One year E-Book

Hadassa Munda

• Herausgeber: novum publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 193

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Anna actually felt very comfortable in her job until 3 years ago. The team was like a family to her, the work was fulfilling - everything went to her satisfaction. One day, when she decided to further her personal development and start studying, Anna's colleagues suddenly showed her a completely different side. She now feels their envy and resentment on a daily basis and feels constantly observed and criticized. Instead of the support she had hoped for, she only finds a lack of understanding from her superior and his behavior towards her also seems unpredictable and arbitrary. Anna's mental health is on the brink. She realizes that she has to get out of this situation. So she plucks up all her courage and seeks help ...

Leseprobe

Quote

The beauty of the butterfly only unfolds,

The prehistory

October 8th. It will be a day like no other.

The team and supervisors have a monthly jour fixe. As usual, a wide variety of topics are discussed that affect the entire team. But this time is a little different. There are emotions, Anna notices that discussions are extremely emotional. And then the unbelievable happens: once the meeting is over, Anna stands up, takes her documents and cell phone from the table and moves her chair back so that she can leave her seat. But Anna can't turn around at first, she feels warmth on her right buttock. When she does turn around, she looks two colleagues directly in the face and then the colleague who is pressing his genitals against her, making noises and holding his hands up. Suddenly Anna is completely perplexed, she freezes and runs away. As she leaves the room, she looks her boss in the face. She will remember the look on his face very well later. He just stands there, doesn't say a word and adopts a distant stance. That's it!

What amazes Anna is that she can carry on working as normal after what has happened, as if nothing had happened. She simply notices a long silence in the office. Her boss doesn't speak to her for days and neither do the colleagues who were present in the situation. At this point, Anna doesn't consciously realize what has actually happened. But then - a week later - she is on the phone with a good friend and during this conversation she suddenly bursts out of herself emotionally and has a strong crying fit. She remembers this terrible incident and describes it to him on the phone. Then there is radio silence!

The two end the conversation. Now it's clear - Anna is in shock for a week. What happened seven days ago was a physical assault, and in the presence of colleagues and the boss - quite officially after a team meeting. When Anna realizes this, she collapses and is totally devastated. She doesn't know what to do next.

Anna, an empathetic woman in her forties, nevertheless tries to keep her everyday life as normal as possible. She goes about her work and tries not to let anything show. In the middle of the following year, around six months later, she notices that her work colleagues are increasingly calling her stupid names and that she is becoming more and more isolated. This is surprising because Anna is actually well-liked by everyone and has a lot of contact with her colleagues. She has been studying economics part-time for a year now. The motivation for this lies in her private situation - she has free resources because she has decided not to have children. She therefore wants to invest her free time in education. Her goal is to stay with the Group, but to change careers and work in a different area. She is particularly interested in the area of Human Resources. Having taken this step motivates Anna and gives her new strength. But it is also a courageous decision, as it turns out!

In her professional environment, it has always been unusual for her to study alongside her job, especially as a woman. Classes always take place at the weekend, from Friday lunchtime and all day on Saturdays. It was declared as a part-time course and Anna actually assumed that there would be no overlap with her working hours. Which is not the case. Quite the opposite - it became a second full-time job.

This change requires a new approach to time management - not only that, the entire daily routine changes and ultimately throws Anna off course. Two demanding full-time jobs and managing the office at a friend's company - that's a lot. Anna, who wants to do everything very conscientiously and certainly has a tendency towards perfectionism, can no longer juggle it all. No more weekends, which means no more free time and no more opportunity to relax.

Many hours and days are spent working on projects and homework outside of the normal study routine. This naturally has an impact on time management in the office, in that Anna's time spent in the office has become a very precious resource. Anna no longer chats with colleagues as much as usual, no longer comes in for lunch or coffee. With a new structure, she does her work in the office and then leaves again straight away.

This is where the first serious problems begin.

Many of Anna's so-called "dear" colleagues don't take any notice of this. Talking about professional matters is out of the question for them and Anna no longer wants to spend her precious time on private matters and rumor mills. From then on, she is met with rejection. Anna is particularly surprised that her colleagues, with whom she has also become friends in private and who therefore know a lot about each other, are the ones who show the least understanding for the fact that she no longer spends so much time with them. Anna is so disappointed.

You could say that Anna's "dear" colleagues actually have a claim to ownership over her - she doesn't even realize it at the moment. They expected her to get their blessing before she changed. She is not allowed to do what she wants without the consent of her colleagues. They tell her this to her face and this is also shown by the further explanations.

As part of a sales training course, Anna and a small group of colleagues are standing at a bar table talking about the presentation that has been developed as part of group work. Suddenly and unexpectedly, a colleague who Anna has known well for a long time walks past her and verbally attacks her, saying that she should finally get some work done. The whole group comes up to Anna and stares at her. At this moment, Anna is so surprised that she can't think of anything to say. It gives her a sting, she feels offended. In reality, she is ahead of her time and can now do the same work in a shorter time frame. But her colleagues don't realize this yet. Part two of the training follows the next day. A colleague named Elisabeth, who has been with the company for a very long time and does not have a good relationship with Anna, takes the initiative for the following situation. She talks to the course instructor about her divorce. Anna finds this statement completely inappropriate because it is about the trainer's private life, which has no place in a training course. When Elisabeth, who is about to retire and is sitting next to Anna, notices this dismay, she begins to mimic Anna. Then other female colleagues join in. One attacks Anna because she has started studying, the next complains that the IT system never works, and yet another claims that the IT system already works - something Anna had complained about a few days earlier. When Anna comments on this, everyone turns away from her and when she doesn't say anything, they all stare at her. It then comes up that Anna is dating an older man. What does this have to do with work and this course? It's Anna's private matter. As soon as she tries to say something about it, she is interrupted so that she can't continue.

At the end of this two-day training course, Anna feels very tired, exhausted and under pressure. Why did they do that? It is interesting to note that there are parallels with the course instructor. The trainer is about the same age as Anna, has studied, married an older man and has a successful career.

It doesn't stop there. The next seminar follows a few days later. A colleague who has not been with the company for very long sits down next to Anna. The whole time, she tries to involve Anna in her private affairs and constantly talks to her about her private life. Anna feels extremely uncomfortable, doesn't respond and doesn't get involved in any discussions. It takes a lot of strength for her to distance herself.

For many years, Anna has been part of a community made up of a number of colleagues who have been with the company for a long time and in which joint activities are organized privately a few times a year. These include an evening at the Bauerntheater.

The performance itself is very entertaining and Anna is happy about this evening together. But her joy is short-lived. She is repeatedly provoked. Remarks like: "Nowadays you don't know what you can and can't do. Women are dangerous." Fritz, who says this, also emphasizes how well off he is materially. Apart from the fact that he is really wealthy, this statement really hurts Anna. This statement refers to the fact that Anna has informed her superior that she went to a lawyer after the physical assault and has left a letter to that effect. Fritz is immediately joined by two other male colleagues and the three of them claim that the women are to blame and that the men are irritating. Shortly before the demonstration begins, Fritz's wife, who organized the trip, approaches Anna and speaks disparagingly about her studies. Before Anna can say anything in response, she is already gone. In the end, it is not a successful evening, because Anna feels totally misunderstood, and what hits her the hardest is that it is also the women who take part.

One day, quite unexpectedly, a new colleague is placed in Anna's office. This was not discussed with her at all, although this is normal - the boss simply informed her that this was the case. The man is a native of Kosovo. In and of itself, Anna has no problem with this. She is used to doing business with people who have a migration background. For her, it doesn't matter where someone comes from - what counts is a person's character and hopefully a good attitude towards women. Because Anna is sitting alone in a room with him, and that's something completely different. After all, they don't have much to say to each other and it remains a distant working relationship. What's more, Anna can't shake off the feeling that he is pre-informed about her. Her feeling is not wrong, as it turns out later.

Shortly before this new colleague moves in, Hannes moves out of Anna's office and into a room where only men sit. This relocation is not entirely voluntary; it is preceded by many discussions. Anna sits in the same room as Hannes for many years and only after a long time - when Anna makes changes in her private life and therefore also adjusts her office hours - does she notice a massive change in his behavior. In reality, Anna has a function in Hannes' eyes that she can no longer support. He is single, a bit odd, an academic and has not been mentally healthy for many years. So far, Anna can deal with it quite well, only when his depressive episodes come - which was always in spring and just before Christmas - she reaches her limits and doesn't really know how to assess his behavior. After all, Anna is not a therapist. The whole situation is an additional burden. Anna often has thoughts in which she imagines everything that could happen. For example, Hannes suddenly gets a red head, starts shaking and slams the receiver down on the phone. No one knows why he does this. At least Anna doesn't. When she reprimands him for crossing the line again, he calms down and runs out of the office. Anna also informs her boss. His reaction shows that he doesn't really take what she says seriously.

After a while, it becomes clear that Hannes considers Anna to be his wife. Although she has never given him any reason to do so. It is therefore clear why he is always extremely polite to Anna and never says a bad word. However, since Anna has been studying and spending less time in the office, Hannes has also become more unstable and less polite towards her, he is offended. Anna is no longer available to him and he no longer knows exactly when she is in the office and when she is not. All of this shows that Anna has a certain role, a role that she can no longer and no longer wants to fulfill. She is resetting her priorities. For the first time in her career, she comes to terms with herself and realizes that she is in a situation that doesn't suit her at all. It is a stressful work situation for her because it takes a lot of strength to be surrounded by a destructive person. For this reason, Anna persuades her boss to transfer Hannes to another office.

However, the whole office situation doesn't improve. Anna feels very uncomfortable and can't concentrate on her work because the Kosovar talks a lot on the phone in his native language, which is definitely private. Anna thinks about what she should do. After a while, she gets over herself and speaks to her sales manager. He is about the same age as Anna, very knowledgeable and also empathetic. Normally. His current response: "We've put the next idiot in for you." Anna is completely taken aback and asks him how he came up with such an outrageous statement. He turns away from her and doesn't answer. The decision to move Hannes to another office was ultimately made by the boss. Now Anna is clearly feeling the effects. Also because Hannes jumps in front of her when he meets her in the corridor - normal communication is obviously no longer possible. The many years that Anna has spent with him in the office are not appreciated, in fact the opposite is the case. She is met with fierce rejection.

Time passes and about a month later, an office party takes place. The occasion is the farewell of a young colleague who is taking a year off to travel the world. Everyone is invited, including Anna. She thinks it's great to have the opportunity to see the world at a young age. You develop your personality and become more educated. But it is to be anything but a leisurely afternoon.

Completely out of context, a colleague tells Anna that she has no partner anywhere near her. She's far too complicated for that. The next one says that the women have so much money anyway - Anna has a new car with a new license plate - and who she's sleeping with. Then a colleague - a single mother and always present at all the parties organized in the company - tells us that her daughter plays the piano and now needs a new laptop. She has no room for a PC. Immediately afterwards, she complains that Anna prints everything out in the office for her studies. She probably wants to point out her precarious financial situation and that women are dependent on men - at least that's obviously the case with her. Because she has often disappeared from parties accompanied by men. Whatever that means, it's not Anna's world.

Suddenly, two more colleagues join them. One of them lightly caresses Anna's upper arm. She turns away and he tells her that he is still together with his wife, even though she cheated on him. They would just make it work somehow. In passing, he makes allusions to Anna's studies - nothing concrete, just disparaging remarks. Then they both go away, come back, go away again and come back again.

What's going on? Anna can't process it all at once. She feels powerless and senses that she is incapable of acting. She simply can't manage to defend herself. All these targeted attacks. She is being controlled and everyone is obviously talking to each other - in the presence of the staff representative. After this shock, Anna leaves the event. When she gets home, she is very tired, gets a severe headache and is no longer able to do anything else.

The next morning, Anna speaks directly to the staff representative about yesterday's incidents and complains about them on a massive scale. The way she was treated by her colleagues was discriminatory and hurtful. What that was all about. It was all about private matters and had nothing to do with work. Anna receives no response. The only response: "What's wrong? Everything is fine anyway!"

Summer is passing and it's August. Anna is again invited to a training course. During the course, she is asked about her family situation, whether she has been with her parents over the summer and whether her siblings are still living at home, so loudly that everyone in the room can hear. In the elevator at lunchtime after the training, Anna meets a colleague who doesn't normally talk to her about private matters, and she tells Anna that she is now going home because her son is renovating the house. He has graduated with a degree in engineering. Yes, okay, it's nice to talk to colleagues. Of course, we also talk about private matters in the office - over lunch, in the coffee house or at parties. That's quite common. What makes Anna skeptical on this day is that she is being approached so privately during a training course. It's completely out of character and, above all, these are people who have nothing to do with Anna.

This is followed by other behaviors in the group in the office that interfere with Anna's work. For example, when she is sitting with customers in the service area, they focus on the colleagues present and sit behind her during the conversation. If she looks up, they just grin cynically into her face and turn away from her. If Anna brings this up, the response is always the same: "What's wrong? It's nothing."

This game continues and is set to get even more intense. It is now mid-September and the team's monthly jour fixe is taking place.

Today, Michael, who committed the physical assault almost a year ago, sits down right next to Anna. She feels extremely uncomfortable. And then comes the unbelievable statement from the supervisor, namely that he doesn't care how they get to their store, as long as it's locked. Anna makes a note of this and all eyes turn to her. Anna cannot hide her dismay. The boss doesn't say another word and takes on the role of victim. The whole thing has become a matter for the boss and should be dealt with as such. At the end of the meeting, the threat is made that if the figures don't add up, the employees concerned will be dismissed. At the weekend, Anna learns from the newspaper that new managers are being sought. This makes it clear that the boss himself is actually gone. Anna hasn't heard a word about it internally.

On top of all this, something very dramatic happens. The husband of Anna's friend, who is also her colleague at work, dies during a vacation weekend in Spain on the last evening before the trip home. Anna visits her friend at home in her apartment to support her in this painful hour and offer her help. Monika is not alone at home, her brother's girlfriend is also there. Anna is greeted with accusations and recriminations. Anna doesn't understand why at first. But then Monika comes out of the closet and tells her that in her department, where Anna used to work, she has told everything about their friendship - including private things that are nobody else's business. She goes on to say that she visited another very good friend of Anna's who is already retired and also worked in the same company. Monika complains about Anna there. When Anna asks why she is doing this, she replies that she doesn't want her to have any more time for her and doesn't want to talk about her private life. Monika goes on to say that she tells people on company outings that Anna often stays away from the office in the afternoons.

Anna is devastated! Once again she is at a loss for words and can't say anything in response - these statements hurt her too much. She is deeply hurt and feels used. For Anna, this is clear abuse. Is this how a friendship that has lasted for years should end? Now Anna realizes why she is being isolated from this particular department and why she is only being made to work by the book.

A short time later, after all this has happened, Anna is officially praised by her boss at the beginning of October for her further training and commitment to the company and is singled out as a role model. This is also endorsed by the works council. The consequence of this is that senior colleagues - only men, by the way - no longer greet Anna. Hannes also feels offended and always hops into the elevator after Anna.

There is also a working partnership between a colleague who will soon be retiring and Anna. She is to take over the complaints department. This area of responsibility represents the interface between the internal departments and external institutions and customers. It is the area of the company that Anna is particularly interested in alongside Human Resources - being a mediator between different interest groups. In a conversation, this colleague tells Anna that he will be retiring in a year's time and would like to prepare her for his succession. Anna is delighted to hear this news and is even a little proud of it. Her work to date is being recognized and that is very pleasing. But things are about to change completely.

Anna finds it very difficult to distance herself from conflict discussions between her boss and work colleagues. She repeatedly gets caught up in them and realizes that she lacks the necessary strength. She is too tired to go into confrontation. She is always asked what's wrong with her for no particular reason. Anna often doesn't even know what her colleagues mean when she asks, but they always say the same thing, namely that nothing is wrong. One afternoon when she comes into the office, her colleagues who are in the office complain that Anna is not in the office enough and that they have to do her work as well. They also complain that when customers come directly to the service area to hand in forms, Anna is not there. Or in one case, when a customer requests the termination of a contract without making an appointment. Anna is not there because it has not been agreed with her and she knows nothing about it. After all, she has a customer appointment away from home and will therefore not be in the office until later. It should be noted that it is common practice for customers to deal with their concerns directly in the service area and not via the advisors. This is also the case with Anna's colleagues.