New manager problems

[honeybee13]

Here is the directgov stuff on grievances. Someone asked if you have a copy of the company's grievance procedures, do you?

 

HB

 

How to raise a grievance

 

If you tried to resolve your grievance informally and this approach did not work, you should raise the matter formally. You should do this using your employer’s formal procedures for grievances. You should be able to find these in either your:

 

• company handbook
  
• human resources (HR) or personnel manual
  
• HR intranet site
  
• employment contract
  

Procedures for handling grievance situations should be in writing, specific and clear. Your employer must, at least, give you in writing the name of the person that you can apply to seek redress from (put the matter right).

To comply with the Code, your employer’s grievance procedure is likely to include the following steps:

 

• writing a letter to your employer setting out the details of your grievance
  
• a meeting with your employer
  
• the ability to appeal your employer's decision
  

Further advice and guidance can be found in 'Discipline and grievances at work. The Acas guide'. This guidance has been prepared by Acas to help employers and employees understand the Code and how to reflect it in their procedures and behaviour. It is not part of the Code.

 

 

• Download 'Discipline and grievances at work. The Acas guide' (PDF, 21K) Opens new window
  

 

• Help with PDF files
  

 

Writing to your employer

 

You should write as quickly as possible to your employer with the details of your grievance. Your letter should be dated and you should keep a copy.

If you have not done so already, you may find it helpful to include how you would like your employer to resolve the problem.

Meeting with your employer

 

Your employer should arrange an initial meeting at a reasonable time and place to discuss your grievance. You should make every effort to attend the meeting.

Gather your thoughts before the meeting. Don't be afraid to write down what you want to say, there is nothing wrong with reading it out at the meeting.

It is up to your employer what format the meeting takes. They will normally go through the issues that have been raised and give you the opportunity to comment. The main purpose of the meeting should be to try to:

 

• establish the facts
  
• find a way to resolve the problem
  

If it appears further investigation is needed, your employer should consider pausing the meeting and arrange to finish it at a later date.

You have a statutory (legal) right to take a companion to the meeting with you. To exercise this right, you must make a request to your employer that someone comes with you. They may be:

 

• a colleague
  
• a trade union representative
  
• a trade union official
  

If no colleague can accompany you, and you are not a trade union member, ask if you can bring a family member or Citizens Advice Bureau worker. Your employer does not have to agree to this unless your employment contract says they must. However, it can still be worth asking and explaining why you feel it would be helpful.

The companion can:

 

 

• present and/or sum up your case
  
• talk on your behalf
  
• discuss with you during the hearing
  

However, the companion cannot answer questions on your behalf. They are protected from unfair dismissal or other mistreatment for supporting you.

After the meeting, your employer should write to you to give you their decision.

[honeybee13]

One last thought for you. I normally suggest anyone who is being bullied or picked on has a look at bullyonline.org. They explain how bullies operate and tactics for dealing with them. I haven't read it for a while, but was impressed when I did. They're UK based.

 

HB

[Guest Mrs Hobbit]

Can I suggest a book Emotional Intelligence, good coping strategies and you will get an insight into the workings of the mind of your tormentor?

 

It is worrying when you start down the greivance complaint route. if you are having meeting take someone with you, they wont be able to speak for you, but they will be your support person, let your HR department know that you are planning to do this. you will generally find people in the work place wtill either support you, or want to stay out of it for fear that they will be the next one picked on. Let your support person be someone you trust implicitly.

[malinmaid]

ThAnks again -willsort out paragraphs

[honeybee13]

To add to Mrs Hobbit's good advice, your support person could also take notes of the meeting, which could be useful in the future.

 

HB

[malinmaid]

OK folks -latest developments. Spoke to solicitor today to clarify my situation. Surprisingly she, although usually engaged by employers agreed that I did in fact have a grievance and the agist thing was appalling.

I have found a companion to accompany me--senior manager but he is not available until 23rd August due to family committments-wife recovering from operation. HR are " not pushing me" but would lilke to expedite the matter--

"Could I find someone else?"

I don't want to----They suggested another member of HR ---totally impartial--I dont think so

The timeline was not of my making---new manager holidays--my annual holidays etc have extended things

I want to wait until 23rd,.

Any advice?

[Allwood]

Can I suggest a book Emotional Intelligence, good coping strategies and you will get an insight into the workings of the mind of your tormentor?

 

It is worrying when you start down the greivance complaint route. if you are having meeting take someone with you, they wont be able to speak for you, but they will be your support person, let your HR department know that you are planning to do this. you will generally find people in the work place wtill either support you, or want to stay out of it for fear that they will be the next one picked on. Let your support person be someone you trust implicitly.

 

This should not be a union rep.....

[Sidewinder]

Whoever you choose to take is only there as a witness and to take notes so that you all agree what was discussed and what was not, but I agree that an HR person might not be ideal in your situation.

 

You could always ask that in the absence of a companion, whether you could record the meeting on a dictaphone or similar device? It would though be a reasonable request to delay until 23rd bearing in mind all of the circumstances - particularly that you are only asking for a similar adjournment to the one they imposed due to management holidays...

[LifeSuxSumtimes]

Post #17 - can you please explain what this means?

 

I was slated to an external contractor by my line manager. She said that I could barely make a cup of tea, let alone be relied upon to fill the photocopier.

[malinmaid]

Okaydokey --the war continues-not really feeling that clever. Just received an email from THE PROBLEM asking me to fill out a plan for the progress of this account.

He wants a SMART plan --what is a SMART plan--template begins " Date of Entry--Area targeted for improvement etc--any ideas?

[Sidewinder]

SMART

 

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Time-Framed

 

A poncey business acronym for an outline plan for setting out, monitoring and measuring goals or performance.

[honeybee13]

SMART

 

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Realistic

Time-Framed

 

A poncey business acronym for an outline plan for setting out, monitoring and measuring goals or performance.

 

Great explanation, Sidewinder. HB

[malinmaid]

plaThanks sidewinder --needed a laugh as I make my SMART plan. What a load of brown steaming stuff!!!!!

[malinmaid]

Well ! further interesting developments--sent the smart plan to our MBA qualified expert who responded with " Some SMART plan!!!!!!!!!!" I h ad hit all the buttons.

THE PROBLEM just replied--cc' ing all the relevant people --including the expert--"Not a great plan --will forward new one. What do you think?

To clarify our mega qualified expert thought my plan was immense and he poo pooed it

[honeybee13]

Hello there. I'm probably being thick, but I don't quite follow what you're saying. Are you able to elaborate at all please?

 

HB

[honeybee13]

MM, I assume you're still waiting for the grievance meeting and that it hasn't changed from the 23rd?

 

Are you keeping notes of all of this? It sounds to me as if he's carrying on the victimisation. Does the company have procedures against bullying and harassement? It would be worth mugging up on that while you await the meeting.

 

My best, HB x

[malinmaid]

Hello there. I'm probably being thick, but I don't quite follow what you're saying. Are you able to elaborate at all please?

 

I sent my smart plan to one of the company technical experts --a highly qualified individual and a person I really respect. She is a key driver in our current business plan. She replied that the plan was excellent. My manager didnt like it --copied in all the relevant people in his memo to tell me it was rubbish and he would send me his plan. Yet again diminishing my position. I dont mind that he thought the plan was poor-- his opinion but I would have thought he should not have responded to all the other parties as well.

[honeybee13]

I agree, that was in poor taste in my opinion. I trust you're keeping a copy? And do you have anything in writing from the technical person that you could use if you need it?

 

HB

[LestatSell]

From the thread I believe you took the right move by fighting for your rights and brought it up to your HR. His new so he may lack understanding of the business or maybe he has just doing favoritism at work. Try to investigate the colleague of yours he has given an account with.

 

This site may help you too about dealing with bad bosses especially those who practice favoritism.

http://exfudzworkfrustrations.blogspot.com/search/label/Boss

[mariefab]

Did you include the age discrimination in the 'tribute' in your written Grievance?

[malinmaid]

Right Oh--I have spent the weekend trying to formulate my presentation for the grievance procedure. My problem is

I do not know how much or how little to include. My current perspective is to create a complete outline of my grievance to be given to the panel and which they can read later and then for me to have a "Bullet Point" presentation .

Should I keep things short and sweet or include EVERYTHING that has happened.

[jackieandwayne]

Hi Malinmaid. I haven;t posted on here much lately because my mirror image of your case is hotting up and i have to be a bit careful just in case someone who shouldn't reads this site. Unlikely but it has happened to other posters. Don;t mention this site to anyone at work - its your haven then.

 

I say mirror image because you are being bullied. What has happened to you - the bully's response to your SMART plan and cc'ing in Uncle Tom Cobley and all, - that's what finished me. Its known as a final straw incident, after a series of bullying. So, now you have had two humiliations, and that is quite enough now for you to go to your GP and tell him/her what has been going on and getting it down officially that this whole upset is making you ill. And to be signed off and out of the den of inequity, where the bully cannot get you.

 

I am about the same age as you, been a professional all my working life, loved my job, then came the bully four years ago. I stuck it for three, then snapped and did something about it. Today I cannot work, have been medically retired, and suffer with PTSD. Let me just tell you that some one will be paying big time for this and I am fully armed and about to attack in that direction!

 

You need to sit and have a good think about how it would be if you stayed in this company which is changing - I note your comments about "new managers" - whilst this is clearly a new manager who is a bully, there seems to me that there was a whole new style of young managers that I could stomach less and less towards the end of my working time. And if i am honest I think it was partly their inexperience but a lot to do with my age. They either felt threatened by my experience (i never wanted to a be a manager ever - no threat to anyone) or I found them very ignorant in certain areas but felt unable to help them out without being patronising. After 30 plus years in my field I knew my job and could do it with ease. It was the sort of job where youngsters struggle initially because it is all about confidence - the sort that comes with age and dealing with people from all walks of life for most of your life!

 

You are doing the right thing by bringing this greivance. But what i would also say to you is to make sure that next week you get together all copies of documents (e-mails etc) and get them safely out of the office. You haven't made up your mind what to do yet, and you can't until the grievance gets going. But it never hurts to prepare yourself for all eventualities, and having a mountain of evidence to hand, and a record of how ill this is making you will be most useful to you should you decide to take one option i can see coming your way. Because you know, if this person is a true bully, (and if they can;t make a hearfelt genuine apology to you that is what they are and you will know) they will not change, and you will enrage them by doing this. But do it you must as this person is out of order.

 

Oh, and please do not tell me this is not affecting you mentally. Of course it is, you are currently dealing with the situation, but don't tell me it doesn't make you stop eating, smoke more, cry, feel sick, get sweaty, on edge all the time. All of these things are stress which helps us cope but beware of the stress turning on you and shutting you down like it did with me.

 

I'll keep looking in to see how you go and ask me anything you like about all this. Its amazing how identical your situation is to mine 18 months ago! Fingers crossed for you for Monday.

[jackieandwayne]

Forgot to say, include everything, however slight, this is all about how the bully made you feel.

[malinmaid]

thank you so much for your support. Have spent a very tricky weekend with the better half,who is being tremendously supportive but it is ruining our day to day life

. we now refer to "the elephant". who is thinking about it--what the latest thoughts are. very nervous--not a confrontational person.

[Josie8]

Good luck