A colleague has lodged a grievance against me for verbal abuse and bully - it is a total lie (I am their manager)The letter is truely vicious and I am devastated that someone could lie so totally. They claim to have noted down all the alleged episodes. I am extremely busy and may not always have the time to chat but i always say please and thank you and acknowledge particularly good work. I have worked with this person for 5 years and thought we had got on well although I have felt an atmosphere in the last 6 months - sometimes things are fine and others definitly they are "off". They do have a difficult personal life which I have always symathised with and sometimes when they have seemed quiet the past they have said a few days later that there were sorry for not being as usual but had problems at home and I had always said if i could help/offer to be a listening ear.
Recently I have felt they have been trying to "wind me up" with a few snide comments, late back from lunch and generally not as helpful as they used to be.
HR have now said that I should write a grivance about this person. To me if I do this it suggests I had a problem with them and therefore strengthens their case. Their work was not brilliant but I accepted their limitations and just got on with it and didn't have any issues with them(a part from the recent snide remarks etc)
What should i do
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I've not heard of lodging a counter-greivance before, I have to say and would question the merits of it.
Usual process is that an investigation meeting (with the person concerned) will happen and then an interview with yourself to establish your side of the story. If its total rubbish, it will be obvious as you will be able to refute the allegtions, one by one. They will also hold meetings with others in your team to get a "balanced view".
Your HR team, or senior manager, that hear the grievance will then either uphold the greivance and suggest an action plan to resolve the issues, or will not uphold it...you have to, at this point, trust in the fairness of your firm's procedures.
It's a horrible siutation to be in, especially if the allegations are vexacious, and I sympathise with you Joann.
Are either of you on special leave away form the workplace at the moment?
Usual process is that an investigation meeting (with the person concerned) will happen and then an interview with yourself to establish your side of the story. If its total rubbish, it will be obvious as you will be able to refute the allegtions, one by one. They will also hold meetings with others in your team to get a "balanced view".
Your HR team, or senior manager, that hear the grievance will then either uphold the greivance and suggest an action plan to resolve the issues, or will not uphold it...you have to, at this point, trust in the fairness of your firm's procedures.
It's a horrible siutation to be in, especially if the allegations are vexacious, and I sympathise with you Joann.
Are either of you on special leave away form the workplace at the moment?
Thanks for your reply
The colleague is off sick with stress caused by me! I am still there as I am senior and have to put a brave face on it but have to hide in the loo several times for a cry.
I actually think their actions are blackmail as they end their letter with if you pay me 6 months salary I will leave wihtout taking matters further. Thinking about it is that not more serious than allegations of bulling they cannot prove as it didn't happen whereas their demands are in writing.
Indeed i have been looking through old emails I sent to this person and every request includes please and thank you although prob only about 25% of my requests are email the rest are usually verbal as they sit close to me - they are supposed to assist - that is their role!
The colleague is off sick with stress caused by me! I am still there as I am senior and have to put a brave face on it but have to hide in the loo several times for a cry.
I actually think their actions are blackmail as they end their letter with if you pay me 6 months salary I will leave wihtout taking matters further. Thinking about it is that not more serious than allegations of bulling they cannot prove as it didn't happen whereas their demands are in writing.
Indeed i have been looking through old emails I sent to this person and every request includes please and thank you although prob only about 25% of my requests are email the rest are usually verbal as they sit close to me - they are supposed to assist - that is their role!
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