Hi does anyone feel that their workplace has an informal hierarchy?
I work in a medium sized team and most of us are on the same grade. I feel though that the manager is friends with some colleagues outside of work and this translates in attitudes in the office.
They have each other's backs even when they're in the wrong and they always treat each other respectfully. Those of us outside that cliche struggle to get any attention and some of us, myself included, are always wary about what we say in case the rest of them gang up on us. One of the 'in' group fell out with a colleague and the rest of their cliche, the manager included, all stopped speaking to him for a few days. It was so uncomfortable for him and us.
I feel if I try to talk about something I get glazed looks or if I ask a question, the answer is directed at someone else rather than me as they don't want to give me eye contact. I feel quite low and lowly in the team. There was a birthday celebration last week which I struggled to get to due to being waylaid by a customer. It was only in the building next door but not a single person came looking for me to see why I wasn't there. When they came back, no one mentioned my absence. I work really hard and I have lots of friends so I don't think I'm an unsociable person. Just feel like me and a few others have been deemed bottom of the hierarchy and not worth bothering about.