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Is it Worth Fighting Unfair Treatment At Work? · Enhance.training

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Is it worth fighting unfair treatment at work?
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's an important question, and the answer is a very personal choice.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: When you're being treated unfairly, there are three main options.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: I share my views of when you should choose each, what you'll gain from each option, and what each option costs you as I've experienced them in my career.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: You are in the best position to choose how you're going to respond to unfair treatment at work.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: Things that are going to influence your choice include who is treating you unfairly, you know, is it team members, colleagues, your boss or other managers.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, the personalities involved.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Third, the culture of the company you work in.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, how the unfair treatment is impacting you.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: And then fifth, what fighting unfair treatment might get you.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: These are all common considerations and you're likely to have more specific to your situation.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: The three main options to respond to significant unfair treatments are you firstly do nothing or do very little and put up with the unfair treatment.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, leave and get a job at another company.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then third, fight against the unfair treatment at work.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: I have a free decision tree that will help you work out which options are sensible for your situation.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Grab a pen so you can note down the address.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: The decision tree asks you a set of questions and you can follow your answers to a suggested choice.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Going through this process will help you get your thinking clearer.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: To get this decision tree, type into your browser enhance.training backslash lm-lp backslash fight unfair-2938.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Alternatively, go to the resources tab at enhance.training and find the decision tree on this page.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: The decision tree asks you a set of questions and you can follow your answers to a suggested choice.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Going through this process will help you get your thinking clearer.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: At the end of the podcast, I go through the tactics to help you fight back successfully against unfair treatment at work.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Jess Coles, and if you're new here, Enhance.training shares people management expertise, resources and courses to speed up your journey to becoming a great manager.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: When you're being treated unfairly, you are likely to do a mix of these main options to handle the unfair treatment.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, do nothing is always an option when thinking about fighting unfair treatment at work.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes doing nothing or doing little is a very sensible option, particularly if the unfair treatment of you is pretty minor, an inconvenience or an annoyance.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: If the unfair treatment is only going to be for a short time, you might also choose to do nothing.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: An example might be when you have to handle an unfair manager on a short project which is due to end soon.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Other situations where you might decide to pursue the do nothing option could be, say, if a manager in another part of the business has taken a dislike to you.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have many dealings with them, so the impact of the unfair treatment is fairly minor, so doing nothing is a sensible option.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: As the impact of the unfair treatment on you personally or your career prospects rises, doing nothing becomes a less and less sensible option.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, if you're getting emotionally battered or hurt on a daily or weekly basis, then doing nothing is not a great option.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Social exclusion, others gossiping about you, false personal rumours being spread and similar are likely to be upsetting for you.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: If your career prospects or your professional reputation are being damaged, then doing nothing about the unfair treatment is not a good option either.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Examples might include being excluded from the better projects or tasks that represent development for you, or gossiping or rumours that question your ability to do your job properly, or question your attitude.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: Or it might be bullying from those with influence within the business.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Early in my career I chose to do very little when I started a new job, and a peer of mine who'd been in the business for years felt that I was a threat to her position.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: She made my life quite difficult with social exclusion tactics, gossiping, and snide comments.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: On a personal level, this was pretty hurtful and it definitely knocked my confidence a bit.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think her unfair treatment of me impacted my job or my career prospects much.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: At the time I felt resilient enough that this treatment was more of an annoyance rather than a major problem.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: And yes, I did try and build bridges with her, but was not very successful.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: She moved jobs, so the problem left with her, and I felt very relieved.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Decide where your line is, what will doing nothing cost you and what will you gain from it?
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: If the impact or pain is too high, then learn how to handle the unfair treatments, go elsewhere or fight the unfair treatment at work.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: The second main option is to leave and get a job elsewhere, and it's a common option when receiving unfair treatment at work.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: If the impact or the pain of being on the receiving end of unfair treatment at work is too much for you to ignore, then leaving and getting a job elsewhere is a good option for your health, happiness and career prospects.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: If you're unhappy at work, you will not be motivated to do your best work.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: If you're unhappy for more than a short period of time, it will definitely impact your career prospects, your reputation, how your manager views you, how your colleagues respond to you and so on.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Don't choose to stay in a job where you are unhappy, unmotivated, and not doing a good job for more than a short period.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: Getting a new job is a hassle, it takes time and work in the short term.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Staying put is a much worse option for you in the longer term if the unfair treatment at work persists.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: If you are not a resilient person or really struggle with conflict, then fighting unfair treatment at work may be a step too far for you.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: This is absolutely okay.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: It takes a lot to fight an unfair boss or colleagues, and often you don't get much benefit compared to the trauma you go through.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Early in my career my manager at the time left and I got a new line manager.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: I was the least experienced of my peers looking after the divisions that paid the biggest bonuses.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: My manager didn't like this much and made my life difficult to get me to leave.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't know how to fight this at the time, so I got a new job and left.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: My ex-manager promptly took over the divisions that I used to look after.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Most important to me was the new job I started, was a massive positive turning point in my career, so I've got a lot to thank my worst manager for.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: Leaving is a good option if you get a better job in a company that appreciates you more.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: Always keep getting another job as an option.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: The third main option is to decide it is worth fighting unfair treatment at work.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Choosing to fight or not is a very personal choice, and there are loads of factors that you are likely to consider before making the choice to fight unfair treatment at work.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Who is treating you unfairly at work, bullying you or undermining you is a big, big factor.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, if it's a colleague, then you have a much wider range of options and the chance of a successful action is a lot higher.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: With colleagues, it is easier to get the support of your manager and other more senior people in the business to apply pressure on them to stop.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: Gaining support without coming across as manipulative or a difficult person or someone with a grudge requires you to get evidence or at least record instances of what was said by whom.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Getting other witnesses to support your version of events will help your credibility considerably.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever you're being treated unfairly, manage your own behaviour and reactions carefully.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want doubt cast on over your behaviour or your account if an investigation is undertaken.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are being unfairly treated by a more senior person other than your manager, building support with your manager and other senior managers is essential to be successful if you decide fighting unfair treatment at work is your preferred option.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you have an unfair boss, then you'll be in for a painful, tough fight, which is much more likely to be unsuccessful.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: You will need to build even more support with other managers and gain the support of HR.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: The culture of the company is also a big factor in this choice.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: Fighting unfair treatment from those more senior than you is tough.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: It will take it out of you emotionally, and the energy you put into the process will not be available to do your day job.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Depending on the culture and the senior management, you can get a good result for you.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, I've removed a manager who is treating their staff poorly rather than remove the person complaining.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: In my experience, unfortunately, this is still quite rare.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: Before you decide to fight unfair treatment at work, think through carefully what you'll gain.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Weigh this up against the personal cost of fighting.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: Think twice as long when considering is it worth fighting an unfair boss?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: And think also about the personalities involved.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, if you're up against a stubborn person who rarely changes their mind, any action you might take could mean escalation of the unfair treatment.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: Try to make sure the personal effort is worth the reward.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: If you're a long-serving staff member and you love your job and the company, then fighting against being treated unfairly at work might be a no-brainer compared to leaving.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: If you're newish in the role or there are lots of jobs you can happily get offers for, fighting may be a harder route to take without clear gain.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Think carefully about what you're likely to get versus the pain and effort you'll have to go through fighting unfair treatment at work.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: I personally have fought unfair treatment from my manager and in the end won convincingly.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: It was a hard and long fight, and it took a lot of energy, confidence and resilience to get over the finish line.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Because of the pain and effort involved, I think I paid a fairly high personal cost for the result that I got.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: It was on balance worth it for that particular situation.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I can promise you I would think very, very carefully before going through all of that again.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Do take a look at the decision tree mentioned earlier before deciding what to do.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's available for free in the resources section of Enhanced.training's website.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: When you decide it is worth fighting unfair treatment at work, useful tactics to consider are firstly, always take the time to build examples and evidence that show or indicate that you are being treated unfairly.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Gathering examples and evidence is gold dust for gathering support and being taken seriously by managers and HR.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: You can't afford not to do it, even if it's hard and it takes a lot of effort.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, you must ensure that your standard of work is at least maintained and increased if possible.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: This maintains or increases your value to the company and the managers looking at the situation.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Third, undertake informal internal marketing to raise awareness of what you do and the values of the work that you do to the business.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: This will help you build support and counter the effects of an underminer or a bully, for instance.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Doing this will also increase your confidence.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Do what you can to market yourself, even if it's daunting to start with.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, start looking for opportunities outside of the company so you have a fallback plan and a job should the worst happen and you are asked to leave.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: Fighting unfair treatment at work takes a lot of time and energy.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: If you decide to go down this route, make sure the positive outcome is worth it to you personally.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: And the very best of luck to you.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, in summary, there are a lot of things to consider when deciding is it worth fighting unfair treatment at work?
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: If you decide to fight, don't expect it to be easy or without personal cost.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Fighting might be better than doing nothing or leaving depending on your situation and your personality.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think there are any easy routes out of a situation where you are being treated unfairly at work.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Do what you think is best for you after considering the people involved and the situation.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: And as a reminder, we have covered firstly, do nothing or putting up with the unfair treatment.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, leave and get a job at another company.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: Third, fight against unfair treatment at work.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: And then fourth, four tactics to undertake when fighting against unfair treatment.training and I'll get back to you.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I look forward to speaking to you again soon.