How do you handle difficult people at work?

Question

Have you ever had anyone you are forced to work along side with, who behaves badly towards you, belittles you, constantly seems to target you for no good reason. No matter what you say to fix the situation, they can't be reasoned with.

The boss knows what this person is like but seems gutless because he watches him do it and won't defend me because i think he's worried it will effect his relationship with him as a boss.

I've gone home crying more than once.

Even though I try to not let what he says effect me, it gets my self esteem down and makes my work performance suffer which isn't fair.

Can anyone relate?

Answer 1

Go to HR about it or whoever is over your Boss.. Keep track of all the situations for evidence even the times you went to your Boss for help. You Should never cry over a prick at work. Good luck!

Answer 2

Yep. I had to work with this woman for two years. She and i were basically the Art dept. for a school and she was an absolute case. But i just had to suck it up. Eventually i got promoted and a year later she got fired. (she was my boss as well).

I reckon either

1. grow a thick skin cos' sometimes jobs just suck

or

2.get your boss to do his job and sort out the problem. and if he's not going to, then go above their head to your bosses boss and tell them that your boss isn't fulfilling his responsibilities. Which is the truth.

or

3. quit or try to get transferred to somewhere else in the company

Answer 3

Ignore them and/or play mental games with them.

Answer 4

Better change your working place or office

Answer 5

Be assertive! Tackle this bully. Ask them if they have a specific problem with you? Tell them you find it difficult to work with them because their behaviour and comments undermine your confidence. Tell them its not acceptable and you will not stand for it.

If this person is making your working life a living h**l, tackling them can't really make it any worse can it? Read up about assertiveness so that you feel confident with what you need to say. Don't blame them for "making" you feel anything, take responsibility for how your feel, but let them know it stems from their bullying. Its then up to the bully to change their behaviour. Obviously they may choose not to. But I actually think it would do your mental state an awful lot of good to express how you feel to this person, even if they don't change.

It may be that this bully is jealous of you and feel insecure? Maybe they "know" your work is better than theirs and they feel threatened by you? Bully's tend to be very defensive and live in denial about what they are doing.

If the worst comes to the worst, start to look around for another job or promotion, or just a move to a different department. If you boss won't do anything about they bully go over their head. Speak to personnel or your bosses boss.

Best of luck, don't let this one person be the bane of your life for years to come. Its not acceptable. *Best wishes*

This anti bullying site is about bullying at work. Take a look and see if there is anything there which can help you tackle this person.

http://www.andreaadamstrust.org/employee...

Answer 6

keep track of when this happens and keep any documents or emails with any abuse in it. confront your boss about it and if you get an unsatisfactory answer go higher. just be prepared for any backlash because right or wrong it may make everything worse.