How do I deal with this?

[lakeside1000]

I certainly agree with the majority, say nothing, the email was not sent to you specifically, but simply as a means for his daughter to air her views on these fluffy animals, as a shooter of vermin the badger is not a target so perhaps any argument as to protect or destroy should be left to those who make these decisions. we should just concentrate on pretty pigeons, bunny wabbits, furry foxes and bamby,

[AVB]

By using your name he/she is deliberatly trying to muddy your name with collegues and its wholy unproffesional Get away with this one today, what tomorrow?

 

 

It's that that disturbs me the most. I don't think he is deliberately trying to muddy my name rather just trying to be funny.The majority of the people on the list don't know I shoot and wouldn't have any context. They will just assume that I am a blood crazed animal murderer. They are all Directors or Managing Directors so, hopefully, fairly sensible but that's not to say that there isn't a raging animal rights activist amongst them.

 

Personally I don't think the proposed cull is a guaranteed solution however from what I have read I am not sure there is an alternative at the moment and doing nothing isn't an option.

Edited February 10, 2013 by AVB

[margun]

Doesn't sound like a work related / relevant topic to use company resources for to me.

[Chris Bb]

Personally, and I work in the same sector as you, I would be bringing this up with the head of HR. Specifying names in this context is tantamount to bullying. By using your name he/she is deliberatly trying to muddy your name with collegues and its wholy unproffesional Get away with this one today, what tomorrow?

 

I would at least have my objection to the treatment noted with HR, but depending on the relationship might push for an apology/retraction to the same parties from said manager. Added to this, use of company property to push a personal agenda I'm pretty sure is a big no no. Sometimes folk need to be reminded they can't go about doing as they please. If he's a proffesional then he should recognise his mistake and not hold a grudge

Again similar to above, having recently left a large high street bank (lloyds) where they have a very strict Internet and email usage policy. I would deem him to have broken the rules and is in direct breach of these conditions, if sent via a company email address.

 

Shoe on the other foot, what if you'd sent an email around with a shooting related topic, say air rifle ban in Scotland!! He takes umbridge to this topic, does he A. discuss it with you directly, B. what happens in the world of save your own backside, he consults HR and you receive a written warning etc etc.

 

Or C. you save said email for a future 1-2-1 and out it comes including the HR policy. Automatic payrise and promotion, was it!!!

 

Nobody gets to the top by being Mr NIce Guy so, regardless of what you think of him, Mr Nice Guy he isn't!

 

Go behind his back to heads of HR & IT & request a private meeting to discuss his personal character assasination on you and his misuse of company time & e-mail facilities to further his personal political beliefs. If it's a modern "touchy-feely" company you should be able to land him fairly in it, without his knowledge. Stress that you don't want to make a complaint against the company but feel that you're being victimised, they should take your side.

 

Unless. of course, he's married into very senior management.............

[tomov]

Maybe reasonable banter in the context of a social network or personal email exchange but on work emails? Screw that! I am of course assuming that there is no possible justification for this (e.g. there are business implications for your bank if the cull does / does not go ahead). This has to have breached your email policies.

 

I'd hit reply all, politely explain that while you respect his opinion, you don't feel it's a topic that is contributing towards your business goals and you see no reason for the email exchange to continue. You could add that you would be delighted to talk through the issues in person with any interested individual in social time.

 

And save emails etc.

 

I'm amazed how calm you are - I'd be absolutely raging!

Edited February 10, 2013 by tomov

[HDAV]

A good read of your corporate IT policy is a start! Most have massive clauses about what you can and can't send which are never applied........ Worth keeping a hard copy and writing on it how the email made you "feel"

[Bagsy]

I'd leave it well alone. But if he pushes the matter put him in a headlock and give him a knuckle rub to the top of the head.

 

 

[Paddy Galore!]

or just man up and take it on the chin, the workplace is full of bitching old slags, don't rise to it.

but i feel the anal intrusion method would have it's benefits, he'd learn that you're a man not to be trifled with

Edited February 10, 2013 by Paddy Galore!

[figgy]

Let HR have the e-mail anonymously saying how its inappropriate and offensive. That way HR can deal with it leaving you out of the firing line with this as you say decent chap

 

Figgy

[four-wheel-drive]

No offence to you but why would you expect to get a sensible answer from people on here you should use your common sense and ignore.

[JDog]

If you completely ignore it you will have the moral high ground. However I do believe that he has it in for you.

[delburt0]

if he is such a professional as you state, he should not be bringing his own points of views of this nature into the workplace that are not work related,,, even more so his families..

[theosmith]

just tell him your from bs and that you are better than that

[Mungler]

He's baiting you and I would bet a tenner your relationship could get / is strained.

 

Firstly, badger culls or otherwise aren't relevant to bank business, work or even free time - where does it end? Free speech in Burma, democracy in China, save the whale, aid to Africa, no to a 3rd runway at wherever...

 

Secondly, even if he had strong views if you and he got on or were mates he wouldn't try to unecessarily and openly put you in a negative light.

 

The problem is that there's a million ways to respond but as you say he's you boss. If you we're minded to **** him off, then I'd go with:

 

1. Leave it 1 week and then reply "sorry I didn't see your email sooner, I've been really busy good luck with whatever it is, obviously you can count on my support"

 

2. "Sorry, I can't get too excited about foxes, newts, badgers or Brian May when there's causes like Barnados, NSPCC, Great Ormand street fighting for exposure, support and funding'

 

3. "I'll shoot one in honour of your daughter the next time I'm out. Maybe a nice hat for her and a shaving brush for your wife?"

[gixer1]

On second thoughts - if he'll take it on the chin tell him you are not fond of shooting badgers but that you heard a few blokes have said they had a good shot right up the beaver his mrs owns...:yp:

[keg]

Having worked in corporate land for the last 23 years, i can see why you do not want to rock the boat. However, my question is:-

 

Why is he using his business e-mail account to communicate his daughter's views to those senior in your workplace.

 

He must have a reason for doing this.

 

My suggestion would be, either in writing and copied to HR or one to one in perosn ( only you can decide the best approach on that one) and ask why he felt it necessary to do what he did.

 

At my most cynical, are you about to be offered a promotion that you may not be aware of, but he is and wants to scupper your chances, espcially if it is over his head.

 

At my least cynical he may be trying to be funny and not realised how it could be taken.

 

I certainly would not let it pass without some comment as this may be deemed to be accepting it.

 

Worst case you could spend a few quid and talk to an employment lawyer and get a view.

[Mungler]

It's not lawyer time, but it's clear he doesn't like him

[Sha Bu Le]

Some of the earlier responses offer sound advice, some of the others don't matter. Your company will have a company handbook which will cover IT use. Check this out note the appropriate clause, keep copies of this and any future emails (forward them to your private em addy). If this continues then approach HR if you believe that a direct faceoff would be detrimental to your position.

 

Do not react openly to this and anything else he may send, if you feel the need to say something arrange a private meeting by internal private memo stating why you need the meeting. Keep copies and copies of any written replies.

 

 

It may be he will reconsider his actions (though I doubt it) keep a record of the meeting, a mini dictaphone type machine would be useful somewhere about your person.

 

If this situation goes away then fine if the tish hits the fan you then have full records of what has gone on. Which will be very useful when it comes to a tribunal or a court case.

 

On the other hand if this was a bit of nonsense one off abuse of status then "forget it" but keep copies of all communications, things do pop up to bite one in the future.

[Diceman]

You have my sympathies, i have worked with twonks like this. What about a simple reply all: 'for the record, I do not support the unnecessary slaughter of badgers' and leave it at that. It's a defensible point whichever side of the argument you are, if someone wants to tackle you on the subject you can have a sensible conversation with them, it makes him look a bit of a jerk without overtly slagging him off or being confrontational, and he then has to defend his comment if anyone picks him up on it.

[al4x]

Reading it again it probably has nothing to do with your shooting and more with helping his daughter with something she believes in, obviously badgers being protected they aren't a quarry species and its irrelevant you shoot as a fair few shooters will still sign a petition like that. I reckon it's much like an e-mail asking for sponsorship etc so really wouldn't think he was out to get you and start putting on the tin foil hat just yet

[Paul T]

I got an email from my boss suggesting a corporate paint-balling day with the invite along the lines of "I know Paul will be up for this because indiscriminately shooting things is right up his street".

 

My reply was short but to the point: "Running round the woods playing Rambo isn't my thing and as for shooting, I'd rather my hobby for security reasons alone, wasn't divulged to all and sundry. Cheers"

 

We can all go running to HR and point a finger via shouting "So and so sent this email..." but ultimately it all depends on your relationship with your boss. In my position, with my boss, I'd go for a gentle reminder that I thought it was inappropriate to circulate.

[Mungler]

Reading it again it probably has nothing to do with your shooting and more with helping his daughter with something she believes in, obviously badgers being protected they aren't a quarry species and its irrelevant you shoot as a fair few shooters will still sign a petition like that. I reckon it's much like an e-mail asking for sponsorship etc so really wouldn't think he was out to get you and start putting on the tin foil hat just yet

 

If that were the case he could have just left AVB off the recipient list if he truly believed that AVB was up for a badger cull.

 

If there's a special on at the butchers you wouldn't bother telling your veggie mates and colleagues - well not unless you wanted to wind them up eh?

 

I do a lot of employment law work and I find it fascinating that most of our legislation gets handed down from a utopian ivory tower in Europe and is completely detached from reality - if you have a problem at work you're supposed to raise a grievance, there's then a bean bag session and a hug at the end where everyone makes up and skips back to work holding hands? Yeah, righto.

 

Paper gets thrown over cracks, cards get marked and because people (certainly those causing work placed grievances) are generally spiteful, they go away and think of another way to get someone back.

 

Interestingly, the further up the ladder you go the worse it all gets for a whole host of reasons.

 

All the suggestions on here to report this to HR.... naïve-tastic..... maybe later if it escalates but only once he's found another job or worked out how much money he wants to sign a compromise agreement

 

I'm sure that a senior boss will have no problem popping any HR balloon that goes up, and spinning it.

 

 

 

 

[AVB]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Somebody raised an interesting point regarding whether I should expect any serious answers on here and that I should know what to do. In my heart I do know what to do but wanted to see whether anybody on here had differerent ideas. In general most were sensible (although I get the sentiment of the 'wnidmilling' approach I won't be taking that advice thanks).

 

I will be:

 

1) Not responding to the mail

2) Speaking to him 1-1 to explain why I felt it wasn't appropriate

3) Keeping a copy of the mail

4) Keeping Mungler on a retainer for him to sign-off my compromise agreement at some point in the future!

 

Cheers all.

[ChAoS]

Ignore it, just don't get into the argument / discussion.

 

That was my thought as well.

 

Let his daughter keep believing badgers are cute and fluffy and not responsible for spreading tb

 

What's the latest "finking" on this? The last I heard, a small cull was planned in order to get some evidence one way or t'other but it was cancelled because of public opposition.

 

If that's correct, then is it still not the case that we don't actually *know* whether badgers are a vector?

 

Or have things moved on since then?

 

Regards,

 

Mark.

[keg]

Forget keeping Mungler on a retainer for his legal skills. Reading many of his posts, he is a champion "Windmiller"

 

They say violence does not solve anything - true, but it makes you feel a lot better.