Work place harassment & Anxiety

[jacky78]

Hi all,

My first post here first of all this is a great forum and never thought I would use it but here I am.

I have worked in a company for more than 2 years, I'm a shy person and socially awkward so I don't interact as much with colleague and new comer. However I perform my task as required and no performance issues ever raised to me. 

For the past 6 month I felt like suddenly I'm being sidelined at work and my Team leader stop introducing me to new comer and on meeting I was never acknowledged. Is this normal at workplace considering I'm a shy person. I just don't feel its right and I felt like I'm isolated at work and my anxiety is getting worse to a point where I start withdrawing at work. 

I'm a full time student with quite a bit of pressure and I'm doing full time work. As mentioned I don't have any performance issues and I work in healthcare environment. I don't want to jump to conclusion but I cannot understand why am I being sidelined. 

Thank you all for reading, thought I just let this out make me feel better 

You are all a legend here

[Mark Z.]

Hi Jacky78,

I'm sorry to hear about your situation at work. Feeling isolated and sidelined in a workplace can be challenging, especially when you're also balancing full-time studies and work in a demanding field like healthcare.

Everyone has different social comfort levels and ways of interacting in a work environment. Being shy or less socially active doesn't diminish your value as a team member. Good performance, as you've described, is a critical contribution to any team.

However, in a workplace, perceptions and visibility can sometimes be as important as performance. If your team leader or colleagues are not fully aware of your contributions or if they misconstrue your shyness as disinterest, it might inadvertently lead to being overlooked in meetings or not being introduced to newcomers.

I would encourage you to consider an open and honest 1 on 1 meeting with your team leader and express your concerns in a non-confrontational manner. It's important to communicate how you've been feeling, and also to understand their perspective. During the communication, also ask for feedback on your work and how you can improve or engage more with the team. This will demonstrate your commitment to the team and your role.

Regarding socialising, do not give your self too much pressure, you can try small steps. Try to engage a bit more with your colleagues, such as a greeting or a brief conversation about non-work topics. This can help in building rapport and reducing the feeling of isolation.

Hope it helps a bit.

Warmly,

Mark

[Richju]

Dear jacky78,

Thank you for your post. You have definitely come to the right place for support and I agree with Mark that a meeting with your supervisor would be an ideal way to clear the air.

I have been in a similar situation and, as I was so busy with study and work, I seemed to become more introvert and failed to join in the social aspects of the workplace. This wasn't intentional on my part - I was just tired and stressed.

Once I'd talked it over with my boss some of that stress disapeared as both myself and my boss had more understanding of the situation. 

I fully understand that it's difficult to make the first move but I was so glad I did.

I'm looking forward to your next post and wish you all the best.

Warm hugs,

Richju xxxxxx