Big bad bully
So as you’ve read in my diary in the February HRINZ HumanResources magazine, Meena has come to see me about her manager Bruce possibly bullying her.
I sat Meena down and asked her to explain exactly what had been happening.
Meena told me that over the last five months Bruce had had a number of meetings with her, and sometimes also with Guy who manages the buying team. Often during these meetings Bruce will swear at Meena and ask her what the ‘f’ing type of department she’s running.
Once they were discussing an issue where buying hadn’t brought enough of an item that marketing had run a campaign for. Meena had suggested that she had been told there was more stock than there was and Bruce started swearing at her that she needed to check these things and it was her fault.
In these meetings he often stood up and stood over her shouting at her. He also came into her office and wrote abusive things on her whiteboard then rubbed them off. He would also call her to meetings without any warning and ask her to present on something, then half way through will leave the room for 30 minutes. Meena doesn’t know if he’s coming back or not. If she leaves to find him later he will come and shout where is she, and if she stays he asks her what she is doing wasting time.
Meena feels she can’t win either way. She says that she gets upsets now about her job, dreads the meetings with Bruce and feels sick. She has lasted as long as she can because she knows Bruce is the MD’s golden boy.
After I’d taken all this down I check with Meena whether I can present this to the MD and reluctantly agrees.
So I book a meeting with him and let him read her statement.
He looks at me and says that Bruce is coming on a bit strong and he’ll have a chat to him, but that the behaviour gets results and he doesn’t consider it bullying.
What do I do now?
Post your advice as a comment below. In the February issue of the HumanResources magazine we’ll publish the best answers and see what Flora does.
Meena’s MD is completely missing the point! Meena feels bullied, it doesn’t matter that Bruce and the MD are comfortable with that sort of behavior – Meena isn’t. This needs to be pointed out to both Bruce and MD and they need to be asked to modify their behavior. If they don’t then Meena would be justified in taking out a formal complaint and taking it to tribunal.
There are several things Meena could do:
>seek some stronger HR help (if available)
>the next time Bruce behaves in that manner she could tell him that she finds his behaviour unacceptable and ask him to modify his behaviour towards her – a discussion opportunity may open up
>make a formal complaint if step one does not work
>or look for a better company to work for.
Also Sheila should note we have not had a “tribunal” since 2000.
Hi John,
My only concern with this because the MD endorses Bruce’s behaviour is that Meena is going to get even worse behaviour from Bruce if she raises it with him.
I’m wondering whether I suggest to the MD that Bruce is moved into a role where he doesn’t manage people? Any thoughts?
Thanks Sheila for your comment. I understand that legally it only matters that Meena isn’t comfortable however our MD is quite adamant that Bruce is a high performer and he’d rather lose Meena than Bruce if she can’t suck it up (yes those were his words).
So in this case any other ideas?
Hi John,
My only concern with this because the MD endorses Bruce’s behaviour is that Meena is going to get even worse behaviour from Bruce if she raises it with him.
I’m wondering whether I suggest to the MD that Bruce is moved into a role where he doesn’t manage people? Any thoughts?
How short-sighted can people be? If Bruce acts this way towards Meena how does he behave towards other staff and to customers? His attitudes will cost the company money and potentially good staff.
If Meena is continually undermined her self-esteem and overall productivity will decrease. Blame and shame tactics only work for a short while.
Bruce needs to be given leadership training on how to get better results from staff in a positive way that has long term benefits for the company. Meena needs support either from a mentor or from a network or group of co-workers. Rather than wonder if she is doing the right thing she could check with someone else who knows the system and address gaps in her information like checking on the available stock.
Letting the situation fester will only result in a worse consequence for Meena, and the company, and possibly for Bruce too.
If Bruce only acts this way towards women employees he may be up on sexual harassment charges sooner or later. If I was advising Meena I would tell her to get a good lawyer and sue the company if it doesn’t address the problem quickly.