New job. Would you leave over this?

[Muffins34]

Just wanting other peoples opinions on this. I am only a few weeks into a new role but already considering handing my notice in over this.

Just some general information;

I work within the finance department. Very small team- myself, Finance Director (who I report to) and financial controller. Both the FC and FD working remotely from home most of the time, where as I am full time office based (this was my choice I prefer being out away from home)

Also to add that I am not junior in my role, I’m qualified and have worked this position within other companies for 7 years now. I am early 30s but very baby faced and look young for my age (this I believe is relevant to the issues I’m experiencing)

As I sit alone in another part of the office away from others, and my superiors work remotely, there is one woman in particular (manager in another department) who constantly monitors my movements and feels the need to report back to my manager. This is happening 3 times a week. I do not work with her, we have never so much as exchanged an email, nor do I anticipate that we’d have to in the future. My work does not impact her, or her team. Therefor my role and movements should be of absolutely no concern to her.

Would also like to add this woman walks past my desk throughout the day, used the kitchen the same time as me, and has never said a word to me.

Examples are as follows;

• I took a phone call on my work mobile phone. It was highly important, my boss had been asking me to chase this matter up with the person who had called me. Due to the confidential nature of the call (it was relating to a severance package for an employee who had recently been dismissed due to gross misconduct) I walked into my boss’s office to speak on the phone with said person. (My boss had previously told me to use his office to take all calls of a confidential nature. I was also not sat at his desk, I was sat on the table/chair next to his desk, where visitors would usually sit when meeting with him) Manager from the other department saw me in there and called my boss to inform him I was using his office.
• On the Friday I wore jeans with a (small) rip on the knee on one of the legs. Lady manager informed my boss and referred him to our company’s policy which states no ripped jeans.
• Our company’s bank branch is in another town 15-20 minutes away, my boss asked me to visit the branch. I told him I actually drive through the town and past the bank on the drive to work, and I’ll pop in first thing in the morning on the way to work. Great, he said. As I visited the bank in the morning and arrived 40 minutes after my usual start time, lady manager rung my boss.
• I’m slim but quite large chested for my size, which makes my breasts more noticeable. Lady manager informed my boss she could see down my buttoned shirt when she walked past my desk.
• I’m currently moving house. The movers called me at my desk, I answered the call to inform them I’d be finishing work at X time, and to please be at my home for Y time. Manager informed my boss I was taking personal calls at my desk.
• If I go 5 minutes over my 30 minute lunch break, she will inform my boss

I know my boss is not asking her to monitor me. He finds it almost as annoying as I do, tells me she’s been at the company for over 20 years, she’s well thought of by the higher ups because of that, she’s stuck in her ways, and so on. He almost takes humour in it.

This lady is considerably older than me (50s). As mentioned previously I’m very young looking for my age, I do not have a ‘mature’ face. I suspect as I am young enough to be her daughter that she feels she has a right to treat me almost as if I’m child. (Note I do not think all women in their 50s think this way, I’ve never experienced this in any of my previous companies)

The last time the issue was discussed with my boss I lost my patience slightly and told him I don’t appreciate feeling like I’m being watched constantly, and that my movements are non of her concern whatsoever. It’s getting to the point now where I am also resenting him for entertaining it.

Would you leave your current role over this?

I’d be tempted to wear a fake nose and glasses around the office

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Email your boss and tell him you find her overseeing you and reporting on your every move is harassment, and, as she has no line management role connecting you, that HE needs to tell HER every time she reports something that HE has complete trust in you to perform your role as directed by him, and that SHE should be getting on with her own work and to stop reporting back everything to him. If she continues, he needs to raise the issue with her manager &/or HR,
not keep laughing about it and brushing off the seriousness of the issue with you
But this is down to him. Not you. If you enjoy the job (other than her) why should you leave?

This.

I’d print out on a piece of paper and stick it to the door
“Using Dave’s office for work call of confidential nature, as per his request”
Or walk through the office holding a piece of paper “Visited another work site on way to work” or “Using Work WC facilities as permitted under Health and Safety at Work Act SI —- 1974” (or what ever it is) or “Just taking my statutory break, started at 12:30”

I disagree with most other posters. I don’t think you should approach her directly, because you have no proof that she has done or said any of these things. If it all blows up, it’s your word ( young, female , new start ) against his ( male, manager , established in the company ).

I don’t need to tell you how that’s going to pan out.

He could say “ Muffins has got everything out of proportion. I just said that Linda has mentioned that she came in late because she was worried about her. And she’s now become convinced that Linda is spying on her and she ignores her completely “.

You @Muffins34 and most other posters are assuming that Linda ( or whatever her name is ) is the baddie and the male boss is the goody. I’m not so sure. The best I can say is there is no proof . For all we know, male boss is dripping poison in Linda’s ear about Muffins.

I agree with this.

Include in the email every example that HE has repeated to you.

He has repeated what she has supposedly said.
It is important to have it all written down.

If he is misrepresenting what she has said or done, you need in written down.

HE has told you that she is making remarks about your appearance that amount to sexual harassment, resulting in you feeling unsafe around her.

Let him stand over everything that he has told you.

Make it clear that this is about to become a HR grievance problem because of the harassment he has reported to you, but not taken any action to prevent.

This paper trail will be use to have should you need to use it with HR.

I still think he is a waste of space and you should be looking at moving.

The boss does find all this amusing..your probably right 👍 op might be best looking for another role or making a request to work from home. HR will probably also side with the 2 and twist it on op. I might be inclined to carry a recorder to record all calls and conversations log all emails etc keep a record of events.

Tell your boss if she isnt spoken to about this and told to stop harassing you then you wil have no choice but to leave the company and take a case for constructive dismissal.