Personnel Weirdness

[tuxcat]

I don’t know if anyone has come across this situation in their own working life – it’s quite frankly very odd, and I wondered how anyone else dealt with it.

In recent months we’ve had a new Personnel Manager appointed, owing to her predecessor’s resignation owing to ill health.  And I’m hearing some very strange stories about allegations she’s made about staff.

One dept has Senior Manager, Deputy and various Underbunnies.  Personnel approached Senior – apparently she had in turn been approached by Underbunny, who claimed that Deputy was “victimising” her.  Senior was, understandably, concerned – and upset that Underbunny hadn’t felt able to approach him in the first instance.  So he spoke to Underbunny who was, to say the least, slightly confused.  She’d had no such conversation with Personnel, and had made no such allegation.

She’s also claimed that Deputy and another member of staff confided in her about “partner problems”, when neither of them have.  

This information was volunteered to me on a visit to that department (by Deputy and Underbunny), and wasn’t elicited as a result of a request for gossip. It did cross my mind that it could be a set-up – but it seems too bizarre a scenario.  

Both Bossie and I have had one-to-ones with Personnel Manager; him in his role as a senior manager, me in mine as  PA to a senior manager who doesn’t fall neatly into the general HQ scheme of things.  Both of us felt she lacked “personal warmth” – with no disrespect to those on DD who work in Personnel/Human Resources, I felt she did indeed view me as a “resource” rather than a member of staff.  I also felt that she was querying the whole rationale of what my section does. Well, that’s what Bossie and I do; it’s what our department was set up to do, and if she wants things changed, then she’ll have an awful lot of hurdles to jump, including a Bossie-shaped one which is liable to snarl and bite.

There’s also an element of concern for Bossie’s health here.  We have a good working relationship, but I can see it being jeopardized – or at least tested - by Personnel Manager with her own wacky agenda.  However, he’s not a well man, on lots of meds, and the normal everyday stresses of working life can really get him distressed if he’s caught on a bad day.  I hate to think what something like that could do to him.

I don’t feel that there is a great deal I can do at the moment, as all that I know is anecdotal.  But if anyone has any thoughts on how I could deal with this, or at least CMA in the event of fall-out, I’d be grateful.

[tea123]

Your right it does sound weird....  Does Personnel Manager have a colleague that you feel you could talk to in confidence?  I think purely out of concern for your boss you should share your concerns with someone.  It does sound extremely weird...

Good luck

[JessW]

... or perhaps there is a health and safety director/partner/whatever as this sort of behalviour is certainly not healthy (or safe if someone takes it into their head to hit her!)

[gee4]

Stay out of office politics - it get's you nowhere!

G

[raindance]

This is too odd for words! No personnel staff should be gossiping about other members of staff. Period.

I would document it all, and keep notes of anything else that happens.  

As for this person querying your department's right to exist - I am sure that isn't her place.

Best wishes,

Raindance

[countrigal]

As for the stories you've heard... that's all they are, stories, so don't act on them at all.  Remember, Underbunny may have actually confided in the Personnel Manager but backed off when it was brought forward to the person she was acusing.  And the folks that have supposedly talked about partner problems, may actually have done so but again don't want everyone to know.  The fact that you're hearing it at all bothers me, since I would hope that the PM is keeping her mouth shut except to do what she must for her position, but if she isn't, or if the stories really are false, someone involved will have to address it and not you.

As for worry about how her interaction with Bossie will affect his health, I'd just do what I could to play intermediary and keep his interactions to a minimum with her.  And if he's really having a bad day, then let him know you'll re-direct her to the best of your ability, and hopefully he'll work with you to stay off her radar during those times.  If she really has no affect on your area, then it really is a moot point and she'll hopefully soon lose interest in you and your area and move on to others.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

[virtuallysorted]

Could simply be a case of "I HAVE INPUT" need from a new member of staff. E.g. They have a purpose, their salary is justified, their job is essential/indispensable etc.