Bullying at work and HR incapable/unable to deal

[fingersandthumbs]

Asking for a good friend so I may not know all the ins and outs but:-

Friend started working for a new company in a new field to her 6 months ago. All going well, probation passed, line manager states happy with how quickly she has picked up new knowledge etc. However she felt that one of the departments that she had to work with was deliberately ignoring her, in particular she felt that she was being blanked, ignored by the team leader of this area. She mentioned it to her HR and her line manager who she believes mentioned it to the boss of the other department and things moved on.

My friend feels that there has been some low level bullying going on from the team leader but she has tried to ignore it and get on with her job.

5 weeks ago, my friend needed to speak to the team leader of the other department about a query on an order. She had tried corresponding by email but wasn't get the answers to the queries that she was raising in order to do her job. So she walked to the other end of the building where the other team was to speak to their team leader face to face.

The team leader, in front of a number of other employees, proceeded to shout at her for being incompetent, that she had told her numerous times what she needed to know, she couldn't help her any further as she was stupid etc. My friend says that she do not shout back but did tell her to calm down before walking away.

It was reported to HR who said who yes that "just her way." My friend asked for the matter to be dealt with informally.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a family run company who are keeping things in the family without having any specialist HR input.

The HR department consists of one person who is in work very part time. Despite the company handbook advising matters will be dealt with expediently it is now over 5 weeks. Various delays as HR on annual leave, team leader refusing to attend any meeting until her line manager is back from annual leave and then most recently team leader refusing to attend any meeting to discuss the matter.

HR just keep reiterating "its just her way" and don't seem to have the ability to deal with a bullying claim. My friend has had to take time of work through work related stress (not fit for work note from GP) and feels intimidated every time she needs to go to the area where this team is based - (toilets, kitchen).

With the team leaders refusal to attend any informal meeting, can my friend now ask for the matter to follow a formal disciplinary route? She feels that with HR not doing much that she is being forced to consider her future employment with this company.

She has heard rumours that other people have left due to the team leaders bullying but that nothing has been done as she is having an affair with the CEO.

What would be the next step?

Well, if she's tried to resolve it informally then she needs to raise a formal grievance.

She needs to document everything if she hasn't done so already.

People who have affairs with the CEO in small companies rarely get disciplined in my experience.

I'd recommend her getting a new job, this will not improve.

HR are not there to hold grievence procedures but to make them go away.
They work for the company and not the employee.
She will need to move jobs as this will only get more stressful.

Ask for company policy on this and log everything.

what for? they wont do anything. first whizz of her putting a grievance in and they will sack her.

Walk the fuck away.

There's no HR infrastructure here. Your friend will be on a guaranteed hiding to nothing but stress and potential persecution by hideous shouty colleague if she goes up against her as there is literally no structure to allow for the professional, impartial investigation of what sounds like bullying.

I am all for bastards getting their just desserts and I hope one day hideous colleague bites off more than she can chew. But for the sake of your friend's mental health and professional advancement don't go there. especially if colleague is shagging the boss which you must never ever allude to or state in the written word

What I would do if I were your friend is write a scathing yet professionally worded letter once she's got a new job in the bag.

Maybe suggesting how some of their functions could be improved, such as HR for instance?

Thank you all. The advice seems to be to walk away. Sadly it isn't going to be easy to do this. She actually loves her role and is really enjoying gaining experience in a new field where entry level or inexperienced roles rarely come up.

But you are right, her mental health is beginning to be impacted.

Thank you for the advice. She told them today that she wants the matter dealt with formally as per the company handbook which gives time deadlines etc.

But she will start the new job hunt tonight.