Workplace Harassment: How Can My Son Handle an Abusive Senior Without Losing His Dream Job?

Dear HR Professionals,

I need advice. My son has joined a well-known company. His immediate senior seems unhappy with him because he wanted his own person in this position. He's very abusive and humiliates my son on every occasion. He has also threatened to replace him once the probation period is over.

Seeking Guidance on Workplace Harassment

Is there anything my son can do? Should my son approach HR? Will it offend his senior? Should I approach the person or HR? This is his dream job, and he will be shattered if he's thrown out. Please guide.

Regards,
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

I apologize for this situation. If it is a well-known organization, your son can approach HR and inform them of his grievance, requesting them to keep it confidential. HR will then handle the issue in a different manner. Before that, advise him to speak with a senior to help him achieve his job aspirations.

My suggestion is that you refrain from approaching any officials as it may not be beneficial.

Regards,
Eswar.k

Mr. Eswar is absolutely correct on a point. You should take an approach of HR and inform about the grievance being faced.

Regards,
Hardik

Please ensure you have sufficient documents or data to prove his capability during his probation period. Also, ensure he gets in touch with the right person. Lastly, please do not spoon-feed him; it seems he is your only son. Let him fight the battle, and I think he expects the same treatment he gets from home in the office.

Regards,
Rocklin

If it is your first job, then it is okay, but you will face this kind of problem in most organizations, so don't get frustrated. Just do the job very seriously, don't make any mistakes, and don't give any chance to your superior to scold you. Make him happy by doing your work diligently. After some time, it will get better.

Regards,
Vijay Mishra

Hi, you are right, Rocklin. Sometimes, our ward expects the same treatment as home. This is absolutely a tough world, and everybody has to make their own way. As suggested by Mr. Eswar, he can definitely approach HR regarding his dissatisfaction if he is in a good company. My best wishes to him.

Regards,
Ali

I would suggest that you help your son understand his weaknesses and what his boss really wants from him. This will make it easier to resolve any issues.

Regards,
Gyana

Dear HR Professionals,

I need advice - My son has joined a well-known company. His immediate senior seems unhappy with him because he wanted his own person in this position. He's very abusive and humiliates my son on every occasion. He has also threatened to replace him once the probation period is over. Is there anything my son can do? Should my son approach HR? Will it offend his senior? Should I approach the person or HR? This is his dream job, and he will be shattered if he is thrown out. Please guide.

Regards,
Keya257
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

I agree with Prasenjit. It is really a tough world, so everyone has to survive with their own effort and approach. I believe such situations will help your son become stronger in his profession. The boss is always right, and it is simply a matter of how you take it. However, if it is difficult to do so, then he can approach HR.

Regards,
SAN SRI

I think your son should approach HR by either sending an email or meeting with him/her personally. HR will definitely provide a solution by helping both parties understand the situation and guiding them to resolve any misunderstandings or issues.

As all the seniors have mentioned, this is the corporate world, and encountering various situations is part of everyday life. It's not just your son; all of us have faced similar challenges. While it may seem difficult and unfamiliar to a fresher, with time, one learns how to navigate such situations. This is what we call "experience"!

Be prepared, resilient, and ready to face challenges. Focus on your work, and eventually, you will be able to overcome any frustrating situation.

Regards,
Sneha Joshi

Hi Rocklin, Thanks to all for their input. As suggested by some, my son did approach HR, but to my dismay, HR called the senior as well, and as expected, the boy was not allowed to put his point across. As a result, now the senior is taking out his grudge by not giving any tasks or instructions, making it more difficult for the boy. I think HR couldn't play its role properly. Instead of calling a fresher and a guy who's been with the company for 7-8 years together, HR could have heard them both separately before reaching any conclusion. I'd like to add here that this is a reputed retail company. I myself have worked as an HR, and this act on HR's part surprises me. Kindly share the current status so we can work out a solution. Regards, Rocklin

It happens sometimes, that is what I mentioned earlier. He should go to the right person, and there's no point in crying over spilt milk. Now, he should not be depressed and ensure he doesn't fall into contrivances. It is very difficult to get back on track with his boss again since he may react, so ask him to be cautious and work. We need to observe his performance and also ensure he does not get mentally depressed. In case he is not able to manage, we need to look into secondary options.

Approaching Grievance Management in a Company

The solution will depend on the company's management and leadership. If the environment is not professional, then there may be little use in approaching others, and one might have to adjust to the situation. However, if there is a professional grievance management system in place, one can approach the grievance redressal team or HR for assistance.

Regards,
V. Srinivasa Rao

Hi Rocklin, as feared, the HR department washed their hands of the situation by advising my son to resign, else he'd be terminated. The boy was left with no choice but to submit his resignation. Now, should he include these two months in his CV? Because anyway, it will be difficult to explain either the gap or the termination. What should he do?

Regards

Hi, Oops, I did not expect it to be so fast. Anyway, please ask him to submit his resignation and allow him time to mentally prepare himself for the next step. Please give him some freedom, as he has not been able to learn independently while working with your team. It might be beneficial for him to relocate to a different city and work there alone so he can learn to be self-sufficient. I would recommend not mentioning the resignation period of 2 months. However, ensure that he does not discuss this in his new workplace, as negative information spreads quickly.

Regards,
Rocklin
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

I have gone through the case, and I would like to suggest the following areas for your son to ensure he is on the safe side:

1. Organizational politics are everywhere. We cannot say it's bad or good; it is present everywhere.

2. Your son needs to document all of his performance and achievements during this period, in case his manager later claims poor performance.

3. If the organization has a solid background and policies, please don’t hesitate to contact HR in advance and inform them accordingly.

4. Ask him to review the employee handbook and HR policy of the organization to see if there is anything to support him.

5. Overall, what is your son's reason for such an issue with his boss? If the reason is only replacement, then this is a matter of abuse of authority and harassment in the organization, plus a conflict of interest. He needs to document all the cases and findings. Ensure all the documents are in writing; no verbal words would be acceptable if the case goes to senior management or eventually court.

Please, if you can provide me a brief answer to the above questions, I will be in a good position to reply to you back.