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The problem with this, is that when he enters the workforce a lot of that social awkwardness and bulling problems could come back again. So it's a short lived
by UK-AL 13y ago
The problem with this, is that when he enters the workforce a lot of that social awkwardness and bulling problems could come back again. So it's a short lived victory.
In the UK outside of silicon roundabout and a few good companies, programmers are low rung employees and often pushed around and managed by the same sort of people who bullied him school. He won't have any authority to hit back, and if he tried probably would be fired.
The majority of start ups, and tech companies in the UK are run non-technical entrepreneurs, marketeers and so on and not techs. These are normally selected from the type of people who bully at school, not the bullies.
A large part of being programmer in these organisations is learning to identify and tip toe around these people to stop them ruining your career.
School had a lot of bullying for me, university was great, and then at work it was like being thrown back into school.
- dave1010uk 13y agoI'm Dan's manager and tech lead at the company. We're going to look after Dan as best we can.
- DanBC 13y agoEnglish companies have a legal duty to protect staff from harm. This includes bullying in the workplace. Any company that fires a victim of bullying leaves themselves open to compensation claims. Any company that does nothing likewise leaves themselves open to legal action.
- UK-AL 13y agoThe hard part is proving it(Bullying is subtle). The next hard part is stumping up the courage to take legal action.
- DanBC 13y agoThe person being bullied keeps a log of what happens. They then go to HR (or whatever the proceedure is -and companies need to have a proceedure) to talk about it. They present a copy of their ongoing log and ask for help. If the person has seen a doctor they can ask that doctor to write a supporting letter. Being a member of a union is helpful here because they will help. Taking legal action is an absolute last resort!
- UK-AL 13y agoMost technology companies in the UK are small(1-20). They don't have HR, and don't really have 'grievance procedures' even though they should. So often bullying is straight from the owners/directors. If you went to a small digital agency, and said you wished file a grievance you would be laughed at. Programmers aren't unionised.
- walshemj 13y agoIn the UK not having a grievance procedure is an automatic fail at the industrial tribunal.
- UK-AL 13y agoIt's not automatic, its a reduction or increase in compensation. You still need to prove the thing. And that takes time & money.
- walshemj 13y agoNope if the employer screws up badly by not having a grievance/discipline procedure its automatically unfair. An employer can lose an IT for this reason even if the employee has done naughty stuff.
- motters 13y agoHaving been a programmer in tech companies in the UK for a long time I agree about the low status, but I've only rarely encountered bad behavior by managers (mistakes and bad decisions, yes. Bullying not so much). My experience is that in this sort of job the pay is at least liveable and the working conditions are typically good. This is however entirely anecdotal and it's quite possible that I just got lucky and am an outlier. I think there are many other kinds of jobs where bullying is much more common and may even be a core feature of the profession (I'm thinking of Work Programme providers).
- UK-AL 13y agoBut it depends on the type person you are. If you have aspergers its very easy to become a victim of bullying.
- bananas 13y agoBullying is rife in the UK tech industry. If you put up a wall people will respect it and keep away but if you don't, it's open season. There's also a nasty class divide between permanent and contract staff. I'm the latter and much resentment is felt even though the former could be the latter with a little effort and reap the benefits.
- test1235 13y agoHaving been a contractor for several years now, I have to admit I've never seen any sort of bullying. I've never been treated like anything less than a bona fide member of the team. To be honest, I've never seen any sort of bullying. Maybe I just don't know it when I see it ... (currently on my fifth placement, in London, at a mix of small and international companies)
- Nursie 13y agoI've worked in the UK tech industry for 12 years. Never seen what you describe. Never been treated as low-status either, and I've never worked for the old street crowd. I'm not sayin your experiences are wrong, but they might be less universal than you think.