I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO????

[nctarheel]

At work the other day, I witnessed one of our more seasoned(read older) employees bullying an employee about half their age. They were belittling the employee's work production, work ethic, and other characteristics. They were essentially raising their voice at every opportunity. They were finger pointing; even placing their hands on the younger employee from time to time.

The older employee wasn't even their supervisor!!!!!

What should I do?

Report the incident to HR or not get involved?

[nctarheel]

There is hope on the horizon. We just had a consultant conduct an employee opinion survey here. You know the kind…..where they give you a statement and you either strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, or strongly disagree. The top Management here has given us the results and, lo and behold, the subject of my thread here has a negative response percentage of 54%. Maybe they’ll get rid of him again!!!

[Spring2025]

@nctarheel , I am Happy Dancing.  🙃

YOU WROTE: Maybe they’ll get rid of him again!!!

[WebWiseWoman]

Thanks for treating some of us like the #dotard. Of course some of us who have been admonished for political "motives" in these forums, in fact, suspended, took this as a true non-political post; shame on us.

Thanks for sharing...

[papawofboo]

Thanks for opening my eyes to what he is talking about. I will look at his future post with another set of glasses.

Why didn't he just say that he doesn't like the man and his plan.

Anyway, no harm done, and looking back it was kind of funny how he tied it things that go on all the time.

[nctarheel]

I have not knowingly treated you like the #dotard. Any similarity of the situation I have described to the present political climate is purely coincidental.

[WebWiseWoman]

Yeah, right. Done

[papawofboo]

Have to admit it was a good April Fool joke, just a few weeks early.

[nctarheel]

Now I am really in a quandary. This executive (that I am already scared of) is threatening layoffs one day and no layoffs the next. He's talking about buying out competitors one day and talking about selling the company the next day. I think he must be losing his marbles. How can one plan their future in an environment like this?

[GailL1]

@nctarheel 

until there is actual action - it is only being a sort of scattered brain.  To answer your question - it would be most definitely be hard to plan a future in this sort of environment - so best advice would be to take control of your own destiny and quit - find yourself a more calming environment - maybe one where the executive is more conservative and traditional in his planning for the company.

If it isn’t the executives company - the owners or BOD may take care of the problem for you - watch their stock prices if publically sold  or the balance sheet if not.

[WebWiseWoman]

Definitely report to HR! Or encourage the younger colleague to report and advise you will attest to the incident for them.

No matter what age, no one has the right to touch another person EVER (unless it is in a caring manner, and is welcomed, of course)! 

[nctarheel]

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@WebWiseWoman wrote:

Definitely report to HR! 

My fear is that this older worker wields a lot of power within the organization and could make life quite difficult for me. Additionally, he harbors grudges for years and, there, too, can make life difficult for me for a long time into the future.

I thought I was rid of his influence a few years ago because he was terminated but for some unknown reason, he was hired back.

[papawofboo]

Ok, I'm confused. He has a lot of power, but he was fired. Then he was hired back. Is there a union where you work?

To me you need to talk to the employee that this happened too, it is more their place than yours to file a grievance against this person. That is what I would tell you if you came to me with this. If the employee didn't come to me then I would ask the older employee if there was a problem in the work place without naming names. 

All that being said, go to your policy book and follow the guidelines in it. But, by the labor laws and legal laws, you cannot put your hands on another person without their consent.

[nctarheel]

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@papawofboo wrote:

Ok, I'm confused. He has a lot of power, but he was fired. Then he was hired back.

All that being said, go to your policy book and follow the guidelines in it. But, by the labor laws and legal laws, you cannot put your hands on another person without their consent.

---

There shouldn't be any confusion. People of power get fired and re-hired all the time. It happened with Steve Jobs and Apple, it happened with the CEO of Starbucks, and there are even more contemporary examples.

I am pretty sure that this older worker that has targeted the younger worker doesn't care about any laws, labor or otherwise.

[papawofboo]

Have you discussed this with the younger employee? Why don't they go to HR? And if that don't work there is always the legal way, with you as a witness it shouldn't be a problem.

[nctarheel]

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@papawofboo wrote:

And if that don't work there is always the legal way, with you as a witness it shouldn't be a problem.

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Let's see. Me as a witness, my fellow employee loses the case, the powerful employee continues employment.........who do you think will be his next target????

[papawofboo]

Going back to the first post, report or do nothing. You have shot down ever suggestion, so I guess the answer is "do nothing."

[WebWiseWoman]

I understand your concerns, nc, but based on what you've added, that person should not be in any workplace. I, too, have experienced the ugliness of someone getting away with this type of behaviour again, and again, and again.

If HR does not address the issue appropriately this time, I'd suggest to the younger colleague they reach out to a state agency (NC HRC? ) or the EEOC.

Perhaps we can get some more learned persons to chime in? @GailL1 @Spring2025 

[nctarheel]

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@WebWiseWoman wrote:

I, too, have experienced the ugliness of someone getting away with this type of behaviour again, and again, and again.

Perhaps we can get some more learned persons to chime in? @GailL1 @Spring2025 

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You are so right, @WebWiseWoman. The person of which I write has gotten away with this behavior again and again.

Being removed from power and then being returned to power has resulted in him feeling that he is ENTITLED to this bullying behavior.

I don't feel that either HR or a Government agency would have any success reining this guy in.

I was hoping a MODERATOR would have a suggestion.

[nctarheel]

Speaking of AARP STAFF, I got an UNSOLICITED inquiry as to the suggestions given me regarding the question I posed in my original comment on this thread. It was from "THE COMMUNITY" whoever they are.

I know I have sent a multitude of my own emails to that address and have NEVER, NEVER, NEVER gotten a response.

As disrespectful and discourteous as they have been to me, for them to ask for a response from me is sheer lunacy.

I want to thank those that have responded.

[papawofboo]

Have a suggestion? You have shot down going to HR, union rep.(if union), following policy book guidelines and getting legal help. I think you now have only three options, do nothing, talk to mean guy or take him out back to the woodshed.

[papawofboo]

Listen to WWW.