rediffGURU Ashwini Dasgupta tells you how to deal with a colleague who brings a pet to work.
Colleagues come in all shapes and sizes.
Some like to bring snacks. Others like to bring laughter and gossip.
But what do you when a colleague decides to bring her/his pet to work?
Cute or crazy? Depends on who you are asking!
While we are at it -- how do you handle a bully at work?
And what is the right way to react when you are forced to resign?
rediffGURU Ashwini Dasgupta, personality development coach and a neuro-linguistic programming trainer, suggests ways in which you can address your concerns.
She has over 15 years of experience training corporate professionals and has worked at Amazon, JP Morgan, Nomura and Satyam among others.
As a career coach, she specialises in helping growth-minded IT corporate managers develop their self-worth and create the right mindset so that they can achieve their career goals.
Anonymous: My co-worker brings their cat to work because there is no one to take care of it at home.
Since ours is a young team, no one objected to it at first. But unlike dogs, this cat can't be tamed.
It is moody and its presence distracts me at work.
I don't know if I am overreacting.
How do I tell this to my colleague? Should I complain or stay mum?
No, you are not overreacting. You may try the following:
1. Have a one-to-one conversation, preferably in a meeting room. During the discussion, focus on how it is affecting your work and not the cat alone.
2. Suggest alternatives. For example, check if the organisation has any pet policies where you can keep a designated place for the pet, etc.
3. If things don't improve, then involve your manager and seek her/his help. Don't raise it as a complaint; instead, request better work conditions.
4. Importantly, be respectful and don't start any gossip/discussion in order to get people to support you. Respect the pet and the pet owner and keep the work environment healthy.
I hope this helps.
Anonymous: Hi Ashwini, I am being quietly bullied at work by a senior.
He never says anything openly abusive but I am constantly singled out, spoken over and made to feel incompetent.
It is now beginning to affect my mental health and sleep.
I am losing self confidence.
I am also scared of being labelled 'difficult' if I complain.
How do I regain my self-worth and deal with this emotional harassment?
You may consider doing the following:
1. Acknowledge and accept the fact that you are not at fault.
2. People who bully or depict unwarranted behaviour are somewhere insecure as they lack the skills or genuineness you have.
3. Start documenting everything.
4. Seek support even if you do so informally.
5. Rebuild yourself; focus on your strengths
Don't lose your self respect. Stay strong and fight for it.
I hope this helps.
Anonymous: I am working in an organisation from the past seven months in night shift.
Recently I was diagnosed with a health issue, wherein the doctor advised me to avoid night shift and change it to day shift.
I requested HR with the relevant medical advice note. But the HR denied and instead asked me to resign.
What action can I take against them for forcibly asking me to resign even though I'm medically fit to work?
You can do the following:
1. Document everything.
2. Ask the HR to request your resignation in writing (if possible).
3. File a written complaint to internal redressal grievance team or to the labour commissioner office.
4. As a last resort, you may seek legal action.
If you are part of the equal opportunity policy and your company is a global MNC then you can file a complaint to the ethics and compliance department.
I hope this helps. All the best.
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