Behaviour of manager at work

aln said:
I've never actually see it go that way, except when the company sees it has no choice (ie, if this woman was a guy and other ladies took exception). I have seen plently of colleagues been pushed out after having words with HR though. Of course the company almost always reports a different reason for them leaving internally.

I had a run in with a manager who was brought on, obviously didn't like the fact I worked from home (said as much) and brought me down to London then rejected my travel expenses. I went to HR, instead of getting any recourse, I ended up on some internal performance review a few weeks later.

I got a new job, because it's basically the only recourse one has without gambling with their career.
Click to expand...

Personally from my experience with my employer they are very very strong about it but they are very big so the potential payouts are eye watering.

usually a quick word with the manger to be more sensitive, is cheaper than trying to force out the victim and risk a tribunal for constrictive dismissal.


remember legally in these cases they do not operate under innocent until proven guilty they work the other way round it's up to the company to prove discrimination/bullying did not take place not for the victim to prove it did take place.

you should have held your ground.
 
Last edited:
Tefal said:
Personally from my experience with my employer they are very very strong about it but they are very big so the potential payouts are eye watering.
Click to expand...

With that in mind, a team leader under 7 different level of managment, whom the CEO doesn't even know, isn't really considered part of the management team. I've seen line managers thrown to the dogs on a regular basis. It really depends on who you're talking about, their status in the company, and evidently the company yourself as you've suggested.

Tefal said:
usually a quick word with the manger to be more sensitive, is cheaper than trying to force out the victim and risk a tribunal for constrictive dismissal.
Click to expand...

You're right, that's the logical outcome. But you're still going to be working under a boss who'll remember you did that, with several others who'll remember too. Some of them won't be bothered, but more often than not your next promotion will be with a different company, unless it's slim pickings as you're working in a call centre of something.


Tefal said:
remember legally in these cases they do not operate under innocent until proven guilty they work the other way round it's up to the company to prove discrimination/bullying did not take place not for the victim to prove it did take place.

you should have held your ground.
Click to expand...

If I held my ground what would have happened was this:-

> Performance review extended.
> Verbal warning.
> Written warning 1-3.
> Having to explain to future employers why I was sacked.

That's if I don't accidently break something and they use that as a reason to let me go. Quitting is the only sensible option for a non-minority. But yeah, living with a year of stress while the above happened, hoping I outlast him, was another option. Hindsight tells me I made the right choice though. :)
 
Last edited:
aln said:
With that in mind, a team leader under 7 different level of managment, whom the CEO doesn't even know, isn't really considered part of the management team.

I've seen line managers thrown to the dogs on a regular basis. It really depends on who you're talking about, their status in the company, and evidently the company yourself as I've suggested.
Click to expand...


i'm with EADS so i'm not even sure how many levels of management come above our team coordinators (replaced team leaders a year or so back) but they're like the bottom of the management pile and ten a penny :p
 
She should Point out infront of all the team, quite loudly that you don't appreciate those sort of comments.

I wouldn't go to HR at this point, it's just asking for future trouble.

I had a guy at work a year older than me who kept pointing out I was going thin on top, this went on for a few months, one day I was standing on a chair, he joked that he couldn't see my bald spot now, I turned round and said, well you don't look as fat as usual this far away, he's hasn't said anything since....
 
Firestar_3x said:
I had a guy at work a year older than me who kept pointing out I was going thin on top, this went on for a few months, one day I was standing on a chair, he joked that he couldn't see my bald spot now, I turned round and said, well you don't look as fat as usual this far away, he's hasn't said anything since....
Click to expand...


5 STARS :D
 
robjf said:
My fiance is currently around 18 weeks pregnant, and we're very excited. Recently her manager has started making the occasional comment which is starting to get to her, recently when her team was laming about going out to get new dresses for someone's leaving do, her manager said she would have to go and get a new tent...

Also someone commented on how nice my fiancée top was, to which her manager said, 'well she won't fit in to it for much longer' with a bit of a smirk on her face.

Now individually these things could be excused as they are generally a friendly team and her manager isn't a horrible or mean person, however this seems to be increasing in frequency.

I've experienced one comment, as we work in the same place, and I'm no sure how she can't see someone might take offence from it...

So what would you do in this situation, she wants to speak to her manager, however just thinking about approaching her about it gets her upset.

What do you think? Thanks for your advice? :)
Click to expand...

Mountain and mole hill spring to mind, I'm sure her manager would be equally upset if she realized she had caused offence . Maybe a quiet word from your other half to her would nip it in the bud.
 
divaboy said:
Mountain and mole hill spring to mind, I'm sure her manager would be equally upset if she realized she had caused offence . Maybe a quiet word from your other half to her would nip it in the bud.
Click to expand...

+1
Your other half should tell her boss how her comments are upsetting her and then if she still persists then take it further
 
Dimple said:
+1
Your other half should tell her boss how her comments are upsetting her and then if she still persists then take it further
Click to expand...

I actually made my manager cry when I informed her of her behaviour a few years back. She took it on the chin, and changed the way she approached things. It could have been avoided if I'd gone to her sooner about her behaviour..... (so basically... do what Dimple is suggesting as a first port of call).
 
Quite often how issues like this are managed depends on the size of the company ... my employers HR Dept would take issues like this very seriously.
 
aln said:
I can't imagine having a chat about it or going to HR actually ever helps anyone, despite how often it's suggested. HR isn't there to serve staff, they're there to protect the company, and they'll almost always take your bosses side unless they see no way around it.

Give as good as you get or ignore it.
Click to expand...

That's nor the case, I know of at least 2 cases of complaints against managers being up held by HR after investigations in different companies I've worked in.

One for sexual harassment and one for general bullying.
 
anthony566 said:
Quite often how issues like this are managed depends on the size of the company ... my employers HR Dept would take issues like this very seriously.
Click to expand...

Agreed. We (all employees) were all required to attend an equal opportunity training course for stuff like this.

But I vote for firing back some ugly jokes first.. (Course worked well :D )
 
It is possible that your manager doesn't view the comments as any more than a fairly normal office relationship where some mickey taking might be expected if you get on well. However if it's bothering your fiancée then depending on your relationship with the manager it might be worth having a quiet word, you know her personality and can guess how she will take a criticism of sorts better than we can. Comments on physical appearance can be rather dodgy ground unless you're very sure that the person is comfortable with them.

One point to bear in mind is that if you do go to HR then assuming they follow normal procedures there will be a formal record of the issue should things deteriorate. Whether that's going to be necessary or useful may be another issue entirely. I'd also judge the situation based on what I knew about the HR department - if they've got the tact and grace of a warthog crashing through a plate glass window then I might be more inclined to trust myself to approach the boss in the first instance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom