Assaulted at work - advice?
Discussion
Weeeell, not really 
...but here's the situation - I need a sanity check:
Work in an office for a big bluechip. Corporate environment, fairly formal, etc etc. The guys in my team (including me) have a bit of friendly banter with these two ladies who work for a different function, but sit just opposite in the open plan office. All good hearted, occasionally do cake runs for each other, generally a good rapport.
Anyway. They have this whiteboard on which is written where they're going to be during the week (which office/working from home/on holiday etc). Today I'm sitting there (the only one from my team who was in) and I notice that someone has written in the Wednesday section for one of these ladies the single word
"Gimping".
Very funny, I think. So I casually ask her "who wrote that??"
Turns out she hasn't noticed it. Accuses me. I assure her it wasn't. She blames a few other people. No leads. Then her mate comes back to her desk.
"Was it you?" she asks.
"No it was him" mate replies, pointing at me.
"Pardon?" I say "Nothing to do with me... When did I write that exactly?"
in the meantime, aggrieved lady picks up the whiteboard eraser, rubs it out, and walks over to my desk.
"was it really him?" she asks.
"Yeah I think so", mate replies.
And with that she whacks me on the forehead with the eraser.
"WTF?" I think.
/end of situation
Anyway, am I right in thinking that there's a very big fat line that has been crossed here? Even if I was the person who had played the joke, physically hitting me with something is simply inexcusable. Added to this is the fact that it wasn't particularly in jest (if that's even possible), and that she then ignored me for the rest of the day.
This is someone who is twice my age, and more senior than me.
So here's wondering what to do:
Forget about it.
Have a quiet word tomorrow morning when the dust has settled. Let her know it was out of order.
Escalate the situation with my management - she's a f
king mentalist.
What I don't want to happen is to cause a whole load of bad feeling over a momentary lapse in judgement. I was quite pleased that I had a decent relationship and good rapport with this sometimes difficult woman...
Advice PHers. And no I'm not going to kick her back doors in.
...but here's the situation - I need a sanity check:
Work in an office for a big bluechip. Corporate environment, fairly formal, etc etc. The guys in my team (including me) have a bit of friendly banter with these two ladies who work for a different function, but sit just opposite in the open plan office. All good hearted, occasionally do cake runs for each other, generally a good rapport.
Anyway. They have this whiteboard on which is written where they're going to be during the week (which office/working from home/on holiday etc). Today I'm sitting there (the only one from my team who was in) and I notice that someone has written in the Wednesday section for one of these ladies the single word
"Gimping".
Very funny, I think. So I casually ask her "who wrote that??"
Turns out she hasn't noticed it. Accuses me. I assure her it wasn't. She blames a few other people. No leads. Then her mate comes back to her desk.
"Was it you?" she asks.
"No it was him" mate replies, pointing at me.
"Pardon?" I say "Nothing to do with me... When did I write that exactly?"
in the meantime, aggrieved lady picks up the whiteboard eraser, rubs it out, and walks over to my desk.
"was it really him?" she asks.
"Yeah I think so", mate replies.
And with that she whacks me on the forehead with the eraser.
"WTF?" I think.
/end of situation
Anyway, am I right in thinking that there's a very big fat line that has been crossed here? Even if I was the person who had played the joke, physically hitting me with something is simply inexcusable. Added to this is the fact that it wasn't particularly in jest (if that's even possible), and that she then ignored me for the rest of the day.
This is someone who is twice my age, and more senior than me.
So here's wondering what to do:
Forget about it.
Have a quiet word tomorrow morning when the dust has settled. Let her know it was out of order.
Escalate the situation with my management - she's a f
king mentalist.What I don't want to happen is to cause a whole load of bad feeling over a momentary lapse in judgement. I was quite pleased that I had a decent relationship and good rapport with this sometimes difficult woman...
Advice PHers. And no I'm not going to kick her back doors in.
I knew it wouldn't take long for some quality advice I think quiet word tomorrow. I work in a similar office and wouldn't dream of clouting a colleague. There are only 2 guys who I'd jokingly hit and vice versa as we've all become decent mates outside of work as well.
Doing it to just a colleague in a office isn't on imo- especially if done without any pretence of joke etc.
Doing it to just a colleague in a office isn't on imo- especially if done without any pretence of joke etc.
H_Kan said:
I think quiet word tomorrow. I work in a similar office and wouldn't dream of clouting a colleague. There are only 2 guys who I'd jokingly hit and vice versa as we've all become decent mates outside of work as well.
Doing it to just a colleague in a office isn't on imo- especially if done without any pretence of joke etc.
My only concern with doing this is that she *is* a bit of a mentalist. So it could go either of two ways...Doing it to just a colleague in a office isn't on imo- especially if done without any pretence of joke etc.
I suppose it's worth a shot, she might flatly apologise after all I suppose.
I'd be tempted to request a quick chat with her manager, to discuss why physical abuse is not appropriate, under any circumstances. If you'd done the same to her, you'd be out the door by now. Any decent manager should be able to take this back to her and deal with it, without it escalating.
As mentioned, if you'd hit her, you would be clearing out your desk by now.
Just be aware that if this becomes a formal complaint, it could become a disciplinary matter for her. But hey, she should have considered that before smacking you with a board rubber, like a 3 year old.
As mentioned, if you'd hit her, you would be clearing out your desk by now.
Just be aware that if this becomes a formal complaint, it could become a disciplinary matter for her. But hey, she should have considered that before smacking you with a board rubber, like a 3 year old.
Edited by Nee_Naw on Thursday 19th November 21:33
Do you wish to keep your job?
If not worried, then the world is your oyster. Report it to HR if that is your desire, report it to the police if you wish. Have you any mark/bruising as a result of the impact?
If you do wish to keep your job, then tomorrow I'd call her aside, tell her she was out of order for assaulting you, and that it was not you who wrote something on the board, so in future she may want to get her facts straight before acting, because next time she does that you will take it further. A quick chat Off the record like..
If not worried, then the world is your oyster. Report it to HR if that is your desire, report it to the police if you wish. Have you any mark/bruising as a result of the impact?
If you do wish to keep your job, then tomorrow I'd call her aside, tell her she was out of order for assaulting you, and that it was not you who wrote something on the board, so in future she may want to get her facts straight before acting, because next time she does that you will take it further. A quick chat Off the record like..
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