At one time or another, we have had the misfortune of working for a supervisor that made sure to make our lives miserable. It didn’t matter that we were hard workers and dedicated to our job. On the contrary, it seemed to fuel their desire to push us around even more.
The situation became so bad that we would look for work elsewhere and it didn’t matter how much it paid. We just wanted to get out of there and fast. But did we ever take the time to see or find out if anyone else felt the same way?
When a supervisor is this way with an employee, most of the time they behave the same way towards our co-workers. There may be one or two that they don’t bother because these are their favorites. However, they will aggravate them too, just not as often. When this happens, we consider reporting our supervisors to human resources but at what cost? Many of us choose to keep quiet in order to avoid retaliation. This is exactly what they want us to believe. That no one will help us and if we go to human resources, all we are doing is wasting our time. On occasions that may be true, it seems when a supervisor is the problem, the employee is the one to disappear. Of course, this all depends on the company and what they are willing to tolerate. The human resource department is there to help, open the doors of communication and make sure that all are treated equally. They are there to make sure that the company’s policies, mission, goals and values are in place.
Instead of turning in a resignation because your supervisor is unbearable, you should consider speaking to your human resource department. But one thing you have to make sure is that you have all in order and when you present your situation to them it is followed by facts and proofs. First thing to do is write all the incidents that have occurred down. Make sure to note the date and time they occurred. Most likely you have some type of backup, such as an email and at times a witness. Keep your eyes and ears open and mouth closed. Don’t comment on what is going on with you but listen to your co-workers when they are complaining about the supervisor. If you have co-workers you feel you can trust and are close to, talk to them and see what they are going through. It may be that they too want to speak to HR and report the supervisor.
Also talk to your supervisor, let them know what is bothering you. It may be that they will ignore your concern completely and may even retaliate a bit but you at least talked to them first. This way they will not be surprised when they are the HR representative calls them to their office. Make sure your complaint is about work and legitimate. The last thing HR wants to hear is that your boss looked at you in an offensive way or that her smile was sinister. These are petty and not a good idea to talk about. When you go to the office, make sure to bring copies of everything you have. Speak calmly and intelligently, don’t yell or scream. You must be professional.
At the time of the complaint, make sure that it’s about you and your situation. You can mention that when you walk into the department, you can feel how uncomfortable everyone is. However, if they ask if others are going through the same situation, you can say you have heard complaints but don’t give them names. What will happen is that the moment your co-workers see you have visited that department; it will give them the strength to also place their complaint.
They will take your complaint seriously as long as it was fact based and not petty. Also, if there is more than one complaint in the department, they will have no choice but to admit there is a problem and find a solution. The supervisor will have two choices at that time, ship up or ship out. If they are given a chance and fail, they will be dismissed. No doubt many believe this never happens but it does. One thing to keep in mind, once a complaint is made the employee and supervisor will be monitored. Do not take this personal, it’s not to get rid of you. They want to make sure that whatever agreements were made are kept. That both are working as usual and doing what they were told. Don’t think for one moment that just because you complained you can do as you please. Whenever you start a new job, make sure to read the manual that is given to you. It contains a lot of information that you will need to know if in this situation.