Bully in the Workplace

Time for a little story about being bullied in the workplace...

Some of you may have known that I was employed as a Beauty Expert at a certain Shoppers Drug Mart that shall remain nameless (unless you know me personally, then you know exactly which one…)

In October, some of you Too Dolly readers may remember a Post that I put up about my lovely manager resigning from her position. What I never mentioned was the manager that just happened to take over...

Slowly my shifts were being taken off of the schedule and I was cut down to one or two, 5 hour night time shifts a week. (Wow, can you pay your bills off a 10 hour work week?) 

Having very little income from these shortened shifts, I started searching for secondary means of employment. Other Beauty Experts in that Boutique work for other cosmetic company’s as make-up artists and demos, so I applied to work for Clarins. But Shoppers didn’t approve that a couple days a month I wouldn’t be fully available… even though I’m part-time…

My manager had me come into the store to have a meeting. During this meeting she told me I don’t meet the needs of the business, and if I could not be flexible and open up my availability to every day of the week, but remain a part-time employee; she would no longer have any shifts to offer me. She stated she would have never hired me given my availability. She said she would have had this conversation with me in November when she was hired, but decided to be nice enough to let me get through Christmas. She gave me a day or two to decide if I wanted to make Shoppers Drug Mart my number one priority, and possibly quit my new Clarins job.

After much consideration, I decided I could offer the Beauty Boutique full time availability with the exception of some dates I have already booked off (for Clarins, upcoming weddings etc) and I would work around both schedules. We arranged this, and I was given my full February 2012 schedule.

One week later, I walked into Shoppers to start my evening shift and there stood my Manager who took me into the office and informed me that they have come to the decision that I no longer fit in with this company. I asked why, and she repeated the same sentence back to me, then handed me a letter from the owner discussing my termination was effective immediately. Oh, and the cherry on top? I was ESCORTED out of the building. Maybe so I didn’t knock every bottle of perfume off the shelves on my way out…

In conclusion, Shoppers gave me the decision of making Shoppers my number one priority. I gave my full availability and she took my decision away from me and let me go with no warning. I have never had a problem “fitting in” in a work place. My record of employment states I have all positive customer service feedback. I have never had a warning, I have never been written-up, I have never had a bad performance review. I have been an employee for 1 full year and my business self meets all the job requirements… It is my general self that New Management disliked. And now, she has denied me my Gratis of products I ordered based on my own sales and productivity. Apparently I’m not entitled to my own Christmas bonus…

Ladies and Gentleman, this management is what I like to call POISON IN THE WORKPLACE. You know what’s worse? I sent the Cosmetics Coordinator, the District Manager, and the Human Resource Specialist of this Shoppers location all an email of concern about the way I was treated and you know what they said?... NOTHING. That’s right. Never got a response!

Please note: Some Shoppers Drugs Marts are independently owned and some are unionized. But I know for a fact, I am not the only employee who has been wrongfully dismissed from this independently owned location.

I feel bullied out of a job. It’s sad when you are alone in this situation, and not even higher authority cares enough to write you back. But, there an upside to this work place abuse. I’m no longer apart of it! I’ve learned it’s very unhealthy to have anxiety or stress about going to work. I can taste my sweet beginning of enjoying life and being a respected employee elsewhere.

If you have been bullied out of a job, or are dealing with being bullied at work - this is not okay. Try and find someone who will listen so you can solve your problem, or even leave me a comment! It's not okay for the kid in the hallway to push you up against your locker and take your lunch money, so why is it okay for your boss to shut down all of your concerns and take your shifts away?

xox Celina