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Discussion

Boundaries being crossed in workplace

I started a job in July for a smaller company that has grown quickly from the Affordable Care Act. This company took over a new program January 2016 that a co-worker and then later I and another were part of. We are part of a small divided department. My supervisor started after me,another supervisor has been there awhile. She seemed nice enough at the beginning. Although, her staff complained about how "particular" she was regarding everything. She will/has occasionally came over to our group on an individual basis and tell us what we should be doing, or how we should be doing something, even though she is not our supervisor. She has said undermining statements like " what you're doing isn't correct, I've done this and this previously for such and such years and I know....." She didn't like the way an LPN on her staff, had a piece of paper in a folder one week so she had the LPN, walk over to the three hole punch and then demonstrated the "correct way" to paper punch. My supervisor has told this supervisor that if she has something to say to our group she needs to talk to our supervisor first. This supervisor has since, completely disregarded her instruction and has still come over to our space to give unsolicited advice/direction. My supervisor told her again, "stop going to my staff and come to me if you have a question/problem." Right after she left my supervisors room she came back into my personal space and proceeded to tell me how our group should be doing our work because basically she knows and we don't (I had a very good 6 month review). I went to HR and that man said "if she comes over to you again, walk her into your supervisors office." I also went to the director, with my supervisor, and we both told the director what was going on. She basically only offered that the program is new and that's why the department is trying to work on getting processes in place. I'm an older nurse working with older supervisors and I have never experienced anything like this in other work places. I enjoy what I'm doing but this work environment is toxic. I don't understand why it seems so difficult for some professionals to take direction and respect personal boundaries.

Any suggestions other than the obvious, that I need to find a less dysfunctional employer?

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    Hi, fauxtweet. I agree, that sounds really annoying.

    I would first ask is if you would enjoy that job if not for the supervisor who can't contain the urge to meddle.

    If you don't really feel the job is right for you, then it makes sense to discreetly dust off your résumé & research your options, put some feelers out there, etc

    If you want to stay there, there are a couple of things in your favor. 1) that management is clearly supportive of your way of looking at things & have counseled her more than once and 2) Having lived through the upheaval of moving to new digs, & changing ownership it can take months to get it to some semblance of an organized work environment.

    Since her behavior is an annoyance, you and your supervisor agree you aren't responsible for what she directs you to do-- if you can tune out her comments, it may be possible to hang in there a while until the dust settles.

    All the best to you, whatever you decide!

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    Thanks, that was great advice. :) I just wonder if the dust ever settles here or if that's just what they're used to now. But you've offered things to think about.

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    I went to HR and that man said "if she comes over to you again, walk her into your supervisors office." Reporting this to HR is not the process. HR is not your friend. This action could cause YOU trouble.

    In the future, when the supervisor, that is NOT YOUR supervisor tries to intervene, THEN walk into your boss's office, explain you are receiving direction from a manager you do not report to.

    As always, document, document, document.

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    Each time I walked right into my supervisors office. Supervisor would tell her to stop, she'd still come over. My supervisor directed me to go to HR. I guess I don't understand why that would be a unwise decision? Or how that could possibly be detrimental for me? I did say I was an older nurse so everything was documented but I guess I don't understand who you think would be looking at the documentation and/or doing anything about it if not HR?

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    It sounds like this woman is the only dysfunctional part of your work environment. I think it might help if you change the way you look at her. Instead of giving her all of this power and influence over your work and your work environment by allowing her actions to dictate how you feel about your entire job, try a different perspective. To me, this is quite sad. This woman so badly needs to feel important, needs others to think she is knowledgeable and important, that she's embarrassing herself and being intrusive and doesn't even have the self-awareness to see what's happening. And it sounds like many other people have noticed this about her. She isn't fooling anyone except herself. It can be difficult for HR or a director to fire someone for something that isn't egregious, a policy violation, unsafe practice, etc., without leaving themselves open to a potential wrongful termination suit. But she has no power. Your supervisor and HR have given you the okay to essentially ignore her. Clearly she's annoying, but I think you allowing her to affect you so much is making it worse for you. She's a nuisance, nothing more. Enjoy your work and go about your day as if nothing she does can bother you. Because, unless you let her, she can't.

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