How To Deal With Power Harassment

How to deal with power harassment differs from other workplace conflict in one respect. The other person controls things you need, so the usual advice to raise it directly carries real risk.

Protecting your position comes first, and it is not paranoia.

Get things in writing. After a verbal instruction or a meeting, confirm your understanding by email. This is ordinary practice and it creates a record.

Keep your own notes. Dated, factual, stored outside work systems.

Keep your performance evidence current. Results, feedback from others, completed work. If your rating changes suddenly, this is what answers it.

Build a relationship above or across. Someone senior who knows your work independently.

Then decide about raising it, from a considerably stronger position than the one you started in. None of these four steps requires you to make a complaint.

Safe Work Australia covers the duty. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.

See Sentrient’s workplace bullying course and performance review software.