Struggling to justify going to work I’m fed up with the attitude and conduct of my work colleagues and yesterday one of them threatened me in the middle of meeting in front of 10 people and said he would ‘nut me’ and ‘take me outside and sort me out’ due to miss hearing something I said.

The guys in his 60’s and wears a hearing aid, he made a rather impressive and politically correct response to a question (which is very out of character for him) and I commented that it was a superb answer and he should be a politician! He went mental threatening me and despite me reiterating what I said he kept on threatening me.

I’m sick of work as it is, I work for local authority and struggle with the attitude and conduct of my colleagues at the best of times. If you knew what some of them got up too during the working day you would be disgusted, let alone the meetings for meetings sake crap its just so tiresome. to make matters worse I’m being asked to manage a team yet the higher authority won’t call me a manager as they don’t want to upset an already unstable work force (we’re currently going through a re structure and the worse thing is I’m up for the chop!)

This has really put the icing on the cake for me, tbh I don’t even know why I’m posting this, I’m sat in my flat just thinking I can’t be arsed with the agro and the measly pay packet isn’t worth the hassle.

Any one got a job going?

🙁

To make matters worse I’m sat on the shitter and the cat is screaming outside, asking to be let back in!

We have got some jobs going if your near Oxford.

Otherwise contact one of those TV programs and see if you can secretly film that sort of work crap.

In the meantime, sod them and ring in sick for the next few days and then get out on your bike.

Sounds grim. Dont envy you.
But really the answer Im sure you know is phone in a sickie while you polish your CV and resignation letter. Then go for a ride brimming with positivity because you’ve taken control of your life back.

EDIT: Trimix beat me to it 😉

On the plus side you do get to start late!

Trimix I’m in amersham don’t suppose you work for an authority who needs someone who’s a contender system administrator / system designer?

Cheers guys I should probably bunk off but I’ve got too much on so I’m just going to ignore it lucky enough we now work in different offices meaning I don’t have to see the vile individual.

Surfer I was in late this morning, which was really nice actually

You have a few choices;

1) Jack it in

2) get another job

3) report the bloke – there were witnesses. Maybe go off with stress as a result?

Depends how vindictive you feel.

Nothing worse than being in a job you hate though. I’d go for 2) the act of looking is enough to break you out of the ‘I’m in a dead end’ feeling and give you somethign to look forward to.

It’s not always what you say, it’s the way you say it. And your reputation.

Steve Pitch, I know of a 12 month Systems Admin Job availble, working in London for a JV though if you are prepared to travel – if you’re interested drop me an email.

Also let me know what systems you adminster – I may be in your line of business….. 🙂

Wwaswas would love to jack it in but I’d be shitting bricks about finding another job quick enough and I’m not a vindictive person, I have been asked by the managers if I want to take it further, but I’ve said no as I and everyone else don’t need the extra hassel.

Bigjohn fair comment and I would say in my defence I was smiling and laughing when I said it and those that were sat next to me also were laughing he just went mental. In relation to my reputation I’m known for being hard working and honest but also the type of bloke of likes a laugh. I actually think this individual dislikes me because I challenge his ideas and try to introduce rational thought to otherwise irrational decisions, it’s always been a big issue for him and he often tells me I’m over educated (despite not having a degree on fact nothing more than A levels) The worst thing is only 5 minutes before I was supporting the fact that this particular individual was being treated unfairly and was offering help and support if he needed it.

The whole thing is bonkers and just highlights the crap that is / can be local authority*

*i have been told that it’s only my authority that’s a joke and in fact others are actually ok 🙂

Sorry Stevepitch, wrong sort of role for you.

But enjoy your days off with a sicky while the dry weather lasts.

WTF?!?!? – you’ve been trhreatened in a meeting…Can’t you go to HR?

If I were you i’d go on the sick for fear of physical violence form the stupid fool that threatened you then kick-back and watch JK in the mornings and ride my bike in the afternoons.

Start looking for a new job and beat them too it!

Just handed my notice in last week as my work was pretty bad, not as bad as yours it sounds though! Feel much better now!

It sounds as though your working with a bunch of people who are fed up with their jobs and are stressed to breaking point themselves, their other behavior that you mention sounds like a symptom of workers feeling under valued and de-motivated. However this in no way excuses threatening you, no one should have to go to work and be threatened, are you a member of a union? I would speak to them and your line manager, and if things are really bad then do go sick with stress, this may at least make your management sit up and realise that not everything is going well.

To add to the posts above – start making a diary of the threats, etc starting as far back as you want to go.

Can’t you go to HR?

that seems a like a place to start, particularly as this went on in front of an audience. The crowd is a guilty as the bully is they just watch and don’t intervene. So they all need to have a bit of a shake from HR.

and for the love of god, let the cat back in the shitter or else you’ll regret putting your slippers on later.

Definitely look for a new job. And DEFINITELY take him to the cleaners for threatening you. It’s a sackable offence and downright inexcusable behaviour. If you were a manager would you want someone on your team who could blow up at any moment and start shouting and threatening?

No excuses, don’t take it, and don’t let the rest of your workforce have to put up with him. People who act like that should not be allowed to get away with it imo.

If I acted like that in a meeting I’d get my own coat. I’ve worked with people before who’ve behaved in appropriately (but not violently) and done the decent thing.

Local authority…..on the sick,for a loooong time.

and for the love of god, let the cat back in the shitter or else it’ll be shiting in one of your neighbours gardens

Just amended that slightly 😈

Just amended that slightly

why would his slippers be in the garden? (unless he’s got a dog as well)

And DEFINITELY take him to the cleaners for threatening you.

This. You work for an LA so you will have a formal grievance procedure and a union. Make use of them. If he genuinely misheard you then he at least should make a public apology.

hmm…as a manager of a number of people, if someone in my direct teams or a team one of my managers was running threatened someone in a meeting, i’d be taking it to HR regardless of whether the individual who was threatened wanted to take it further.

Quite frankly, that person would be on a warning by the end of the day.

EDIT…well I’d probably speak to my HR support person first to check what they recommended.

i’d be taking it to HR regardless of whether the individual who was threatened wanted to take it further.

This, it should go to HR regardless. IN the private sector you’d be having uncomfortable meetings with senior management and HR and signing bits of paper saying you’d been warned about being a nutter to people. I work for an LA, and recently someone went off in our meeting (nowhere near what you discribe but still hugely inappropriate). I was gobsmacked. Even when our manage rather meakly tried to shut him down he started back up again. To knowledge there was no follow up of it. Is sadly a different world, in a good way in some, in bad way in others.

I understand the reticence to involve HR. In fact, those present should do it in any event, especially if anyone there was your senior.

Make a full written note (dated) of your complete recollection of the incident. Everything you said and did, everything he said and did.

If you feel unable to go to work because of the stress of being threatened with physical violence, follow your sickness policy strictly. Don;t give them room to catch you out.

Whether or not this bloke gets the boot for this (and he should IMO – this sort of twattery should have left the workplace years ago), you’re going to want to find something else that’s better suited. Get polishing that CV.

In my limited experience of dealing with local authorities in my past life, I wouldn’t work for one for all the tea in China.

Bigjohn fair comment and I would say in my defence I was smiling and laughing when I said it and those that were sat next to me also were laughing he just went mental. In relation to my reputation I’m known for being hard working and honest but also the type of bloke of likes a laugh

Mmmmmm, just Mabie this is why he went off on one 💡 The fact “those sat next to me” joined in he may just have taken it the wrong way. I have a colleague who “likes a laugh” but sometimes what he thinks is a “laugh” is just totally inappropriate. Nowadays unless there is someone new around he just gets ignored. On here we were not in the room and not subject to the office politics/tensions so difficult to assess
As for unions and HR doing anything ❓ My wife and her line manager took the opt out and get new jobs route. Wife has had 2 promotions since, leads a national database team and her line manager emigrated ❗

The fact that he wears a hearing aid should sound a note of caution, he may well be all the things you say, but like above post he may have felt threatened by your actions(laughter) — he may have lots of issues , but whatever the reason he ‘blew his top’ — straw, camels back? maybe??

As for unions and HR doing anything My wife and her line manager took the opt out and get new jobs route. Wife has had 2 promotions since, leads a national database team and her line manager emigrated

Seeing as we’re telling anecdotes, I know of someone who was dismissed for verbally abusing a colleague. The union advised him to apologise and make a signed undertaking to improve his behaviour, which he decided to ignore.

Isn’t it a bit odd that people are recommending you “go on the sick” because a 60+yr old deaf bloke had a go at you in a meeting? Or just me? Obvious course of action is to be big about it, go up to him, apologise for the misunderstanding, offer a handshake and no hard feelings etc. All done. Then get your CV out there.

I know how you feel fella my work place is full of t@ssers, iv been there 11yrs and just started looking for a new job.
Sort your cv and get looking as it will not get any easier as every day it will be on your mind.

I know how you feel fella my work place is full of t@ssers, iv been there 11yrs and just started looking for a new job.

you work in a massage parlour ?

Just express yourself however you see fit. Let it all go.

If I was in a similar situation,I’d make it a personal crusade to annoy the hell out of him.

That will give you control especially if he dislikes you for challenging his ideas.
Just keep yourself whiter than white and your challenges are valid and not petty.

Don’t let his ignorant comments wind you up and remember it’s just a job.

Thanks for all the responses guys its good to get some healthy outside opinion’s on the matter and, more importantly, highlight some issues which maybe get missed.

The fact that he wears a hearing aid should sound a note of caution, he may well be all the things you say, but like above post he may have felt threatened by your actions(laughter) — he may have lots of issues , but whatever the reason he ‘blew his top’ — straw, camels back? maybe??

this ^

Isn’t it a bit odd that people are recommending you “go on the sick” because a 60+yr old deaf bloke had a go at you in a meeting? Or just me? Obvious course of action is to be big about it, go up to him, apologise for the misunderstanding, offer a handshake and no hard feelings etc. All done. Then get your CV out there.

And this ^

I think are important, I’m not going to go sick because of some idiot and I’ve been approached by my manager and asked if I want to pursue the matter but based on the above points I’ve decided to leave the matter as it stands. He apparently reiterated to my manager that he dislikes my humour but is willing to apologise which I suppose is fair play to him.

However, and while yes everyone is stressed and excuses can be made, I don’t go around threatening to nut people because I dislike something that is said, and I’ve had a flipping rough year. Oh well we’ll see what happens.

Only other thing I would highlight is

It sounds as though your working with a bunch of people who are fed up with their jobs and are stressed to breaking point themselves, their other behaviour that you mention sounds like a symptom of workers feeling under valued and de-motivated.

The guys I work with are a joke, absolute joke. I’m sorry but when another individual was accused by a mop for taking a back hander (with some pretty good evidence), they were ‘told off’ and that was it, even though they were in their probation period and another individual was caught picking his son up from Brighton during the working day, Brighton’s about 130 miles from where we work ❓ They do nothing but take the piss and get away with it, the only reason they are stessed is because their job roles could perhaps change and they’ll actually have to work!!

I suppose for me this is the ‘final straw’ and the kick I need (no pun intended) to start looking for a new job

60 year old office monkey? Why not just take him up on the offer and give him a good kicking?

If I was in a similar situation,I’d make it a personal crusade to annoy the hell out of him.

^ *10
Move your lips like your talking to him but don’t make any noise
Smile and shake your head when you pass him in the corridor
Buy some monkey nuts leave one on his desk from time to time.

idiots are like tv, they’re put there to entertain you, it’s up to you if you want to use them.

I have been asked by the managers if I want to take it further, but I’ve said no as I and everyone else don’t need the extra hassel.

Sorry to be blunt, but that’s the wrong decision. If someone gives you shit like that, give it them back twice as hard. I’ve had it happen to me, so I know.
You go through the proper channels, you make it stick, you make sure they get an absolute bollocking for it. Scare 7 shades of shit out of them.

In that situation, I would have let him finish, then calmly asked everyone else in the room to remember what had hapeened as I would be taking it further. And then taken it further without any hesitation.

If someone gives you shit like that, give it them back twice as hard. I’ve had it happen to me, so I know.

I’m firmly of the opinion that this sort of behaviour is wholly unacceptable in the work place and the bottom line is that they don’t pay you to put up with that sort of crap.

However, you need to apply a bit of common sense here. The bloke’s going to be retiring in a couple of years, is it really worth going for the kill? Nice way for him to end a career when he’s worked all of his adult life, overreacting to a misunderstanding and getting the boot.

So,

but is willing to apologise which I suppose is fair play to him.

If you’re happy with this then it’s probably the right thing to do in this case. But.

I would be very, very clear about the fact that this does not happen again, ever. I’d want his assurance that he will keep his temper in check in the future, and I’d make it known that you will absolutely nail him to the wall if he pulls that sort of stunt again.

would love to jack it in but I’d be shitting bricks about finding another job

You don’t need to jack it in to start looking for another job. Absolutely the best time to find a decent job is when you already have one; no pressure and you’re in a much stronger bargaining position.

Seriously. Start looking. Do it today.

However, you need to apply a bit of common sense here.

you do – speak to him nicely and ask him how much it’s worth to him to keep his job and not get prosecuted for threatening behavior.