Till today, I still am truly grateful.
Although I work pretty far from my home, but for a place I spend 8 hours or more every weekday, my workplace is indeed quite a safe haven for me.
I built a little home away from home in my own cubicle and I always treated everyone around me fair and genuine. I always felt that there isn't a need for secrets and I always readily share about my life and experience so others can be inspired and enjoy the funny and happy things that happened to me.
However, this home is no longer that safe haven.
A ripple has spread through our office that now, everyone just keeps to themselves.
When we chat, we no longer does it like before, laughter in the office had died down to nothing but a wisp of smoke.
A year ago, we have a new addition in our office family, Ms. W.
First impression, I thought she was pretty eccentric with her dressing and hairstyle. An artist, just like those fashion magazine colleagues I used to have.
She hums like a ghost in the morning and sing oldies in the afternoon. It's kind of irritating at first, but I have learnt to accept that. Afterall, everyone is different.
I never like to be involved in politics or whatever conflicts arise in the office. I felt these behaviorism are totally uncalled for. But, no matter how I tried to stay away from such conflicts, they came looking for me anyways. and it was RUTHLESS.
I got a call from another colleague to ask me out for breakfast one fine morning. However, she told me she would meet me outside somewhere, and that we left the office and came back the office individually.
The breakfast turned out to be a chat by a bridge nearby where she tried to warn me about Ms. W.
I was told that Ms. W has said rude remarks about me in a meeting which I was not involved.
According to her, Ms. W has insulted me in order to push her staff up for promotion.
My first initial thought: Was that really necessary?
Her staff is also my colleague, sits next to me everyday, and we are pretty good friends.
She has been in this office for 10 years and her superior changes every 3-4 years which cause her not having a chance for promotion. So I totally agree that she truly deserves to be in the promotion roll.
But, to the extend of insulting me to get her into the roll, well that totally changed my impression of her.
While other managers has defended me, Ms. W definitely has crossed the line.
Ms. W also heavily hinted to this colleague of mine not to get too close to me as her behaviour will implicate me. Hmm... what behaviour? Me and her going for breakfast?
So, What freakin' RIGHTS has she got to restrict us?
In this office, there is an understanding that everyone works in a team to get things done, and we can rest and have some interesting fun and chitchat while at work. After all, it's a place we spend most our time with, and it's always to good to keep a nice warm family environment in the office.
But she saying such rudely remarks had hurt the office really badly.
Not just that, now that she can't touch me, she went to complain to another colleague instead, and unfortunately, that colleague has somehow been bought over by her sob stories.
And she cleverly chooses her target to poison.
For that, I aptly named her as a Witch in the office.
For months, I knew she has been spying on my computer EVERY TIME she walks out from the cubicle and pass sarcastic remarks to anyone who is 5 minutes late for work.
We were given the flexibility from our boss, so, what right has she to comment on us?
Till date, I know there are colleagues who doesn't like her, avoids getting too close to her or just stay as neutral as they are to prevent getting played out by her. Those she has to rely heavily on on her daily duties, she still treat them real nice, but I am too afraid that once these colleagues have "lost their worth", they too soon be eliminated by her.
The worst part is that our big boss trusted her fully. and I mean 100%.
And because of that, the balance of the office has been totally tipped over by this one witch alone.
And that really hurts because she has totally obliterate the entire office's hard work and efforts just by her one statement alone. It's really bad.
I really hope that our boss can really open his eyes and hear 2 sides of the story.
It so bad that I just felt my safe haven have turned into the cold harsh Antarctica.
There's no longer that warm friendly chats and joyous laughs, but everyone has to look out and beware of her. It has taken a toll on my mental health too, because of her constantly spying on my back, I can't help but making sure all my documents are locked and secure, and getting sick because of it.
My headaches becomes more frequent and my doctors are trying to get me to a specialist.
As for me now, I am taking serious consideration in either changing jobs or transfer to another department.
I probably will go insane or consider suicide in the future if I am going to stay in this office as long as she is in this office with her current attitude.