This week’s dilemma is from Mary. Mary’s spent the last 6 and a half years as a nurse in a psychiatric ward. Recently she’s felt the need to report what she calls the ‘bullying’ treatment of some co-workers to the anti bullying unit where she works.

The response from management, however, has been that Mary’s misinterpreted what's happening– that the people she’s reporting aren’t actually engaged in bullying behavior. Mary feels the manager is “covering” for the coworkers. Apparently these been around 40 other complaints of bullying at this workplace.

Mary maintains that she does work with bullies - that there are two nurses she works with who are lazy…She says they have one hour meal breaks and read the newspaper,  forcing her to work harder to compensate. They don’t answer the phone or do their job, they chat on their phone while Mary says she’s left alone to do their jobs as well. She says she finds it difficult to work so hard when the other nurses don’t ‘pull their weight.’

Mary faces a dilemma

• Should she continue to fight her case and wear the unpopularity, or let it go and put up with difficult conditions at work?
• When do you stay and fight, and when do you quit and leave?

Is there a question that’s on your mind?  If so, send us an email  dilemma@theopenhouse.net.au