting and ask how long are they prepared for you to be treated like this before they take action. Ask them do you need to lodge a formal grievance to make it stop?

Thank you so much @Margaritatime, really appreciate the time taken to advise. The problem with cc'ing bully boss's line manager is he is also notorious for bullying (many have left on his account), it's his senior who stepped in when she realised this is a serious safeguarding issue that could alert local authorities to woeful incompetency if my union was to come in. That scared her I think and she called it all off. Sadly, I don't think it's the bullying that bothers her. Should I forward the email to her after I send to my team? I say this as she said to me when she called it all off that because of some (clearly not a whole lot as I wouldn't be here!) knowledge (legal/HR) 'people find me intimidating' which felt like gas lighting but she could say copying her in is 'intimidating' people or something.

Ok I would cc her in rather than BBs boss. Make it clear this is the second time they have done this.

Forgive me but I’ve not Re-read the whole thread but It does sound quite a toxic place to work. Whilst you shouldn’t be forced out you may want to start looking for other jobs. In the long run getting out on your own terms may be better than staying and having them slowly chip away at your confidence or having to go down the grievance route. The relief when you get out of a toxic environment is worth it as you then remember what a healthy work life balance is.

The finding you intimidating comment usually means you are competent and are not afraid to speak up so victim blaming.

Useful, op, to also make sure you have copies of any emails etc which praise your work.

With you 100% on this and I really hope you've dusted off your cv...leave ASAP, they're not worth the cost to your health.

If / when you leave make a safeguarding complaint to your local authority. Whistleblow any covering up. Toxic workplaces are bad enough but when it impacts on vulnerable clients it is really poisonous.

Thank you @Margaritatime yes it is a toxic workplace, I guess at some level I resent having to leave because of the bullying as it's precisely the aim of the bullying as it has been for other members of staff who have had to leave. I agree with your point about a healthy life balance though and this is no way to carry on. Wondering if I should lodge a grievance and then leave so there is some sort of accountability.
Thank you @TaraR2020 yes I'm looking at other opportunities and short and long-term health is definitely a big concern
@incenseandpeppermints I agree entirely, it is one thing bullying an adult professional but when you start putting vulnerable people at risk in the process, you have crossed a line massively which I have flagged.

I’m really sorry you’ve experienced this. You shouldn’t have to leave, but having been in a bullying workplace, I’m so glad I did. My biggest regret is not doing so sooner. Now I have a job I love with colleagues / managers who I get on with and am esteemed and treated well by. Honestly, life is too short x

Ideally Get a new job first, but keep records as suggested. If the low level bullying persists you can lodge a grievance at any time even once you have resigned. You can also lodge a PIDA regarding safeguarding at the same time.

As I said above monitor over the next 6 weeks/2 months and if ithe bullying continues follow the grievance policy and lodge a formal grievance. Just don’t underestimate how much a grievance takes out of you.

@Alternista that's really inspirational thank you, am so glad you found a much better work environment in which you can thrive :)
@Margaritatime okay, many thanks, great advice. Yes can only imagine how taxing it could be

OP you really need to start screenshotting stuff. I'm concerned the firm were able to delete material from their servers (your earlier post re them removing version history).

And as PP have advised, if anyone has a conversation with you, email to say "following our talk today, I understand that ..... ". And screenshot it.

Honestly OP, I was devastated when I couldn’t keep going in the old place. I took pride in my job (and was good at it!) and used to sob in the car there and back. Basically my performance threatened my boss, who made my life hell.

Looking back I can’t believe I allowed him to damage my mental health as long as I did but I naively thought fairness would win in the end.

I’m so happy now. My confidence is back and you couldn’t pay me to put up with that again! I know changing jobs isn’t always easy or quick but I would definitely start looking if I were you.

Good luck to you xx

@crosstalk thank you for that tip, so far I have been forwarding everything to a personal email but screenshot would also be good.
@Alternista yes I have a similar situation where it seems my line manager is paranoid about me taking her position despite me not having displayed the slightest interest. Very insecure managers are very tricky to work with, really glad to hear of your happy upgrade :)

Hi All,
I met with the most senior member of staff this week for an 'informal resolution ' and it turned out she had been lied to massively about what has been happening. I scratched the surface with her (time constraints) in terms of the bullying I have experienced in the last 6 months and gave her copies of the emails relating to the safeguarding breach. She said she had not been made aware and judging by her anger in reaction to this and body language I believe her.
She said she would now take action and will sack the secretary or give a written warning to secretary and boss. She said she wants to know if secretary was following Line Manager's orders.
The problem I have is twofold, written warnings have been issued to staff for much less serious offences so how would this be comparable? Also, is it fair to sack the secretary and not the boss? I guess I will have to wait and see what she does. As it was not a formal grievance meeting I did not bring all my evidence, I alluded to other examples but presented evidence for the safeguarding breach.

She will have to put secretary and line manager through formal disciplinary proceedings. Wonder if they'll each point the finger of blame at each other? Hope she puts them through the wringer

She also told me she believes my boss is insecure as 'she knows you could do a better job than her'. Fine, but in the meantime how do I cope with a boss who clearly wants incompetent people around her so she doesn't feel insecure?
I read the HR policies on this and I think all this falls under 'gross misconduct' for both boss and secretary. People have been suspended whilst there is an investigation for less serious matters. I spoke to her on Thursday and they weren't suspended on Friday so am presuming they won't do that. She told me she would be meeting with HR to discuss on Friday morning.

Haha yes @Cinnamonhouse does that mean it won't be me who has to issue the formal grievance? Would that count as my formal grievance if I had to go to tribunal eventually or would I need to lodge my own?
The boss is highly likely to throw the secretary under the bus but thankfully the evidence makes clear she was party to the conversations (which led to the safeguarding breach) so could have intervened at any point which she should have

At this point I think you should put in the boot a formal grievance. Just to hammer things home in terms of your treatment and the safeguarding issues. Also so that the impact on you isn't minimised or mitigated in any way - whether intentionally or as a by product of you not formally escalating your issues.

Okay, thank you @Cinnamonhouse - how long do I need to leave between raising an informal and formal grievance, can it be a matter of days? Want to follow procedures correctly in case a tribunal (should I end up there) says I didn't give them enough time to sort things out before issuing a formal grievance myself

Interestingly the senior boss whilst hearing the safeguarding incident said 'You have the right to bring in your union and fight them'. Seems like she is encouraging me? I replied that ultimately that would hurt her as it's her name in court?