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Original poster

Is this workplace bullying?

16 replies

nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:08

I work in a job where we have to take calls from customers. Lots of admin but also have to take calls.

I've raised with my manager at 121 that I've been at work and X isn't answering calls. Nothing was done about it as far as I can see. They were literally drawing all afternoon. Other staff are constantly on their phones. Nothing gets done, whatever, I just do what I'm doing. We rarely have 121s as well. I hate confrontation,

The other week I was having issues with my phone due to water damage. I was getting it sorted and able to make out going calls but wasn't able to accept incoming calls. It took longer than expected but I was still working doing group inbox emails and making outbound calls etc. we had a full team etc

This one member of staff "dobs" me in for not making calls. So our manager pulls me aside and it turns out manager has been in contact with It to get my call logs and shows I've not accepted any calls.

So she wants an explanation.

Fair enough but as someone who's productivity is extremely high (this can be measured) and I do answer more calls then others on the team I'm feeling bulled by my colleagues.

Nothing gets done about other staff members... despite me raising it.

OP posts:
shammalammadingdong · 22/05/2023 12:09

Its not bullying, no. It's unfair, but its not bullying.

Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:09

This staff member is also well connected with management..... best friend daughter of Head of department

OP posts:
Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:10

shammalammadingdong · 22/05/2023 12:09

Its not bullying, no. It's unfair, but its not bullying.

She's also best friends daughter of the head of department.... so has that as status.

OP posts:
moomoolander · 22/05/2023 12:11

nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:09

This staff member is also well connected with management..... best friend daughter of Head of department

So basically this is the top and bottom of it. Nothings going to be done because of this.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2023 12:11

How would you know what gets raised with other employees behind closed doors?

Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:15

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2023 12:11

How would you know what gets raised with other employees behind closed doors?

Because we never have 121s and they are always sat at their desk...... and not answering calls.

I had my first 121 after 11 months at the job and they should by company policy be monthly. I've worked in other teams and always monthly. 15 years at this company....

OP posts:
PineappleLatte · 22/05/2023 12:15

Did you tell your manager that you couldn’t take calls?

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2023 12:15

In any case, it is not workplace bullying to check call records and ask you why you didn't take any calls.

And if it is workplace bullying for your colleagues to report you for not taking calls, then presumably you are also guilty of bullying because you reported your colleague for the same thing. Sounds to me like everyone ought really to focus on their own work and stop telling tales about each other.

If you're more productive than your colleagues as you say, then the IT records will back that up and you will have nothing to worry about.

dizzyupthegirl86 · 22/05/2023 12:18

Potentially time to leave this job. I had similar(ish) in a job I had for eight years - my busiest period was first thing in the morning, the other people in the office (same job role as me) would sit and eat their breakfast and chat about last nights tv for the first hour, and they then complained to the manager that I wasn’t answering the phones enough. I didn’t ignore them but I wasn’t always first to answer them.

When he told me about it one afternoon, I literally pointed to the board behind us which logged all the calls which showed I’d answered more calls than anybody else. He said that he knew I regularly answered more calls throughout the day than anybody else but their gripe was early mornings. I couldn’t understand why he’d even entertained their complaint, and I left soon after, largely because of that.

Youll always be conscious of both issues now!

Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:18

Apologies not the person who isn't doing work.... it's the one who is robbing me in.

For context we have to log calls and I can see who's logged all calls. From five members of staff me and the person who "snitched" let's call her Jessica have just about the same amount of calls logged..... this is easily done by work orders raised, crm calls and by being in the office.

Also when im on a task Such as group email I can get it down from 150 to 20, no one else maintains it.

Im so burnt out from this job due to management. I was forced to do this job due to a restructure but I will be leaving after maternity.

More of a whinge.

OP posts:
daverday · 22/05/2023 12:19

I would agree with others, not bullying as your boss is only asking for an explanation why you weren't receiving calls, which is a reasonable question. "My phone was not working due to water issue but i was getting it sorted", is a reasonable answer. If for example they did not accept your answer and decided to discipline you, is a different question. What work others do or don't do is between them & their superiors.

Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:19

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2023 12:15

In any case, it is not workplace bullying to check call records and ask you why you didn't take any calls.

And if it is workplace bullying for your colleagues to report you for not taking calls, then presumably you are also guilty of bullying because you reported your colleague for the same thing. Sounds to me like everyone ought really to focus on their own work and stop telling tales about each other.

If you're more productive than your colleagues as you say, then the IT records will back that up and you will have nothing to worry about.

What if it's just one person being singled out? She's always doing it to me.

OP posts:
Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:21

PineappleLatte · 22/05/2023 12:15

Did you tell your manager that you couldn’t take calls?

This was a new manager. She sits just behind me. In retrospect I should have told her but at the same time when you just get left to do your job and no one cares about incoming calls and I was still doing work.... than what's the issue. We had a full team and people able to take calls. It wasn't too busy.

OP posts:
Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:22

I was also making out bound calls on my own phone.... I just wasn't using the app as I was still waiting to update my phone which was taking longer than expected.

OP posts:
Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:22

daverday · 22/05/2023 12:19

I would agree with others, not bullying as your boss is only asking for an explanation why you weren't receiving calls, which is a reasonable question. "My phone was not working due to water issue but i was getting it sorted", is a reasonable answer. If for example they did not accept your answer and decided to discipline you, is a different question. What work others do or don't do is between them & their superiors.

It's not the boss - it's the employee on the same level as me.

She never would tell of anyone else... just temps or me.

OP posts:
Original poster
nubtheoryhhh · 22/05/2023 12:23

dizzyupthegirl86 · 22/05/2023 12:18

Potentially time to leave this job. I had similar(ish) in a job I had for eight years - my busiest period was first thing in the morning, the other people in the office (same job role as me) would sit and eat their breakfast and chat about last nights tv for the first hour, and they then complained to the manager that I wasn’t answering the phones enough. I didn’t ignore them but I wasn’t always first to answer them.

When he told me about it one afternoon, I literally pointed to the board behind us which logged all the calls which showed I’d answered more calls than anybody else. He said that he knew I regularly answered more calls throughout the day than anybody else but their gripe was early mornings. I couldn’t understand why he’d even entertained their complaint, and I left soon after, largely because of that.

Youll always be conscious of both issues now!

Managers need to be managers which they don't

OP posts:
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