Bully manager

[helpme]

In our store we have an older lady who works on tills who is getting so much grief from her lead manager that it is having a visible mental and physical effect on her. Being an older person she says it as but never in a rude manner and had never had complaints from customers. But the lead manager is a nasty piece of work and done the same sort of thing with other staff members she doesn't like until they have enough and leave. The manager states that she is constantly having complaints but provides no evidence and so drags her in for one to ones nearly every day and never asks if she wants anyone in with her. Now the manager is making her send notes to all members of tills and two lead managers weekly to tell them she isn't working to Tescos ethics or standards  and she needs them to rate her on her performance. Until they all rate her good she must continue doing this even though she doesn't see about 75% of them. The manager is picking on her for every little thing even though others can be standing next to her doing the same.
She called the ACAS helpline and they told her the managers behaviour is nothing more than victimisation but the one time she had a meeting with a union rep present they told her to go along with the notes to staff etc.
Isn't the action the manager is making her take against dignity at work rules and is it even within policies for the manager to be telling her to do it in the first place? Has anyone got a link to procedures which management can use?

[penguin]

This manager is not acting within policy, polices can be found on our Tesco, sorry I can't provide a link as I'm no longer Tesco staff, the checkout operator in question needs to put a grievance in against this manager immediately.

[Andymac1111]

Find out who your people partner is. Get as much evidence on this manager as possible. Send everything to them. Take it as high as you can

[lackofinterest]

this bitch needs sacking. if it was me she was bullying i would tell her to stick her childish notes up her rectum and go to store manager and see what they've got to say. i would go off sick with work related stress naming this bitch as the reason. i'd also make sure she wouldn't try to bully me again

[whatajoke2019]

Am crossing my fingers this so called 'manager' is dealt with properly (and it's not swept under the carpet)-with the recent structure change I'm sure it'd be in Tosco's favour to hasten the changes and bring your store's head count down!

Treat others how you want to be treated... yeah right.

[Redshoes]

Being against policy and actually sorting this situation is two different things. The manager should not be allowed to behave like this. The more the manager pushes the harder it is to push back but until the colleague does push back it won't stop.
I would go to the store manager. They may not know what is going on. Most store managers are aware of what goes on but any store manager who does not deal with this once the know about it would be in serious trouble themselves. This may be too hard to do, as colleagues is already feeling bullied by a manager they may feel the management team will unite against her.
I would generally never suggest anyone goes sick but in this instance I think it may be the right thing to do. She needs to tell her dr what is going on and ask work for oh referral and a work stress risk assessment. She can email, ring or write to store. I would suggest a letter with cc to union head office as rep seems to have let her down too.
There is also the protector line. This does not seem to be as effective or supportive to colleagues as it should be but this colleague has nothing to loose and needs to hit back and tick boxes too. Any disciplinary needs to tick boxes along the line. Try and think of this as a reverse disciplinary and tick as many boxes as possible, gather witness statements, times, is there cctv footage etc. Tell others what is going on. Move forward but protect your back.

[miriam]

I have been victimised by number of colleagues over my length of service
After the last lot and grievance procedure failed due to witnesses not wishing to get involved. There's been many reports of the treatment I am getting
Last week I left Tesco after many years of service
My mental health has become an issue only around the store I worked in. I can't even shop in there.
Union was no help until this last yr.
I left mental health wareness week.

[horatiocain]

I watched a manager pick on a driver at my CFC for years and he filed 4 grievances over their behaviour,the manager didn't just outright break and ignore policy he was breaking laws and the company did nothing.
He currently in the middle of suing Tesco for a large sum of money from the creation of a hostile working environment amounting to constructive dismissal, and he will likely win.

If the company will not follow rules and behave correctly at any level you always have the option of using the tribunal service, Tesco from my experience have a serious problem with managerial behaviour.

[miriam]

I was informed
Main reason
No witnesses
What do others think please

P.S I did but they have all gone to ground
Customer complaints are in store

[Welshlass]

I had my first ever review as a shift leader and was told "step up or step down " I chose to step down as the hassle and stress wasn't worth it. Told my manager who said he would give it 4 weeks and if there was no job anywhere I would have to resign. I told him I felt suicidal and got no reply so I resigned. Currently in talks with a solicitor to see if I have a claim for constructive dismissal. Worked for this company for nearly 9 years and was given the manager username and password to do payroll so he could have a day off, I also trained the other shift leaders but failed my review when they passed 🤷‍♀️

[penguin]

Welshlass first things first please ensure you are getting the help you need with your mental health, please talk to those around you for support.

The thing with stepping down is there has to be a vacancy to step down into, there is no requirement on the company to create on for you, however the correct process would have been for your manager to place you on the syp policy, and gave you clear ideas of the improvements needed in your performance as shift leader, with time scales and any training needs looked at, telling someone to step up or step down is not the correct thing to do, did that by any chance get put in writting in your review.

[miriam]

I've worked for Tesco 21yrs plus stepped down because of victimisation,  my mental health suffered I'm getting help.  My GP said the Tesco lot that are doing this have no people skills.  I'm in grieving odd that really when you give so much and have to leave because of horrible people.

Diversity inclusion harassment training just a box to tick, I thought it was a comedy show as all they say is it was only me who took notice.

[Call me]

If any one feels like they are being bullied , harassed or being victimised  see people manager , if that fails ring the protector line  that is all.

[Welshlass]

Is the stepping down policy written down anywhere?

[Ibanker2]

I thought when I did my Harassment Training I'd learn something new....turns out I'm pretty good at it. On a serious note Protector line is good, the complaint will be thoroughly investigated but if the complaint is unfounded the complainant can find themselves being investigated. Read policy around investigation and disciplinary meetings.

[horatiocain]

All the protector line have done for my old colleagues is contact the people partner, who is already well aware of the issues.
The protector line from my experience has been a waste of time, as sad as it sounds Dave Lewis as the boss had a team who dealt with complaints that were raised to him,I watched him team strip out 4 managers for incompetence years ago, but this new lot couldn't care less if they tried.

Tesco has become a horrid place to work, which shows in their inability to retain staff.

[Batmanjo]

I've worked for Tesco 21yrs plus stepped down because of victimisation,  my mental health suffered I'm getting help.  My GP said the Tesco lot that are doing this have no people skills.  I'm in grieving odd that really when you give so much and have to leave because of horrible people.

Diversity inclusion harassment training just a box to tick, I thought it was a comedy show as all they say is it was only me who took notice.

If you are going to go forward with this you need to act quite fast and detail all that has happened and gather evidence former staff are queuing up to help so contact anyone you formally worked with that can help your case , you may be suprised how empowered you will feel , ring ACAS asap just to log your constructive/ unfair dismissal this gives you more time as you only have 3 months minus one day to claim but with Harassment or victimisation you only get 30 days from the end of ACAS conciliation.  If anything you think can help that was on CCTV you can request this yourself through Tesco. Don't let them get away with what they have done to you #stand up to the bullies. If you need any help in anyway just let me know what I can help with I am on the last leg of this it can be frustrating but the more that stand up to the bullying the more it will help the colleagues left behind as the cycle needs to be broken this needs to STOP.
                 As for the people partners total waste of space I seen 2 and nothing has been done (yet) they are clueless, then the Protector helpline  they are helpful when you talk to them but nothing ever happens with an outcome, then they contact the store you are in just to add petrol to the fire funny old world innit 

[Xsweetgizmox]

Is a manager allowed to watch cctv to see if you're talking on shop floor?

[lucgeo]

HELL NO!! CCTV is to be used only for specific purposes, such as a security breach or if suspect activity is suspected.

Any manager using CCTV to monitor staff movements for no other reason than to check up on productivity or movement of colleagues should be grievanced. 

[kaled78]

we had this with a .com manager,she was giving people let's talks for chatting to her pickers whilst they worked,the union was involved and every single one was quashed