How do you deal with an asshole at work?

Question

There's a supervisor at work who's an asshole and everyone knows he's one. He's one of these who lives for his job, and thinks he is more clever than he actually is. He comes in to work at 6am every morning to do overtime, and he does nothing but sit in his office and pretend to do some typing on his computer. A lot of the time He sits back in his chair with his hands behind his head, while we are all working hard. The worst thing about him is that he's phoney and spitefull; He'll be all nice to me in my face but he makes fun at people when their backs are turned. He also tries to intimidate me for no reason. I've done nothing to ever upset him, all I do is come to work, mind my own business and work all day, but he's got this way of trying to intimidate me; I've caught him countless times staring at me through his office window with a smirk on his face, I came to work this morning and something had been written with a marker on my locker (and I saw him smirking when I went to my locke

And generally I get the impression that he's trying to patronise me. I've done nothing to nobody.

Answer 1

I had one of those! Unfortunately being an a** h**e is not illegal..so, best you can do is not pay him attention he may get bored and move on to someone else. On the other hand, if you have concrete proof of his intimidation tactics, etc you can go to his higher ups, I would not recommend this if you do not have a solid case; it could come back to you tenfold.
Keep a log ..however good documentation can come in handy in the future *always document b/c supervisors do. Other than that, if it's really unbearable you may want to start looking for another job.

Answer 2

whoa, some of this sounds like my boss! She's the worst person in the world. She's verbally abusive, cheap, rude, mean, and ugly. She has no fashion sense. She makes alot of dough but she is so cheap, I haven't even gotten a raise in 2 years. I can't even ask for office supplies without her hounding me and giving me a hard time about it.
Your guy here sounds like he doesn't have a life. My boss doesn't have life either. All she does is work. She is a widow, no kids, possibly no friends. Even when she went on vacation to Italy last fall, she was still working. At the end of the day, no matter how much hate I feel towards her, I only feel sorry for her because she obviously has issues and is very very miserable. I see you got a lot of responses in here. I see I'm not that only one who has to deal with an asshole's crap

Just think it could be worse:
You could be him.

Answer 3

Basically there will always be an asshole where ever you work. I'm 19 and ive only had one job working in a shop. There was this girl i didn't get on with. But managed to get by.
My dad is a doctor. And he tells me that when he goes into work, he sees the nurses standing around doing nothing. Just reading magazines and pretending to type! Ignoring the patients. My dad gets really furious! There are also the managers. Who have bad ideas. And think they are so high up. Its like school. There is always one idiot in your year!
One thing do you enjoy your job. Because if you do, you cant let some dick put you down! Just ignore him or try and ignore him. I think you have to learn to get on with work. Even if there is a complete and utter ****. In my point of view, writing on someones locker is just immature. Thats for 13 year olds!!

Answer 4

Ugh. What a LOSER. This guy needs to get a real life. How did he even make it to this job? Having fun and being secure and having a personality is one thing, overacting secure and exuding insecurity is another. I hate cocky men. I can see a similar smirk when I think of this complete asshole I used to date. When I was little I thought arguing with a boyfriend would be sort of fun, but truly hating a person is a terrible feeling. I don't know what to tell you except read his cues and do all you can to avoid him. If you think he's the type of person who would react well to a taste of his own medicine, stand up for yourself. You know they say bullys are really the most insecure and can't react to themselves. But I also understand not wanting to deal with him period. Part of me wonders if there is anything you are doing that would make him feel comfortable enough to intimate you on a regular basis, but this guy sounds so bad I doubt it has anything to do with you. I say regardless of the situation, kill them with kindness. Kindness, however phony, will never come back to haunt you. Next time he's staring at you with a smirk, get up from your desk, go into his office, and say "Hey, I noticed you were staring at me, did you need anything?" And he'll probably say no and accuse you of being crazy or insult you in some way, but you'll at least have stood up for yourself. Don't joke back with this guy because it will give him the upper hand. If you're not the most aggressive person (like me), just be super, super, nice and professional so that eventually the person will get sick of you coming into his office asking if you can help him out. You are not in an office so that you can smirk and play games, nor was this appropriate in elementary school, so act like you're all business and eager to succeed, smile, stay calm, and eventually he should back off.

Answer 5

If you can prove he wrote some sort of insult on your locker then you can file harassment. The only problem is...for whatever reason and it doesn't have to be something you did this guy thinks he can push you around and you'll take it. My suggestion is start looking for a new job. He's a supervisor there's nothing you can do really...if you go to HR then he'll hate you more and make your life more a living hell. We've all had jobs like that...the best thing to do is move on.

The reason why he may be doing this to you is he may feel threatened by you. If quitting is not an option....the best way to deal with him is get in good with his manager...kiss his/her *** to the point that it makes you sick. And then make a move for his job. The only thing is you gotta be cool about it...fly under the radar so to speak.

Good Luck dude!

Answer 6

Unless your supervisor has done something that's really against the rules of the company, and other people are willing to back you up, there's almost nothing you can do except find a new place to work. You don't want to sound like a snitch and complain to his boss, because truthfully it will probably come back to you and he'll make work suck even more for you. What's the worst in these types of situations is that you should be able to stand up for yourself, but if you do you could wind up making it worse for yourself. Welcome to the wonderful world of business. Honestly, I'd say it's time to start looking for a new job if it bothers you that much.

Answer 7

Unfortunately, there are people that work less than the rest of us and get paid more. Almost everyone has an "Asshole" in their jobs. My best advise to you would be to ignore him. Of course continue to be professional, say hi and bye but that's it. He will get the point sooner or later.
Plus, you say you mind your own business but it sounds like you are giving him a lot of importance. You know from the time he comes till the time he leaves and what he does on his computer.
I know, I know... sometimes we can't help to notice these things on people we don't like at work, but Forget him and stop hating on him. Soon enough someone with a much highter authority than him will notice and he will have to wipe his ugly smirk off his face.
Good Luck.

Answer 8

Be as sweet as pie to him. Don't look at him when he is in his office, just do your work.
Try to have a recording device (voice) hidden in an area where he likes to make fun of people behind their backs if possible. Or on you if he says things to you that are immproper. Continue doing this for a long time. Then you will have proof to back you up when you go to HR.

Don't go to a higher up, no matter what the situation is it will always look bad on you. It isn't fair but it happens. Not a team player, a problem employee, etc. Also, the higher ups could like this guy or be related etc. Plus he will have a reason that you are out to get him. He is a supervisor so who do you think they will believe.

I went through this last summer, she was trying to get me to quit and I wouldn't. Then she set me up and I was fired. I was nieve and didn't catch it but when I looked at her in confusion when I found that she had lied she was smiling.

What I have told myself is, it will come back to bite her in the *** sometime in her life.
Good Luck.

Answer 9

My husband had a similar problem with a SuperV at work. In his case he wrote a letter to the corporate office for this area explaining the problem employee and included witnesses they could talk to about it and signed it anomous. Two days later there was a meeting with everyone about the problems going on and the SuperV was demoted after proof of his actions. If you need proof, use a camera phone to take pics of his sitting behind his desk doing nothing, mount a camera pen close to areas where he is misbehaving and record and have witnesses to back you up. What you and your fellow employees are going through is called harassment and it should be stopped. Your Super has gotten on a huge power trip and got a bit too big for his britches. He needs to be brought down a notch or two to remind him that he may be the boss, but he has to respect the people under him. If your fellow workers are not willing to take the lead then it is up to you to start the ball rolling and put an end to this harassment, one you do more will follow. Just be sure to keep it hush hush while in the process of gathering proof on htis guy and keep the famous "company suck" from knowing or your plans for a more fair work place will be busted by a brown nosing employee trying to go up in the ranks.
BTW, my husband is getting a Touchtone award this Friday at a company lunchon for Ethics. I believe that his action on this companies issues in one of the big reasons why he was nominated. Good luck with your A**hole boss :o)

Answer 10

Hey, I've had that Boss~ He was the Bully on the playground and the the thorn in any lions paw. Call him Sir, smile brightly when he speaks. Let him take credit. He'll get busted. He just need enough rope to hang himself. In todays work market, the phonies don't stay around long, buit since they talk a good game, they always start out in the wrong place. His behavior is his own lack of self-esteem. Notice how even though he doesn't actually do anything he always looks busy?

Answer 11

I hear ya. I have several of those here.
It is a real challenge to watch jerks get promoted, and intimidating back-stabbers get into positions of power.
I'd like to tell you that he will get his, but he won't.
He will get YOURS!
As a matter of fact, he already has yours.
My solution to MY problem boys is to do my job to the best of my ability. Mind my own business. Never get caught loafing or looking in his direction for approval. Head down, to the plow, and if he comes near me, I smile and say "How's it goin'? Then down I go, back to work.
And every time I have even the tiniest interaction with any of them, I document who said what, and what happened, how I FELT when it was done, and the day and time.
Try to remember this: In life there are about
20 % of people you meet that you will instantly like
20 % of people you meet that you will instantly hate
60% will be sort of swayable, one way or the other.
He's one of your 20%. Keep him 20%.
Don't give him anymore power in your life than that.

He knows he is bothering you, and he is getting off on it.
He's like the school-yard bully. You don't want him for a friend, you just want him to ignore you, right?
When given an opportunity, gently and politely ask him how you may help him. Don't confront him-he's top-dog in your pile. Let him have his power-rush.
Eventually, he will make a mistake, relax, get bored or find a new "victim."
After you have done what I suggest for a while, you might go to HR with your documentation of his "intimidating behavior " and it might just be the ammunition HR has been looking for to rid themselves of him-or you.
PS Have your ducks in a ROW before "outing" him.

Start looking for another job, but remember you'll find your 20% there, too.