My boss verbally abuses staff and unfairly picks on my appearance – but I need the job to pay my bills
APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions.
Here, she helps a reader whose boss is verbally abusing staff and making comments about her weight.
Q) I work shifts in a warehouse picking customer orders, and I often feel like my employer treats me and my colleagues like machines rather than people.
We have to meet certain targets or we receive verbal warnings, and we even get a talking to if we go to the toilet too often.
Recently, it’s felt like my manager is unfairly picking on me and is constantly saying demeaning things, even commenting on my weight.
It’s making me miserable, but I can’t leave as I need to pay my bills
What should I do?
Katy, via email
A) It’s completely inappropriate and a form of bullying for your manager to make any comments on your weight, or to say anything personal or demeaning to you.
If you feel able, you should address this directly with your manager if it happens again.
Reply saying something like: “I don’t appreciate you commenting on my weight. If you would like to talk to me about my work, then please do so without using personal comments.”
Keep a record of when it happens, and what is said.
If it continues, then go straight to your HR manager.
Working to targets is difficult, but is part of most people’s jobs.
What is important is that the targets are achievable.
If they are not realistic, then it’s inevitable you will feel demotivated.
Talk to colleagues to see if they are hitting their targets, and share tips and try to learn from one another.
If you all agree that your targets are increasing to an impossible level, then the situation needs to be addressed with management.
While businesses are facing increasing bills and financial strains, they still need to protect and motivate their workforce to succeed.
- Got a careers question for Karren? Email bossingit@fabulousmag.co.uk.