old line manager and new line manager issues

[lookingforamindatwork]

I work in a team of 5. We all do pretty much the same job but with different clients. There are two people above us. Until recently, one manages the whole team (I'll call her June), and the other had no direct reports (I'll call her Sally).

June had a grievance against her by me and someone from another team she didn't manage but was a horrible bully to. It was partially upheld. The other person has now left the organisation but I'm still there. June's behaviour made me have a mental breakdown and I had to get my union involved, who then helped me with a tribunal claim.

It was that bad and it is still ongoing (the claim that is - you can make a discrimination claim whilst still employed and I can't find another job yet in this climate so need to stay employed. can't afford to simply quit)

I am due back to work after furlough next week. Albeit working from home which will be easier. As I said, I can't afford not to work. I can't afford to leave. My tribunal claim is on hold due to covid 19. I have to just carry on best I can til I can find another job.

They've tried to do some things to make me happy but I'm not sure. I've been told Sally will be my manager now but June will continue to manage the other 4 team members and therefore there may still be some 'overlap'. I'm a bit concerned about this. It sounds to me as though June will still actually be my manager. How do I address this? What do I say? What do I do if she starts giving me instructions again?

I really like my actual job. I've done well in it. Although not had much recognition. I can't move easily to any other department because these other departments require particular skills or qualifications eg I don't have any IT or marketing qualifications! Plus I like what I do.

I'm just uneasy with the whole 'new line manager' thing. I think it might not actually be true.

Any advice appreciated. My union have been good but I'm not getting as much response from them as I did before. Covid 19 is obviously keeping head office busy and my workplace union rep is retiring.

What’s the alternative? If you get back to work and it seems the change in structure you have been promised doesn’t happen, what you do is raise it with your new manager and/or HR. But if moving to a new job with your employer isn’t possible then there’s not a lot to be done on the basis that you think what they’ve said might turn out not to be true.

I'm actively looking for other jobs and I'm just trying to bide my time until then for financial reasons. As I said, I am currently WFH which makes things easier. At least I don't have to see them in person. Zoom is bad enough. I guess I need to raise things with HR (who have been pretty shite) or higher in the hierarchy.

It all sounds like they are trying to keep me happy and get me to drop the claim when they aren't actually changing anything.

I guess I was just looking for professional things to say or do in response to attempts to manage me again rather than the dream response of "fuck off you bitch" or "stick your job".

I think the response is to raise the concern with your new manager.

It sounds to me as though June will still actually be my manager. How do I address this? What do I say? What do I do if she starts giving me instructions again?

At the moment this is all hypothetical. It sounds as though they are trying to do the right thing by making Sally your line manager - you have to approach this (however hard it might be) with an open mind and willingness to make it work. If you go in from the outset thinking it won't work, that will likely become a self-fulfilling prophecy. You can consider how to address any issues as and when they crop up, but don't go into the new set up expecting or looking for issues before they've arisen.

It sounds to me as if June will still be my line manager.

It doesn’t sound like that, you have been told that Sally will be your line manager. I would cross any other bridge when and if you get to it.

You only report to Sally, don’t take any orders from June she isn’t your manager.

Don’t drop the case, there may be others against June that you don’t know about and she may end of being got rid of.

I think they are trying to help, pretend June isn’t there. You now work in a “new“ role for Sally.

Maybe They are developing Sally’s management skills for when they get rid of June 🤷‍♀️

Ask for a mtg with upper management/ HR and insist that you are never to be in the same room together without supervision and any contact is by email only so both parties have a written record. I had this once and whoa did it help loads! Thinking of you Xxx

Sorry all emails need to be copied into HR to so they are supervised.