This scenario will probably end badly. After weeks of going home to your wife/partner/household pet and taking it out on them by moaning about Dwayne one day he will do something and you will blow up and dismiss him. Dwayne on the other hand is completely taken aback because he didn't realise he was doing anything wrong.
You need to tell employees when they are not performing. I am not talking just about formal warnings but in general day to day work let employees know if they are doing things that are not satisfactory. They then have the opportunity to at least try to improve.
You are Dwayne working on the dairy farm. A fellow employee is a bully and constantly puts you down, makes fun of you and generally makes your life miserable. You don't say anything to your employer because you think the employer must know what is happening to you and just doesn't care. You lie awake in bed at night worrying about what he is going to do to you next milking and your stomach churns when you go to work. One day you just can't stand it any longer and resign.
You need to tell your employer if something is happening in the work place that is affecting you. If you don't feel you can speak direct to your employer is there another member of staff that you can go to. Don't assume that your employer knows that you are being treated badly or how you are feeling and is ignoring it. At least give your employer the opportunity to make things better before you take the drastic action of resigning.
In my view absolutely the best policy when you are dealing in an employment situation is for people to be up front with each other.
This article originally appeared in the Southland Times Work To Rule column. Mary-Jane Thomas is head of Preston Russell's employment law team. Contact her by clicking here
