New job - feeling a bit shocked by something that happened

[bagpuss90]

Sorry me again 🙄I’m semi retired , I started a new part time job today. Everyone was lovely, very helpful and friendly . I’ve no complaints at all. However I overheard some of the staff laughing about one of their colleagues who I gathered was off work with stress and anxiety. Two of them were mimicking their colleague having a panic attack and hyper ventilating. Obviously I don’t know the back story and I’ve obviously never met their colleague - but AIBU to be a bit shocked by this. I’ve suffered panic attacks myself -though thankfully not for years . But I know how debilitating they can be. I just thought it was really cruel and unkind. It’s put me off the job tbh though otherwise I did enjoy the day

Quite normal in most workplaces I'd say!

It’s not normal in my workplace.

Disgusting if that sort of behaviour is acceptable and normalised.

I'd feel as the OP does.

I think people do gossip about colleagues. Certainly where I've worked. I wouldn't be shocked. I might not like it.

I’d feel uncomfortable. Definitely not something that should be normal

Also I think unprofessional

If you can find another job easily then find it and quit and tell them why

Disgusting work culture

It's completely abnormal in any of the offices I've worked in (many)

Nor mine

Definitely not normal in my workplace!

I'm glad I don't work where you do. It isn't normal in my experience.

This would absolutely not be tolerated where I work.

Really want to know where this is considered OK behaviour!

It would be a red flag for me. In my experience it comes from the top down - they clearly feel comfortable to behave in that way and didn’t mind that you, a new colleague, might overhear them.

Yanbu that is horrible ☹️

Mimicking someone having a panic attack? Horrible behaviour - who on earth thinks that is normal, or ok?

If behaviour like this goes unchallenged the protagonists get braver and that's when the bullying starts.

That’s horrible and definitely not normal. I would try not to let me put me off the job if I enjoyed it but I would interact with those people as little as I could.

Unfortunately common in some workplaces with some people. But hopefully they are just the office idiots and others are ok.

People only do this if others do not challenge them. I have reached the age where I don't care about making friends with people who think that crap is acceptable. I would have had no problem joining in their conversation and "correcting" their behaviour. Depending on my mood and how bad it was it would either be a jokey "jeez, with team mates like you who needs enemies" followed by a look willing them to challenge me or a more serious " panic attacks are not funny, be grateful you don't suffer from them, they can be as debilitating as a physical injury".

Some very nasty people about.
OP not everyone is like this. Keep your distance from them.

If that shocks you then you’ve had an incredibly sheltered life 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's not normal in my work place - also no one should be told why someone is off sick - that's no ones business - gossiping about that is shocking - so I'd be very uncomfortable about the whole companies ethos

Normal in my work place for people to gossip, not normal to mock mental health issues. That's very very poor taste

I have never worked anywhere where this would be remotely acceptable, thank god. I would have been really shocked too - even more so that they did it where they could be overheard.

You’re not going to get a bunch of perfect colleagues in a work place. Most will hopefully be great, others not so much. I just get on with my work, keep my head down, converse with those I like and just civil with those I don’t.