bullying advice please

[whiskersonkittens]

My boss has been undermining me in various ways since I came back from secondment a couple of weeks ago. I flagged it up with the senior people saying it 'felt like bullying' and they have now told me that I must either make a formal complaint or if I choose not to make a formal complaint this will be on the basis that I agree no bullying has taken place.

I do not want to make a formal complaint as i am going on secondment again for 12 months but neither am I prepared to state that there has been no bullying - can they force this on me in this way?

Thanks

Oh and they have said I must make a decision before I leave today!!!!

You aren't going to like my answer I'm afraid...

They cannot force you to say that there has been no bullying, but TBH, they are fair enough to ask you to make a complaint if you believe your boss is bullying you. You can't expect to raise something like that, not take it forward but leave it 'open'. If you do that it's hanging over your boss' head for an indefinite period, ditto HR.

What do you believe should happen? Surely you see that you can't tell senior people that you're being bullied but then not let them do anything to investigate?

What Ribena said.

What were you hoping these senior people would do once you'd complained about your boss bullying you?

Bullying is a serious allegation, and by complaining to your manager's manager you have already made it formal to an extent.

It's also important they are seen to be making every effort to deal with a bullying problem.You can envisage a situation where you or someone else makes a formal complaint in a few months' time about bullying, it comes out that you 'raised' it, and someone wants to know why nothing was done at the time.

[always looks for worst case potential scenario emoticon]