Abusive work situation?

[Besswess88]

I work for the LA.

We have had restructure after restructure, the last being during the pandemic where big changes were made to my level role (deskilled and disempowered mainly).

But the manager I was put under was lovely but knew nothing about my service and had been slotted in because she was the right grade which was frustrating as she had been given the responsibilities removed from my level role and I knew inside out.

We have contracted a 3rd sector organisation for years and these people are now bring tupeed in.

There is person who we have observed bully out at least 9 members of staff over the years and we have been gob smacked that nothing has been done about this, grievances have been raised and brushed under the carpet, exit interviews “lost” and this person has bullied their boss and everyone in that locality of their organisation (bit like Hitler really).

This person was an equal grade to us but as they get paid more is coming in on a higher grade and higher management in my organisation are now realising that they have a “problem”.

A new role has been created for this person and as their entire team of 4 under them has left due to their bullying new staff are to be recruited.

Senior management do not want to give her newbies as the concerns are so great about them not speaking up about the bullying so me and several colleagues of the same grade (higher than the newbies) are to be taken from our current teams and placed under this person (who shouldn’t be line managing anyone) and have basically been asked to take one for the team and “manage her out” which this persons manager has failed to do for YEARS.

AIBU to find this disgusting, farcical and quite frankly fucking abusive?

Yeah sounds JUST like Hitler

Thanks 🙏 clearly I was being sarcastic 🙄

You do know what Hitler did, right?

How is that sarcasm? If you think the situation is wonderful, what is the point of your post?

Agreed, the Hitler comment is flippant and inappropriate.

Having said that, on the substance of the post: YANBU, surely placing employees under a manager known to be bully would be a violation of the employer's duty of care towards employees?

What next? Asking the pretty young intern to "take one for the team" and help management catch the serial sexual harrasser red-handed? Use the black employee as a trap to get evidence against the raging racist on the team?

As a member of senior management in my own workplace: nope! That's on people like myself and my peers!

Seek advice from your union. Or complain to HR - and let them know you've documented everything (just remember HR exists to protect the employer ... but: they tend not to enjoy stuff that could get the organisation into legal trouble and/or give it a bad rep).

No I have no idea what Hitler 🙄🙄.

It’s not the point of my thread is it?

I am clearly going through a shitty time, but yes pick me up on that.

Lots of people liken unbearable people to Hitler I am clearly not comparing my situation to the people he persecuted am I?

I am likening the personality types.

Thanks, that’s helpful.

I have been in touch with the union but I haven’t told them that it’s been spelt out to me yet.

Shouldn't this be in employment issues?

No, just bang it in AIBU regardless

Fucking hell 🙄

I wanted a wide range of advice and opinion, I and I expect thousands of others didn’t even know there was an employment issues thread, but thanks for taking time to point that out without actually offering any help at all.

I am at a loss about what you can do in this situation apart from leave. The other option is the 4 of you get together, put up an entirely united front and refuse to be bullied. Ensure HR is informed of every incident and request they are present whenever you speak to your boss alone.
Sorry I can’t be more help but I didn’t want to leave you with just the arsey comments at the beginning of the thread!

Hi OP, I'm not a manager but in my previous job I raised a grievance against a bully and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I'm so glad did.

This manager sounds very like the one I had, especially the lost exit interviews, which she was in charge of.

I had the support of other departments, basically they said if I didn't report her the would on my behalf and that gave me strength. She had been responsible for driving out so many staff and had never been held accountable before. Apparently even the boss was scared of her.

Hr wasn't in the building and when I asked for their contact I was told no , they don't reply.

When I took it to the new boss she was so incredible I think of her all the time when I need to stand up for myself.

She asked how I would feel if my daughter was being treated this way, she pointed out that she had no evidence, although plenty anecdotal evidence, no one had stayed to put it on record. Although she couldn't influence me she was very clear that she would support me throughout.

So what I'm trying to say is that your workplace and manager may be the one to stand up and challenge her, you may have different policies that won't allow such behaviour to continue.

Good luck though, hope you get the support you need!

So get the team to document everything. Keep every bit of information about this person. Every email and note times dates and witnesses of bullying behaviour
Then present it to HR

Or look for a new job

My colleagues and I who have to have one to one SV with her have told the senior manager who has asked us to manage her out that we will not be alone with her and we will only have group SV with her which they have agreed is fine.

I should add that the bully was made redundant due to restructuring shortly after.

If this is a work issue and you want sensible advice instead of the usual AIBU batshittery, I’m not sure why you didn’t put it in the Employment Issues topic because that’s what it’s there for.

But hey, for traffic.

@Heatherjayne1972

So get the team to document everything. Keep every bit of information about this person. Every email and note times dates and witnesses of bullying behaviour Then present it to HR

Or look for a new job

^^ that “There is person who we have observed bully out at least 9 members of staff over the years and we have been gob smacked that nothing has been done about this” did you all raise a grievance or act as witnesses? We used to have a workplace bully, picked on people, but grievances were always dropped in the end. She would apologise profusely and those staff members moved around to other line managers. Our overall head of service stuck up for her, it was difficult to actually take things further as no one would stick together. You need a few people on board.

Union?

It’s also worth pointing out that there are a lot of people who do actually post threads in the correct topics and no one ever replies to their pleas for advice and support because it’s not in AIBU.

@SylHellais

It’s also worth pointing out that there are a lot of people who do actually post threads in the correct topics and no one ever replies to their pleas for advice and support because it’s not in AIBU.

Thank you 🙏

I say this because I have posted a thread in the correct topic about something that was causing me a lot of unhappiness and I really really wanted considered advice from people who didn’t pull apart my post to nitpick or be needlessly rude. I got two replies. I tried bumping it and it was ignored. I still feel shit.

In relation to your work issue, having been through something similar, you have very little recourse except to leave or raise a grievance but someone on the Employment Issues board will probably have better insight.