Coping with a boss from hell

The release of The Devil Wears Prada at cinemas this weekend is highlighting the tyrannical grip that íbosses from hellí have over their unlucky colleagues.

The movie portrays the story of a naive young woman who scores a job as the assistant to one of the worlds biggest magazine editors, the ruthless and cynical Miranda Priestly, played by actress Meryll Streep.

Workplace experts in the UK agree that Hollywood pays more than a passing resemblance to reality and awful bosses are on the increase. Employment lawyers report a rising demand for their services as employees suffering the strain take legal action. However, recruitment experts say that despite this increase in legal protection more employees than ever are suffering at the hands of bullying bosses.

Adrian Hitchenor, the CEO of Hitchenor Wakeford, the executive search and selection company says:

The boss from hell takes many forms. He or she may indulge in anything from out-and-out physical bullying through to any form of unwelcome attention. Malicious put-downs, sarcasm or offensive nicknames are sadly all too common in the British workplace. Sometimes the victimisation is more subtle - like overloading you with work or ignoring your input during meetings.

David Tunna, of Manchester-based recruitment firm HTW Selection, agrees:

Itís not easy to recognise unacceptable behaviour, let alone deal with it. This is because the things that make one person ill may be water off a duckís back to someone else. While you feel battered and bruised, your colleague may ignore the behaviour and not be upset by it. In many cases, the boss from hell shrugs off your objections by saying that it was íjust a bit of funí. Having a horrible boss is a major reason why people leave their jobs.

Neil Gouldson, employment expert at law firm Rowe Cohen, says:

Clearly itís sometimes necessary for bosses to call attention to deficiencies in a team memberís performance. But this doesnít mean that they can abuse their power by dealing with you in ways that belittle you. Many people think that bad bosses are comic characters like David Brent but the truth is they are no laughing matter for many people.

Mark Higgins, head of employment at Manchester law firm Betesh Fox, adds:

Bullies rely on the fact that their targets feel powerless so becoming more confident will make them realise that they canít dominate you. Donít let it get you down, or worry that itís your fault. Your organisation has a íduty of careí towards you and the law is on your side. If the treatment takes the form of race, sex or disability discrimination, you could bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal against your employer, your boss or both. Despite the fact that they run the risk of huge compensation claims, we come across businesses every day in Greater Manchester that are falling foul of the law.

Donít ever let the boss from hell make you ill or reduce you to a frightened five year old. If you take courage and action, your confidence will come flooding back and you will be less likely to be victimised again.

Mark Higgins of Betesh Fox offers six tips before involving a solicitor:

o Keep a diary of dates, times, places and details of incidents, including the names of any witnesses. This will serve as evidence if you decide to make a formal complaint to your employer or take the case to court.

o Discuss the matter with a trustworthy colleague, a friend, your partner, or even your bossís boss. Ask this person to help you plan what to do and to support you when you are carrying out your plan.

o Assert yourself. Bullies rely on the fact that their targets feel powerless so becoming more confident will make them realise that they canít dominate you.

o Tell the person what they are doing to you and how it makes you feel. State that you do not wish to take further action, but will be forced to do so if the victimisation continues. If that doesnít work, write a formal letter of complaint and copy the letter to your bossís boss and/or your solicitor.

o Discuss the problem with someone in your Personnel/Human Resources Department. Dealing with employeesí welfare is an important part of the HR role and staff are trained to treat personal grievances in the strictest confidence.

o If no-one in the organisation will take your complaint seriously, go to the CAB or find a solicitor to act on your behalf.

For more advice and information, look at:

www.workplacebullying.co.uk
www.bullyonline.org
www.rowecohen.com
www.beteshfox.co.uk
www.citizensadvice.org.uk