Catty women in office

[DaphneDahlia]

Yesterday I dropped into my company main office. Since Covid the office is not used so much as a lot of staff WFH.
My experience of some of the Personal assistants is dreadful. I walk into the office and feel dread as the atmosphere is very awkward as soon as I walk in. I feel intimidated and see side glances and smirks between them when I speak.
This is ridiculous as I am a grown woman who is close to retirement. Why am I letting such women have a negative effect on me. I came away feeling really uncomfortable and sad.
Has anyone experienced this and how did you cope?

I have worked for 40 years and I couldn't disagree more! There's countless office bitches, not exclusively but more often, women. Invariably, when I have had a female manager, they've been nasty and micromanaging. I have literally had three female managers who have been encouraging, supportive and professional. Thankfully my most recent/current manager is wonderful, but the manager above her is cold, rude, uncaring and unsupportive.

I couldn't say that of any of my male managers. They have trusted me, been unfailing polite and respectful and never berated me, which is more than I could say of a lot of the female ones.

I hate to say this as a woman, but it has been my experience of a whole working life.

To balance this I have to say I have had many wonderful peers who have been positives in my working life. It seems to be that when some women ascend the career ladder, their persona changes.

I bring biscuits to the office, small act if kindness help

Nobody is going to be bought by biscuits!

Call the behaviour out. It's important with micro aggressions which is what this type of behaviour falls under.

I recently called out an eye roll from a colleague. Not in an accusatory way, more of an observation of the behaviour and a question about why they'd done that behaviour in response to something I'd said. Curious instead of furious is quite a good mantra.

There's a massive difference between "don't roll your eyes at me" and "I see you don't like that idea, can you tell me why?".

Get curious. Don't let this behaviour go unchallenged unless you're happy with it continuing.