I work in a business with a petty and viscious manager. The atmosphere is tangibly oppressive as everyone prays it's not their turn to get the wrath. This manager has also pretty ruthlessly dismissed people over the most minor of issues.

I'm desperately trying to get another job but in the meantime I'm finding it increasingly hard to deal with the atmosphere as well as doing my job.

Anyone been in a similar situation or got any tips?

Head down, work hard, keep records of all your work/issues/mistreatment, keep hoping something better comes up

As TJ would say, join a union. Keep records of what (s)he's like. Is there someone to whom he or she reports that would lend a sympathetic ear?

Wee in their shoes.

Own him with the obligatory bombers?

No good reporting it. Ahe has the full support of the boss. As I said, it's not just me. It's the organisation's culture.

There are a lot of "Ws" about. Eventualy "Ws" will out themselves and be judged for what they are. In the meantime……………good luck.

Been there, done that for thirty years, never got a T shirt, busy trying to forget and be normal again.

Not much help……….. but …..solidarity brother.

Pretend to be mad, as in stark-raving.

He'll leave you alone then, bully's don't like nutters.

Thats the way some businesses work.

Learn the rules play em well. Do it good enough and you may get a chance to influence enviroment.

Union, stress leave, or a bit of violence when there's no witnesses.

Send them turds in the post.

Union, call 'em for bullying, go off sick with stress, sue the arse off them

I've been in a similar sounding situation, luckily I've managed to land another job (back in the NHS). All I can suggest is start (seriously) looking for another job, keep a record of all untoward incidents with your boss, try and ensure you are given feedback / appraisals, and if necessary, put in a grievance against your boss. Mine tried threatening not to give me a reference or to give me a s**t one, until I pointed out that I hadnt recieved any supervision or appraisal in the past two years, therefore she was at fault for not giving me the opportunity to address the supposed issues she had with me. Good luck, this is a really unpleasant situation to be in, particularly in the current economic climate. Just remember, you have rights, and one of them is to be treated with respect.

This book is ace.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sheeps-Clothing-Understanding-Dealing-Manipulative/dp/096516960X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268151083&sr=8-2%5B/url%5D

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/viewsubsection.php?sun=22

Thats the way some businesses work. Learn the rules play em well

business rules don't trump the law

This book is ace.

I've bought a copy out of interest. I noticed that Amazon had about 100 books on similar topics 🙁

can't be too oppressive if you're posting from work. (assumption there, I know).

It's always helpful to know a few details of the job role/industry.

As ive said before,20 years ago, was in a similar situation, the woman i worked for, was horrendous, everything i did was wrong, and it was always my fault,got a few warnings and then a final warning the management committe seemed to think she walked on water.

Finally one day i snapped, only worked ther 8 months, and told her where to shove her f..king job, and her so called charity,never went back,and never missed it.

Tel him where to shove his job, or push him down the stairs, dont get caught if you do the second one though.

Keep a diary of every incident and join a union as said. No job is worth daily misery. Make an official complaint of the issues, if no one ever does then nothing will ever change, if need be go off on the sick as TJ said. Don't say or do anything silly that will give them the opportunity to fire you,if they do go to a tribunal. Keep looking for other jobs as something always turns up.

I'm not going down the grievance route. I simply want to keep my sanity while I try to get something else.

My manager taught me a great phrase when I was getting stressed about certain superiors.

SYTB – Say yes think bollox.

The other great pearl of wisdom was work isn't real life. Home & weekend is real life. Work is pretend. Got me through 6 months, and things have picked up alot now.

Pretend to be mad, as in stark-raving.

He'll leave you alone then, bully's don't like nutters

Tis very true, one manager thought my cluster headache meds were to keep psychosis under control

Worked even better when another manager got topped in a hit, totally unrelated non work matter (cheated on his terminally ill wife and her family got it sorted)
Put the fear of god in one nasty guvnor when I casually mentioned that sort of thing was only about three grand

Bullies are by nature cowards and easily frightened

We've been going through a similar episode for the last 7-8 months thanks to the chap who was promoted to dept manager.
Completely went to his head and turned from a likeable colleague to a complete fxxxwit in about 4 months.
The MD could see something was amiss with us, proposed the idea that we should get to appraise our line managers as well as them doing an appraisal on us; this ended up being pretty scathing.
Guess who was suspended and sent home today…
The difference in the office has been incredible, and full marks to our MD for seeing it and doing something about it.