My Story - My Voice: Zero complaints management “process”

The records from 8 August 2019 is evidence of the start of reckless organisational behaviour and poor process for managing complaints. The policies were there for show. They were never applied, never used, and it was the organisation’s legal obligation to do so.

The subject to my email was “Obtaining information on the HR process”. The associate director had gone on personal leave. Her dad was unwell and she took a week’s carers leave to look after him. But when I needed to use carers leave because I too, as the next of kin, had to temporarily care for a family member, this associate director and that manager discriminated me in my right to do so. I was differentiated as though I signed a different employment contract? She took the entitlement of carers leave, but discriminated my right to do so. I was differentiated.

The previous post quoted an email from this associate director who verified I had plenty of leave. I hardly took leave. In fact my long service leave (LSL) was so excessive, the university directed me to take a month of LSL in 2019, because it was a cost to the organisation. It was always for their benefit, but the policies and laws were not enforced when it was for the benefit of staff, regarding our entitlements. We are the people that work hard, ethically, aligned to the organisational mission and values. What about senior management? And what a double standard from this associate director. That email is in document 10. My email asking for information and I quote, “Is it possible to get information on the HR process? I’ve felt very isolated and alone and I don’t know what I’m waiting for…It would really help me to be more informed what HR’s involvement will be.”

My question for information was forwarded to the director of libraries. She sent me a link to some type of complaints form. THE LINK WAS BROKEN. I WAS SENT A USELESS BROKEN LINK.

I went to the website and found the HR page regarding workplace bullying complaints myself. I was going round in frustrating circles, a sign of worse to come.

THE LINK TO THE STAFF COMPLAINTS FORM WAS BROKEN ON THE UNIVERSITY WEBSITE. IT COMMUNICATED “WE DON’T CARE ABOUT STAFF OR OUR WHS LEGAL DUTY OF CARE.”

After wasting my time, in the frightened state I was already in, I emailed the “relationships” manager informing her the link was broken and could she please provide me with an active to link. She sent me the same link, in which I told her it was broken!

Reader, what do you think this communicates, other than they don’t care about staff? Has no one made a complaint before? The answer must likely be no. We all know why now. (see https://mystory-myvoice.blogspot.com/2024/07/part-2-organisational-culture-cons.html). I was fobbed off to this shit of a “process” because of incompetent senior executives in the library directorate, who couldn’t be bothered doing this important part of their job, to look after their quality staff. All it required were a few agreed boundaries, and the issue would be resolved. LOCALLY.

The relationships manager then provided a link to primitive form that didn’t allow for particulars to be included. I think this form was updated in January 2021 to allow attachments, now under new leadership, but the toxic, non-compliant and abusive nature of executive leaders had not changed. They abuse community members, including their own alumni, too (coming up in later posts). Is this their definition of “community engagement” in action?

My responses to the three questions in the primitive online form:

What is the issue?

From the moment I took the role of Senior Library Coordinator in January 2017, the expectations were unclear and there was no support structure to assist me. My manager has distressed me repeatedly on issues regarding wellbeing of staff that I deemed unethical, constant criticism that’s not constructive and very unfair, no matter how much I do, it’s not enough, vague feedback and expectations, violation of my personal boundaries, demeaned me in front of staff and undermined my authority as a supervisor. I’ve been labeled, judged, accused of things that were merely fabricated gossip, and I’ve burnt out. I was bullied by being called self-absorbed repeatedly in one meeting in her office until I’d finally had enough and told her I don’t want this role anymore, it’s not worth the money. My dignity and credibility have been damaged. I’m constantly exhausted, she’s killed my motivation, there’s reduced professional efficacy and I’ve become cynical. I loved my work and was passionate and good at what I did - serving others and supporting the academic and research achievements of staff and students, and supporting the goals and growth of the team I managed. I’ve been emotionally bullied and never had breathing space to do my job with dignity.

How have you attempted to resolve this so far?

I’ve tried to raise concerns with the manager. All I’ve heard is we’ve talked about this. No, she talked, but never listened. I co-operated with her and the associate director in going to North Sydney for two months as a senior librarian, I agreed to medical reports I regret now. The associate director had good intentions* but a lot was unfortunately based on information the manager provided. Totally misleading and inaccurate.

[*NOTE: initially, but as I’ve said, she was incompetent and unfit in doing her job, and ultimately became a puppet to what was to come. I also regret giving people the benefit of the doubt - repeatedly. There’s no excuse].

I finally had enough and became so distressed because I felt my only answer was to resign. All my achievements, my hard work for the university for 18 years, feels like it was for nothing in the end. I’m broken and burnt out.

What outcome would you like to see?

I expect clear and realistic expectations and workload, support, respect, to be trusted to do my job by giving me breathing space and flexibility. Mostly, to listen to what I have to communicate too. Anytime I feel demeaned, disrespected, and certain staff policies regarding wellbeing, work-life balance and health and safety are breached, I will start documenting.

———————-

I sent an enquiry to the relationships manager as to how long it would be before I received a response. I was taking leave in an ad hoc way, waiting to resolve this issue. It is in the relationship manager’s response that I’m told it’s a “formal complaint” and the response would come from the HR Director. I didn’t even know I was submitting a “formal” complaint and STILL NO EXPLANATION OR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS. WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT A “RELATIONSHIPS MANAGER” DOES?

The HR Director’s response on 23 August 2019, was negligent and dismissive. She referred me back to resolve the issue locally when it was the “local” library executive staff who had handed me over to HR in the first place! She also mentioned more “particulars” needed. THERE WAS NO FILE UPLOAD TO ATTACH THOSE “PARTICULARS”. Those “particulars” no one cared to review, very serious and repeated incidents of bullying, discrimination and harassment, have been published in a five-part blog post, de-identified. Does the reader think they should have been taken seriously in 2019 as per WHS legislation, which the policy of the organisation is based on? (See http://mystory-myvoice.blogspot.com/2024/07/bullying-discrimination-and-harassment.html).

There was no mention on the online complaint form about what particulars were required. I felt it was deliberately “designed” that way.

After sending an email to the relationship manager (who proved to be another unfit and incompetent person in their job), demanding to know what all this means because I was confused and distressed, she organised a phone meeting with the HR associate director, a creepy and cunning individual that I never want contact with again. I suspected the looming adverse action after that one hour phone conversation with this HR associate director and the library relationships manager. But nothing prepared me for what was coming.

I also emailed the campus minister that day, in sheer distress. She was my advocate, as per clauses in the bullying policy. But what the cunning associate director did, beggars belief. That’s coming in later posts. I had informed her in that useless one hour meeting, to speak with my advocate, the campus minister, who has been my support.

For now, I quote what I emailed to my support person, the campus minister, that day of cruelty from unfit leaders in HR. I forwarded the emails and wrote, “if you call this caring about the dignity of the human person at [the university], then don’t blame me if I want to jump off a bridge right now**…Is anyone willing to help? Anyone willing to give me straightforward advice for a resolution? I feel more sick than ever right now.”

**NOTE: I initially thought this flippant comment, in my moment of distress, was what was used against me in the most diabolical adverse action. Oh no. It was much much worse.

This post is based on documents 8-12. It clearly displays mismanagement and poor communication regarding the use of leave entitlements and complaints process by the library senior executive staff and HR.

Reference:

AHRC. (2014). ‘Good practice guidelines for internal complaint processes’. Australian Human Rights Commission. Online [Pamphlet]: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/employers/good-practice-guidelines-internal-complaint-processes

SafeWork NSW. (2021). ‘Code of Practice for Managing psychosocial hazards at work (‘the Code’).’ Online: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/list-of-all-codes-of-practice/codes-of-practice/managing-psychosocial-hazards-at-work

It is an approved Code of Practice under section 274 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).

Relevant legislation:

Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)

https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1977-048#sec.49S

https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1977-048#sec.49V

Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)

https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2011-010#sec.19

https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2011-010#sec.28

https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2011-010#sec.29