To report my colleague to management for unprofessional behaviour ?

[SunConure]

So there have been redundancies in our department and also redeployments to lower grades. It’s been a stressful process but I recently found out I have kept my job. Unfortunately the person doing a similar job at the same grade has not kept hers. Perhaps naively, I tried to help her in various ways, we even discussed a job share. Now I find out from various colleagues that, on more than one occasion, she is going around telling all and sundry that I did not deserve to get the job as “she doesn’t know anything about
science” and “her research is not aligned to what the department wants” and “she shouldn’t even be in our team”. It’s making other colleagues uncomfortable to have to listen to this and one or two asked her to stop. AIBU to report her to management and ask them to deal with it? I could ignore it but the way she is trying to undermine me makes me think it needs nipping in the bud right now and also that management should know about it so they maybe think twice about redeploying her. She is always nice to my face and she doesn’t yet realise I know about how she’s behaving. I could bring it up with her but I know from experience she will deny,
minimise and pretend it was not as bad as it actually is.

Have you confronted her? How has this come to yoyr attention? Is it possible someone is trying to stitch her up?

I think you absolutely should file a complaint with management and HR but check your facts and sources first and make sure that the people telling you this don’t have an axe to grind. Ideally get them to back you up.

No, as I said she does not even know that I know. As it’s been told to me from several different unconnected sources and people I trust I’m pretty sure that it’s true.

She hasn't said anything directly to you so going to management would be difficult. People who are repeating what she is saying should be going to management. Why are they telling you instead? Be cautious of their motives and be careful how you respond to them as if they are telling you what she said they could be doing likewise with her.
Pull back from your interactions with her, be professional and nothing else. Protect yourself.

She hasn't said these things to you, so don't get involved. The next time someone tells you about it, advise them to speak to HR directly.

Her behaviour is really unprofessional. But you haven't personally witnessed or experienced it, so reporting it is not your responsibility.

As you haven't heard these things in person, I would not report it. I would be polite and professional but not assist her any further. All you have is hearsay.

I am not sure that it is unprofessional to say the things she has said. Do you work in academia? I doubt HR or management will be interested and everyone else knows she has an axe to grind because you kept your job and she didn't. I would just leave it.

If they are uncomfortable, they need to report it.

Making it your problem makes you a problem. Currently she just sounds a bit silly and she's embarrassing herself by acting out but if you bite, it becomes she says/she says and it gives some credence to the idea of there being a problem between you. Don't tarnish yourself. She's stressed and it's coming across like she's being petty just fine on its own.

You kept your job and she didn't. Of course she is going to be bitter.

Id just ignore and distance myself

Talk to her let her know you know, be professional.

Slagging off a colleague behind their back is not unprofessional ? Wow

Yes there is being bitter / upset and there is spreading lies and backstabbing. But yeah maybe just ignore it

the problem is she might get redeployed to a lower grade and I’m not sure the issue will go away

She’s not really slagging you off it’s just sour grapes and everyone knows it.

Try to rise above it. It’s certainly not for you to report as she hasn’t said it directly to your face. She will be gone soon in any case.

Can you have an informal type chat with your manager about how you're finding the situation uncomfortable and ask if someone can give her extra support. I guess this is a time limited situation. If you go formal the investigation would probably only just be done by the time she is going and it will make her finishing time with the organisation worse

This is another form of workplace bullying. Report it early and get it stopped.

@Pieandchips999 she won’t be gone she will probably be redeployed to a lower grade so in the same team

It's not an issue. Currently all you know is colleagues are saying that she's saying stuff.

That doesn't make it true and I think you're very green to take it at face value.

If she has not said it directly to your face then don't go to management.

You're a grown up, so raise the issue with her.

Speak to her calmly and say that you have had several different people come up to you and telling you that she has been saying X, Y and Z about you behind your back and is this true.

If she says yes, then tell her that she is really unkind and speaking about someone behind their back is nasty.

If she denies it then ask if she is implying that all these other people are lying and point out that seems unlikely.

@NoSausage if I’d heard it from one person maybe but I heard it from
people I trust and more than one, who are unconnected to each other. The content of what she has been saying is similar reported by each on different occasions

@SunnyRedSnail i like this approach thank you

It isn't bullying if she isn't saying it to OP. OP wouldn't even know about it if others weren't telling her

Exactly this.

just because you haven’t heard it first hand, doesn’t mean it isn’t bullying and damaging to your reputation and professional relationships.

it’s also useful to raise it so that if this behaviour escalates or there is a situation where she makes more serious allegations about your work you can show there is a record of this type of behaviour

Of course it is unprofessional...

She is bitter and angry that she has lost of job which is understandable, but it is completely unacceptable to try to undermine and criticise the OP behind her back because she has not been made redundant.

People do it all the time.

Our management won't listen to hearsay. They will only act if something is said directly to you. I think this is quite common. It annoying but I think your best bet is to confront her and say Ive been told what you have been saying about me and if this continues I will report it to management, and refuse to listen to her excuses.

Why would you feel so bad for someone not keeping their job when you have kept yours that you’d tell them you’re considering a job share?!