Workplace Anxieties

[Dazza73]

Hi guys. Just thought I'd ask anyone with experience with workplace bullying.
More importantly, I want to access if this could be a form of bullying or am I being too sensitive?
Company I work for, the owner is retired and his oldest son is the General Manager. Nice bloke. Very compromising.

The boss's youngest son has taken on himself to make improvements to the workplace and employees. (Micro Managing)

While we can do with personal growth, there are times where you can cross the line with employees by becoming heavy handed.
While I was discussing ideas about my work area, I found he talked down to me rather than being inspiring. Like everything I do is wrong and not in the interest of the company.

Part of the reason I wanted to talk to him was to grow and to work with other employees with positive steps.

I have various tasks and duties to do, which puts me in a position where I make decisions. The decisions are made to work (negotiate), with other people and to make me an effect part of the team.
However, after my discussions today with JNR boss, I feel as though every decision I make will be scrutinised in a negative way, that I'll eventually be afraid making a decision.

Instead of personal growth in the workplace, I feel like I'll go the other way.
I understand that If I make an error, then I have to take the criticism. (An ass-chewing from the boss)

All afternoon, all I could think about was using violence or at least abuse him.
I feel as though he has taken away my personal peace and at night, my mind festers, which causes some level of anxiety and I lose sleep.

I was looking online to define Workplace Bullying and wondered if what I'm experiencing come under that banner of I'm just being sensitive.

In all other areas in life, I’m quite happy and positive. I believe a lot of peers will describe me as a friendly person

[Sophie_M]

Welcome Dazza73,

Thanks for reaching out to our community today. We're so sorry to hear that you are feeling that you might be being bullied at work. We understand how distressing this situation might be - please know that you're not alone and that there is support available to you.

You might be interested in taking a look at our page, "Bullying information for employees" for some advice - https://www.headsup.org.au/your-mental-health/bullying-information-for-employees

We understand that being spoken down to can be a really frustrating experience. You might also be interested in taking a look at our page “Helpful strategies for anger”- https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/helpful-strategies-for-anger#qj...

Thanks for reaching out - please feel free to keep us updated on how you're going here on your thread. 

[Guest09876]

I actually am in a similar position and I'm suffering from anxiety about work because of my manager but I cannot quit so I am stuck there. I am glad I am not crazy and someone else feels this way regarding thinking about them and them taking up my mind after work hours, and on weekends. I could be feeling totally calm but then when I think about how I have to go back to work soon and they will interact with me then they will come into my mind and I start getting anxiety and thinking about various things I want to say to them or recounting situations and it's so annoying.

If you do want to take action, you can google Fairwork Australia and there are tons of info about how you should go about it

[Rabbit64]

My case is the opposite, I feel being bullied from the rank and file below me as well as overwhelmed by a very fast progressing environment dominated by millennials leadership whose expectations and new work style that we “the 50 over dinosaurs IT people” is struggling to keep up with. Sometimes I felt we do ok but sometime I felt we lost it.

I report directly to a sales and result oriented senior business manager locally and functionally to an authoritative CIO in China who is a strong advocate of ditching legacy system and demanding us to adopt millennial mindsets but offering little support. I consider my management style as non-confrontational, diplomatic and with deep aspiration to always deliver the best service to my company whom I believe support our team livelihood (maybe it’s because of my deep rooted Confucius upbringing). I manage a culturally diverse team dominated by strong hardworking Asian virtues and also a few “do just right” Aussie personalities,

Recently I find myself being unable to get the support from my own team because key dominating members start to develop their own agenda and cahoots to undermine my authority in an attempt to resist changes. Facing expectation from the top, great pressure to conform around me plus what I perceive as unsupportive/rebellious behaviour from my team members, I felt totally out of control, victimised and vulnerable. Under COVID economy with 2 families to support and a big mortgage, I am forcing myself to stay on to this job that I truly dread. It’s has been a constant feeling of fleeing and fighting for my life with many sleepless nights. Walking on tight rope, I am struggling to find a place to rest my tired mind.

Do I have a serious case of work related anxiety? Any sensible advice is much appreciated please. Thanks a zillion.

My team comprise a British (temperamentally volatile) Infra team leader who is my direct report with 2 PC specialists (Aussie and Indian) under him. I have another direct report who is an Asia who look after application support. Our team operate under an old school technological environment. The company I worked for is embarking on an aggressive digitisation program