The world of work and our personal lives are intertwined no matter how badly we wish to keep them separate. It’s just unavoidable that parts of your work life and going to somehow affect your life away from the office. You might even go and make the extra effort and mentally tell yourself to switch off whenever you’re at home. That may work for some people, but we’re not all wired the same. It’s even more farfetched to think you can put a barrier up between your personal and work life when you don’t feel at ease in the professional environment. When you’re being mistreated or suspect you are, you’re in treacherous waters already. Even before you know it, you’re in a grey area in terms of individual response You can’t be expected to be used to this kind of thing so how would you know how to react? Taking the proper course of action for multiple different instances is going to put you one step ahead of any opposition you might face. It’s sad to admit, but employers aren’t always looking out for the best interests of their employees. They’ll likely have ways of covering their tracks, and this goes for any other fellow colleague.  

Socially outcast

Not being included in the group is a painful experience for anyone who is socially awkward. Those feelings of anxiety will get put up a notch if this is the case for you after just starting a new job. Many people dip into self-deprecating humor in order to seem like you’re not a threat to the community order. If you’re already surrounded by people who are actively trying to make you an outcast, this is their cue for smelling blood. It’s like being between a rock and a hard place, you try to fit in, but something doesn’t feel right among your fellow workmates. It could be because of your political beliefs, your age, the circumstances in which you entered and another whole raft of reasons.

Reacting to what you perceive as unfair treatment isn’t about why so much as it is how. It’s first prudent to do a little snooping yourself by talking to someone who you feel most confident with among the workforce. This should be preferably done with a colleague that is at your level. They might divulge some information to you and thus paint a clearer picture who is behind it and what their aims are. Even if you cannot get any reasons or proof as to why you’re kicked out of social circles, it’s then a good idea to inform your immediate superior. Go to a manager who you feel comfortable with and tug them aside for a private chat. Give as much detail and examples of any incidents and engage with them to form a solution. If worse come to worse and you feel not enough action that sticks has been taken, take your case to the human resources department.

Money out of your pocket

There is an inherent ethos in the world of work that trust is itself an underpinning of company policy and or culture. Without the two groups of employer and employee reading from the same book and the same page, communication is purely by hot air with no restrictions on actions. Finding yourself in a horrible situation whereby you are wary of being cheated on your payment, is something no one wishes to happen to them. However you can’t move on suspicion alone, you must move forward with caution. Assume that you’re an employer is innocent until proven guilty. Waving around the finger of blame is not going to do anyone any good, and least of all the stability of the relationship with your boss. Make the proper checks first and foremost. Request pay stubs for your boss, and investigate any and all deductions that are made. Take into account things like working overtime and during public holidays etc. By the same token, it’s very wise and advisable to keep records of your payments from work for as long as you are a paid employee.

If by some dread you do have clear evidence that you are being shortchanged for your dedication to work, serious action has to be taken. Consult with a tried and tested wage theft lawyer that specializes in representing employees against their employers. Through their skill and perseverance, they will sift through the records and find the times your employer has shaved off a dollar here and a dollar there. Malpractice and disobedience of the state and or national employment laws will be highlighted. A case will be made on your behalf, and they will pursue legal action with the aim of not just reimbursing your missing wages and or salary, but maybe even compensation.

Disturbing your property

Bringing your own possessions to work is a very common thing to do. These might could be a lunchbox, a pen, or even a technological product such as a laptop or smartphone. Noticing that your things are often moved or perhaps scuffed is something to be concerned about. Determining who did the property damage is often difficult. Therefore it’s wise to make sure you never leave things of value unattended. For a start, don’t bring anything to work that you believe is very expensive in the first place.

There is no valid reason why your things are handled or damaged by someone else. Spotting signs of damage and suspecting foul play, bring up this issue with your immediate superior. If you can, read the guidelines and company policy in this area to see what kind of written backup is on your side. The manager may be able to watch or give you the chance to watch through onsite security camera footage. Seeing any incident firsthand is vital if you’re going to demand payment to cover the costs of repairing or replacing your property. However, more often than not, managers will work with upper management to make sure you’re compensated. They may demand from the other party that they either cough up or be disciplined.

Working in a hostile environment day after day is not something anybody should have to put up with. If you’re savvy, you will first take the time to do a little digging yourself as to the cause of your foul treatment. Regardless there are multiple courses of action you can follow to remedy the aggravating situations.