Bullying and harassment at workplace

[Cybertron121]

So, it feels like I am being constantly bullied and harassed at my workplace. I have had moment of panic attacks and actual shocks as well where it felt like I was electrocuted because of the subtle ways I was bullied. I did not realize earlier as I thought it was just a phase but it seems to be getting worse and worse. In addition, management told me that the situation I was in was "Damned if I do and Damned if I don't" and I have been told that twice which I perceived as a threat from my management and my previous team leader used words like "Sink or Swim" I have been ridiculed and bullied as a gay person indirectly by the staff members because I am not in a relationship and I refuse to go into one because if I can't make myself happy then how can I expect to make the love of my life happy?

Furthermore, management has advised me that I am letting the team down and nowhere have I ever raised this issue with my team leader because I don't know how they would respond and I am scared. The company I work is notorious for micromanaging it's workers and working them to the point of pure insanity by not giving them enough time between calls and I feel I am being used like a punching bag as well.

What should I do?

[Monkeysss]

Hi Cybertron121,
I’m sorry you are going through this. I would suggest talking to management again, and if they shrug you off I would remind them that they have a legal responsibility under the Occupational Health and Safety and anti-discrimination law to keep you safe in the workplace, which includes safe from bullying and harassment.


I would suggest you start documenting when you are bullied, maybe a notes app in your phone so no one can see it. Time/date, people who are harassing/bullying you, and what they have done.


If you are being discriminated due to sexuality, race, age, gender etc you can contact the Australian Human Rights Commission, which you can find the number of by googling the name.


check if your workplace has a bullying and harassment policy in place.


I would use this as a last minute resort, but if all else fails it might be worthwhile looking at finding another job, which I know is extremely hard finding/starting a new job, and you shouldn’t have to change due to workmates acting like high schoolers, but if it’s affecting your mental health it is something to consider.

[Skary Bill]

Hi Cybertron121,

Life is full of little battles, and I think the challenge is choosing which ones to fight. Only you can know if this job is the one worth fighting for, or if it's time to just clock on.. do your job quietly and put out a gazillion applications until you find a better one. The workplace you've described sounds draining. I'm not sure I'd want to fight too hard to stay there.

Take care,

Bill.

[Cybertron121]

Management does not care at all. I feel heart broken at times and the guy who bullied me in the past has gone to a different site and made me cry in public in front of everyone just to hear me cry and he must have recorded me.

I do not know the exact time or date but yeah and I feel so helpless there where my mind goes completely blank and I am not able to think on my feet at all like I used to in the past. I am trying to distance myself from my old team that I was part of as I feel they keep on asking me "Are you permanent yet?" To the point where I just want them to stop asking me because it's none of their business and I feel they want me to react in an angry way. I just don't know who to trust either as it feels like everyone is after me. Clearly my body is indicating that I am not happy at this current workplace at all.

[Cybertron121]

But where can I go? People come into work Drunk and the amount of people who smoke is ridiculous as well. I have been psychologically traumatized where I was told that one of my colleagues was involved in an accident. Now, I cannot verify if they are telling me the truth but yeah clearly they want me to leave.

[Cybertron121]

The whole place has changed. I have had two instances of this just in the past week, where someone tried to go at me by questioning my decision and saying when was the last time I had my eyes tested and then the gentlemen looked over to his colleague on his right side and the guy on the right laughed without looking straight at him.

Another instance happened when I was basically told that I have no sense of humour .

I have reported my issue to my manager we are going to have a discussion about this on Monday.