Coping with workmates?

**ready4whatever** · 9th October 2009, 18:06

Hey thani, my birth buddy. My boss gets me real pissed at times and i struggle to refrain myself from beating him senceless. Its real hard at times. i got fired from my last job for hitting my supervisor in the arm with a hammer.. not wise at all. As for you, just show that you are better. dont back down and if someones gota go make it her

**mossy1200** · 9th October 2009, 18:15

Write to your HR explaining that work place bullying is not going to be accepted and it is effecting the moral and productivity of staff in the office.

**DMNTD:Me** · 9th October 2009, 18:27

Originally Posted by Patrick

Look her right in the eye and say...

"You having yet ANOTHER bad day? Do you want a hug? You must need a hug by now..."

Heh...yep that works well.
Or..."ya gonna bark all day lil' doggy or ya gonna bite?!"
Must be said with a wry smile on ones' face though

**jono035** · 9th October 2009, 19:34

A friend had a similar issue with someone at her work. The woman would walk into their office (only when her manager was not around) and have a go (not quite shouting, but definitely loud enough to be heard outside the building) at her over things that made no sense whatsoever (at least on the end of the story that I got). After much badgering the friend finally agreed to talk to her manager about it who then had a quick word to a few of the other people who had witnessed it. The woman got an official warning from the manager.

The way NZ employment law works is that there needs to be 2 formal reprimands before any real action can be taken and they need to be handled according to proper procedure (formal meeting with supervisor, person advised that a support person is allowed to be present) and with enough time in between to allow the person to correct their behaviour.

The woman in question went apeshit in front of a bunch of customers a few weeks later which ended in another official reprimand and her being told not to interact with any co-workers outside her official capacity (she shouldn't have to, shes a receptionist). She was also told that disciplinary measures would be taken over the next incident. 6 months down the track and the friend couldn't be happier with how things have turned out.

Be careful about giving any aggro back as this situation is easily turned around with you as the target...

**gatch** · 9th October 2009, 19:55

so far as I can see, there is 3 options, all of them pretty awkward for the people watching.

1. shout "die bitch!" then beat her down with a chair.

2. do your best brick (off anchorman) imitation, ie "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT"

3. shit on her desk and leave a note "I don't like you either".

Ok, so none of those are appropriate, but think of them when this bitch is all up in yo grill and smile

**NDORFN** · 9th October 2009, 19:58

Originally Posted by ready4whatever

Hey thani, my birth buddy. My boss gets me real pissed at times and i struggle to refrain myself from beating him senceless. Its real hard at times. i got fired from my last job for hitting my supervisor in the arm with a hammer.. not wise at all. As for you, just show that you are better. dont back down and if someones gota go make it her

Fucken A man. That's brutal.

**jono035** · 9th October 2009, 20:00

Originally Posted by NDORFN

Fucken A man. That's brutal.

Unless it was his 3rd warning and he had been offered a support person for those warnings then he probably could have taken the empoyer to court, too.

I'm not joking. Read some of the published Employment Relations Authority cases. Hair raising.

**NDORFN** · 9th October 2009, 20:03

Originally Posted by jono035

Unless it was his 3rd warning and he had been offered a support person for those warnings then he probably could have taken the empoyer to court, too.

I'm not joking. Read some of the published Employment Relations Authority cases. Hair raising.

Shit, I work in the building industry... hammers everywhere. I better be careful.

**jono035** · 9th October 2009, 20:05

Originally Posted by NDORFN

Shit, I work in the building industry... hammers everywhere. I better be careful.

Nah, it's all good. Pretty soon the police will decide to reclassify hammers as having pistol grips and then you'll have to use specially shaped circular safety-hammers that can't be used to go on a murderous rampage.

Or something. I don't know.

**BiK3RChiK** · 9th October 2009, 20:06

Really, these people tend to pick on what they perceive as the weakest person in the office. You just gotta make sure you aren't it... When she sees you and your friend don't lie down and take it, she'll move on to the next, and the next... She might already be in HR's sights!

**jono035** · 9th October 2009, 20:10

Originally Posted by BiK3RChiK

Really, these people tend to pick on what they perceive as the weakest person in the office. You just gotta make sure you aren't it... When she sees you and your friend don't lie down and take it, she'll move on to the next, and the next... She might already be in HR's sights!

Without anyone laying a formal complaint there probably isn't anything HR can do... If shes being a bitch, lay a complaint... Give HR the ammunition to sort the situation out.

**ynot slow** · 9th October 2009, 20:24

The answer lies in the fact 30 or so women,1 guy.

Worked in clothing industry as a naive 17yr old apprentice,only good thing was xmas pissup,lots of kisses(pecks for the older ones and well can't say for younger).Was a bitchy place at times for sure,but the cutting room was mostly guys,and the ladies were treated as equals,was 80 ladies-2 guys on sewing floor,7 guys-3 ladies cutting floor.

No easy remedy(legal),but some people don't even know they are annoying at work,you have the one who never washes the smoko dishes,never makes smoko,or shouts smoko,so doesn't realise a pain in the arse they are.

**NDORFN** · 9th October 2009, 20:43

Originally Posted by ynot slow

The answer lies in the fact 30 or so women,1 guy.

Worked in clothing industry as a naive 17yr old apprentice,only good thing was xmas pissup,lots of kisses(pecks for the older ones and well can't say for younger).Was a bitchy place at times for sure,but the cutting room was mostly guys,and the ladies were treated as equals,was 80 ladies-2 guys on sewing floor,7 guys-3 ladies cutting floor.

No easy remedy(legal),but some people don't even know they are annoying at work,you have the one who never washes the smoko dishes,never makes smoko,or shouts smoko,so doesn't realise a pain in the arse they are.

So you made clothes for a living Gok Wan?