To report this colleague?

[WorkplaceDramaHelp]

I am currently in quite an issue at work, and I’m looking for advice really.

We have had a new receptionist start, who is significantly older than me (sharing as I think this is part of the issue!) I’m in my 30s and they’re in their 60s. I think they don’t like receiving instructions from someone younger than them and this is at least part of the problem.

Since they started there have been some issues, teething problems probably, such as scanning things wrong or booking appointments wrong etc etc. If I ever try to raise this (e.g. ‘just to let you know for next time appointments should be at this time’) she gets very snappy with me and make it a very tense atmosphere. They do not take this attitude with male counterparts, who are also younger but probably closer in age (around 50s), or the older female colleagues.

I have raised with my superior that these issues continue after I have mentioned to the person involved, as I find it very uncomfortable to offer these corrections directly due to the snappiness etc.

Since doing so, things have become even worse. More and more mistakes happening, that I feel uncomfortable to mention, and a huge atmosphere of snappy words or whispering to the other receptionist when I walk past etc. I have taken to fixing things myself or just doing the tasks myself in the first place, which doesn’t feel reasonable either.

I’m really struggling with the environment and it’s making me very anxious to go into work. I want to get on with everyone, but the mistakes do need addressing as I have to fix them otherwise and I honestly don’t have time.

At this stage I have purely reported the actual errors (when I have said something) and left any kind of comment/tone out of it.

would I be unreasonable to go to someone in the department and explain how I’m being made to feel?

I think it’s even worse as she is particularly rude if I see her on my own, or when she thinks no one else is there. It’s gotten to the point that I meet a friend outside of work to enter to go past so that nothing is said, which doesn’t really feel like a practical solution or something I should have to do.

any and all advice appreciated!

Yes, I hear you. She doesn't like you, in particular, pointing out her errors. Well tough, she needs to be know so she can correct them. Don't let this ruin your own job anymore because you don't deserve that. The email advice is great. Start with that paper trail and if her nonsense continues you need to escalate things. If this is a medical environment her mistakes could be costly. Sorry, haven't RTFT if you've already mentioned that. Good luck and don't take her shit anymore. You are in the right.

Excellent advice

Anyone who uses intimidation is bullying - end of.

Like others have said - send requests / instructions in email, if she tries to give a verbal reply ask her to confirm in email. If she doesn’t follow either a summary for her to confirm. Raise with her line manager their prickly nature and why you are using email to confirm communications.

Oh - and point her to the stationary cupboard, don’t lend her anything

In other words - gray rock her

I don’t know how you are still be polite. - Don’t call me stupid - I would reply with I didn't, you need to do X.

Also, the first time you stand up to her and stop her snapping, I guarantee she won't do it again.

Being an asset to the team is not just capability of doing the job but behaviours too. I think you should be flagging to your managers that she seems averse to constructive feedback. Flag that in writing alongside your concerns about quality. If you don't, it's no good saying later down the line "oh yes she was a nightmare when I trained her too" and Will reflect poorly.

In the meantime, stop apologising! If she says she's not stupid, just say calmly but firmly "I didn't say you were. But it's my job to train you and that involves highlighting errors so they can be corrected for next time". Dont engage further.

I think you need to be more proactive here. The reality is that you have been tasked with training this person. That training is NOT going well - she is not learning, she is making mistakes, and instead of learning from those mistakes, you are simply correcting them yourself. This is not doing you or her any favours and you run the risk that you are blamed for her incompetence once you take a step back.

You need to go to your line manager and/or hers (whoever is responsible for assigning you this task). You need to be clear and not defensive that unfortunately, you have concerns about her ability to do the job. Explain what you have tried to teach her, and where the mistakes are happening. Lightly mention that this is exacerbated by her finding it frustrating if she is asked to correct tasks and that she gets defensive, making it even more difficult to correct things.

Suggest to the relevant line manager that if this is simply a personality clash, someone else training her might be a better option. or, if it must be you, ask for some intervention. Perhaps a three way session to go through tasks and challenges and to get any challenges she perceives to be there out of the way. Or perhaps you suggest that you will provide a daily/weekly log of any mistakes and how you have attempted to show her the correct way.

Be clear in your own mind here - this is about you making it clear that this employee is not working out. You believe that she is unlikely to correct these mistakes, even with a different trainer, but that perhaps that is worth exploring in the first instance to give her every chance to improve. Be honest with yourself - this is not someone you want to stay in this role, you dont' think she can do it, and you certainly don't think that this is someone you want to work with. It's tough and no one wants to be the bad guy, but you might need to be here.

She not say someone who has just left school or college in her 1st job. At that stage you may not understand that certain jobs are time sensitive or that you can't send clients out slapdash work or things with spelling mistakes.

The reality is that she is new into this job and she knows she has a probation period. If she is in her late 50 early 60s she has years of work experience and should know how to use spell check. She should want to be trained and ask questions so she not creating more work for you or other people. She should not be nasty with you when you correct her and not should she be ignorant on a reception desk probably in front of the business premises. If she is verbally nasty to you there you don't know who will hear her there either.

I would keep a log of everything. Send her corrections on an email and cc her manager on these also without her knowing about this. I would do this like a previous poster said here - I’ve proofed this and spotted errors. Please review and amend. Thank you’.
Keep it factual, focused on the work and in writing. If she objects then involve your manage r.
I would also send these to HR as they will have a record of this also.

Chat to the other receptionist and tell her that she needs to share the workload of typing ect. My feeling is that she sit back and leave as much work as possible to the other person if she can get away with it.
Have your phone on to record her any time you go in and out of the building so if she is verbally nasty you have a recording of this.

No one wants to report a colleague but she is not doing her job properly and is creating more work for you and possibly her other co worker on reception. Her attitude is poor also when she is corrected. Also being verbally nasty with you when she thinks no one is around is poor also.
Most people on probation are doing there best, willing to listen for training and correction and being pleasant to people so they have a long term job after probation ends.

Email all corrections to her cc’ supervisor in

say things like on 03/01/26 I explained that you had booked an appointment for x time but it should be at y time. I note on 13/01/26 you have done the same thing. Is there any training/help you need to ensure this is correct going forward.

if she makes snarky/aggresive comments again in an email and copying in supervisor.

today you said I was talking to you like you were stupid. However I was merely explaining the process or how to do x. I note this is the 4th/5th time this has had to be explained. If you need further help to understand how to do this then please ask

please don’t feel like you are doing anything wrong. She clearly in a job role above her skill level and things because she is older she’ll get away with it.

If i have understood the issue correctly - you are in a more client-facing role and sometimes need admin support. When you get in the poor work you have the unpleasant choice of 1) Redoing it yourself or 2) Giving it back with feedback and getting abuse.

Do you have the option of asking another admin support member for help with tasks? If so, I would do that. Youve reported your concerns and done your best with feedback so dont owe her anything else.

If she is rude to you, let her finish speaking, and then say something along the lines of "I will not accept you speaking to me in this tone. I have been tasked with training you. Please do as I have asked or I am happy to arrange a meeting with your line manager to discuss with them. You are welcome to attend." And repeat it every time she is rude. If she is whispering when you come through reception, then you can again pull her up on that by telling her it is rude to whisper and she should behave more professionally in the workplace. If she has something to say that is suitable for the workplace, then she needs to say it out loud. Otherwise keep it until she finishes working. Whatever you decide to say, practice it and then you will be able to say it to her without even thinking about it. She sounds awful.

If it were me, then I would not communicate at all verbally, I would just email and cc her line manager into every email.

Yes ask that supervisor checks it. Step back and tell your line manager you want nothing more to do with her..You dont want to risk snapping and shouting at her that shes bloody useless because it'll just make you look bad, so distance yourself..

As a manager, I would not want anyone who behaved so unprofessionally to their colleagues in my organisation. Give them the information they need by reporting it in meetings with your own line manager (not just once, but as long as it continues) so they have the full picture and can take appropriate steps.

This is not your situation to fix. Speak to her line manager, show your evidence and explain what you have done to solve it. You are not paid to manage her, you were asked to train her, she is not listening, you are now at an impasse and it the responsibility of her manager to unblock it. Do not give this any more brain space and stop apologising... you have trained, repeated, modelled, you are now at the point where someone else needs to sort this out.

It’s not clear what your responsibility is in relation to training and supervision. As part of training it is correct to check the training has been effective by reviewing what they have done. This can look like supervision. But it is really about whether you should go over the training again or approach it differently. At some point you need to determine if further training by you or indeed anyone is worthwhile.

You mention that the direction given to you by your line manager was vague. In retrospect you should have clarified what exactly they expected you to do and for how long with your line manager. This gives you the authority you need to work with this colleague. You can also ask that your line manager confirms this with your colleague. This ensures this person knows you are there to train and assess the impact of that training. It also ensures they know you will report back progress to the line manager as part of their probation.

It’s not to late to do this and I would probably take a proposal to your line manager for agreement on what your role is with this colleague.

Absolutely make records (don’t video anything in the office) of any interaction that makes you feel uncomfortable or bullied. Discuss it with your line manager and ask for their support.

I would see this as reporting someone. You were asked to train a probationer. If you have identified a capability problem, which is getting things wrong despite training, it needs to be fed back to your line manager. If you see behaviour problems this too needs to be fed back.

This is a line manager problem as much as anything and they need to back you up and deal with the problems.

Yes this is correct! Unfortunately we only have one other admin type person who is lovely but busy with her own client-facing colleagues. This person is supposed to be mine (amongst others) admin assistant, so it’s not as easy as just asking someone else unfortunately.

I have heard across the department other people say that they have taken to trying to do such work themselves as it’s not worth asking then having to fix her work, but obviously if everyone has resorted to just not asking her to do anything then that’s not really helpful either

I just want to say thanks for all the comments so far, I can’t reply to all! But you’re all being very supportive and giving me the kick I need to make a more formal log and ensure everything is in writing

that is batshit.
She needs to have a probation review, and all these issues need to be addressed and if not rectified, within a specified time, they need to get rid and get someone in who can do the job.

Exactly

I think you need to nip it in the bud as she thinks she can dominate you! Or that you’re a weak touch.

to avoid personal confrontation I’d take it all to email, document changes and log the errors. I’d also say any time impact it’s taking for you to the line managers so they can cover/take it seriously.

i wouldn’t edit her work at all, I’d send it back for her to edit for learning. Email to say why, copy a line manager in and say she can ask you if further training is required.

shes being pretty toxic and is counting on you not to say anything. If she says things to you, I’d prepare a stock response and practice it so you can just use it eg

a) I don’t have time to discuss this at this time, drop me an email and I’ll get back to you - walk away
b) you’ve made these errors which need correcting. I’ve been asked by lab manager to let you know so you can improve your practice-take it up with them- walk away

stop apologising. She’s choosing to be offended and it’s making you look like you’ve done something wrong.

Just to add- hopefully the email thread will either take the heat out or, if she’s this toxic, she’ll be inappropriate on email, then you have evidence for HR.

also all the edits needs logging on email so you have evidence that it’s not just you ‘picking on her’

you absolutely need to raise this and ensure she does not pass the probation. otherwise you will be stuck with her for the foreseeable future. you have a duty to the company not to let this shit slide, she is being paid for doing her job well, not for someone else (you) redoing her job. by letting this slide you are doing a disservice to a company because they may keep this incompetent loon.

and stop apologising to her, tell her that tone is unacceptable and that you will be raising this with her line manager if this continues (but do get a log of everything in writing beforehand so she doesn't cry wolf). don't just SPEAK to her line manager, write him an email with history, dates, interactions, evidencde of her past mistakes AND start cc'ing her line manager into every interaction where you tell her to correct something.

I would report immediately. Had someone like this - he didn’t make it through probation

Don't apologise as much. If you are pointing out errors in person and she starts with the "don't treat me like I'm stupid" respond calmy and firmly with a "I'm not suggesting you are, I'm pointing out some necessary corrections".

Don't edit and send out her work, send it back to her with the necessary corrections instructed. Copy in her line manager/whoever will be doing her probation review so that they see the repeated mistakes.

Are you saying that you have to drag a friend to walk through reception with you every time you go past or she "makes comments to you"? What kind of comments? I wouldn't scurry past her with my head down, I would say "Good morning" or "Good evening" to her when going past. If she says anything other than a salutation back that's something to report to HR that she is behaving inappropriately.

Stop being all nicey to her and covering up her ineptitude. She hates you anyway so this just makes you look weak.