In each team there is a character who conveys to the management all the nuances of the life of colleagues. In some communities, informers are dealt with simply - boycott, "dark" or worse. But is it right? Cosmo asked Yuri Virovets, President of HeadHunter, to comment on several stories of whistleblowers.
Sasha suddenly appeared in our small editorial office. By lunchtime, he managed to joke twice about his knee-like hairstyle, thus joining the team. When he criticized the leadership the next day, we were convinced that he could be trusted. Such conversations with a discussion of what the boss came in and whether the boss was sleeping with Masha became the norm. Somehow the boss called me to her and scolded me - they say, it is not good to envy other people's earnings. A couple of days later, the layout designer was explained that discussing the personal life of the management is dangerous for a career. At the planning meeting, they made a remark to everyone and said that we are better at boltology than the main professions. After heated discussions, we decided that there was a wiretap in the office. I was already at the stage of transfer to another company, and then a colleague entered the office of the boss just at the moment when Sasha was throwing out new details of our conversations, adding a little gag.
Expert comment
Most effective method struggle - keep your mouth shut in the presence of this person. Alternatively, you can leak the necessary information to him, turning from the suffering side into the active one and trying to control the authorities. But it is dangerous to play these games, an experienced boss immediately recognizes primitive manipulation. Therefore, it is better not to talk too much. For many, this is already a feat.
Leonid , the undersigned
The owners of the casino, where my friend Leonid worked, screwed an offer box to the wall, which they immediately dubbed the “knocker”. For a month, almost every employee contributed their figurative five kopecks there. They complained about trifles and anonymously, but a month later a worthwhile message was finally fished out of the box. Leonid matured for a serious step, who told how one senior manager comes to work drunk, the second meets with a croupier girl, which is forbidden, and the guards, instead of watching surveillance cameras, walk along the corridor. In general, Leonid remembered all the sins of those around him and did not forget ... to subscribe. Apparently, a song has firmly stuck in his memory, in which there are lines: “I am not a closet and not a museum - to keep secrets from friends.” So the culprit rained down fines and cancellations New Year's corporate party became known to all honest people. The result is salt in the tea, the light in the toilet turned off, the sleeves painted with a pen and a complete boycott from the whole team. “And you didn’t have to sign up!” - one of the croupiers answered for everyone, once again sewing up Leonid's leg before the change.
Expert comment
In such a situation, the only way out is to quit. Moreover, it is desirable to change the field of activity. If Leonid goes to work in another casino, then the rumor about his "features" will quickly reach there. And everything will start all over again.
Zhenya just a secretary
About a month after her arrival, a colleague told Secretary Zhenya in the smoking room that there was a scammer named Sergey in the team. Once she came to work a little out of shape and, over morning coffee, told how friends had come to her the day before. The chief arrived, and Sergey immediately ran to him “with a report”. When Zhenya brought tea to the chief, he immediately took the bull by the horns: “Well, tell me how you rested with your friends yesterday.” - “And where did you get the idea that I was with friends yesterday? Zhenya was not taken aback. “I didn’t tell you anything…” The chief was embarrassed and kept silent. After some time, one of the employees suddenly announced that they had a snitch in their team. If someone does not know, then this is ... Zhenya. Moreover, Sergey, already familiar to us, gave her such an idea, applying impeccable logic: “Who we most often communicate with the boss? Correctly! Secretary." Zhenya did not prove who was the true informer in their team - she quit.
Expert comment
Professional prospects in an organization where the boss allows himself such things are doubtful for a young employee. Career involves periodic transitions from one company to another, but what can an employee of an organization built on intrigue and intrigue offer a new employer? This is a direct path to professional degradation. So Zhenya did the right thing.
Olya , a victim of pedagogy
Olya worked as a teacher in a small school. Long corridors made it impossible to hide from all-seeing eye director. And if you caught the eye, then they will invite you to the office. The conversation algorithm was as follows: the conversation began with work matters, then unobtrusively moved on to discussing more intimate issues: how is your mother’s health, and who is the young man who picked you up from work yesterday, etc. During one such heart-to-heart conversation, she told Olya : "Since we're talking about Masha ... She doesn't like that I sent you to the conference, and not her." In response, she demanded the same frankness. Olya tried her best not to react in any way and, throwing “Okay, I’ll take it into account”, retreated from the office. But over time, she began to notice that the attitude of other teachers towards her was changing. There were no open conflicts and scandals at school, but the atmosphere became tense, and it is much easier to manage people. This is what the sociable headmistress used.
Expert comment
In this situation, Olya would have to try to laugh it off, and then, if uncomfortable questions continue, clearly define the boundaries. True, you need to be prepared for an inadequate reaction from the director, who may dislike the employee. In a bad scenario, this can even lead to dismissal. To prevent this from happening, it is worth finding like-minded people and speaking out against it openly.
Of course, it is impossible to completely protect yourself from informers. If a person wants to denounce you, he will go and denounce. Even the habit of keeping your mouth shut will not save you from ill-wishers - if you do not talk too much, they will come up with something for you. When you're alone with an angry boss who scolds you for something inside the office, don't admit to anything! Little did they say about you. Once you confess, the boss will be sure that all the slander against you is true. It is best to muster up the courage and directly ask where the boss got such information.
Another ethical question. Is it possible to be frank with the boss? No one but you will answer it. However, even when you decide to tell your boss about something confidential, ask yourself what drives you. If a banal desire to take revenge on a harmful colleague, it is better to refrain. But if you see that the actions of the object of your denunciation cause serious harm to the company, then you can act. But it's still best to do it out in the open. C
From the fields comes
MAXIM NAYMUSHIN, lawyer:
whistleblowing Labor Code not regulated, but something can still be done. If an employee finds out that he was slandered, he can file a lawsuit for the protection of honor, dignity and business reputation, demanding a refutation and compensation for moral damage from the offender. If colleagues do not distribute information in particularly large batches, you can send a memo to the person who was told too much and put a mark on its acceptance on your copy (for example, from the secretary). It should describe the situation, specific facts, you can ask for an official investigation. His materials can later become evidence in court - they, evidence, in any case, should be stocked up in advance.
Chef's help
ANNA SKUPCHENKO, director of a chain of grocery stores:“Denunciations and gossip help. I don’t run to deal with the one who was complained about, but I look at him. And if the situation repeats, I know who might be to blame.”
DENIS POLOVINKIN, General Director of the entertainment complex:“I don’t welcome squealing, but I don’t forbid it either. If they value me as a leader, they will come and tell them themselves.”
TATYANA MOCHALOVA, project manager of the media holding:“Recently, I was informed that one of the employees is sitting in in social networks and plays games. I made a work plan for him and began to control. In case of failure, the system administrator will disable access to resources.
Natalia Zhilyakova
PHOTO: GETYY IMAGES/FOTOBANK.RU
Hello Olga! let's see what's going on:
they are trying to convince the boss that I am stalking her. She, in turn, vomits and thrashes, verbally smearing me around the office
the fact is that there are two more people here besides you - YES - you act as an object, BUT there is a "snitch", the one who warms up the emotions of the boss - and SHE KNOWS THIS and the Boss herself - who KNOWS the role of this "snitch" and is led to it - i.e. there is a manipulative blackmail between that employee and the boss! as a result, the boss demonstrates her dependence and allows herself to humiliate you - and YOU endure it! You should show firmness yourself and influence NOT ON that "informer", but coordinate YOUR relations with the BOSS - if accusations are made against you - THEN ask for evidence. If the boss allows herself to humiliate you in front of other employees - you can OR remain silent - which means ACCEPT such an attitude towards yourself, OR close the door and announce to the boss that "in order to maintain HER image as a successful leader, you should NOT put your emotions on public display and speak in private!" - i.e. turn HER behavior AGAINST her, showing that you are ready to respect her and even help her, BUT at the same time you are able to respect yourself!
Do not pay attention, so they will devour and not choke ...
with this "snitch" you really should NOT pay attention to him - EVEN after talking with your boss, show that THIS has nothing to do with you, that you DO DOING your job and are satisfied - he needs a sense of power, show himself that he can to control YOU and the boss, YOU CAN deprive him of his sense of power, showing that you DO NOT experience ANYTHING from his behavior!
Talking to the boss is out of the question, a snitch is sacred to management.
however, the point is this - the very personality of the boss is a dependent personality who cannot stand the line in professional field and is amenable to influence, and the personality of that "snitch" is weak and envious - you will NOT change THEM and your relationships at work will be turned into a struggle, where you will constantly put in the place of that "snitch". NEITHER HE, NOR THE BOSS WILL BE CHANGED! When fighting slander and denunciations, speak ONLY in a professional language, excluding emotions and becoming personal - speak in the language of duties! BUT - it will be a constant struggle! the climate in the team itself is immature, infantile, and you will be forced to constantly defend yourself! It is worth considering - is the fight really the lot of the strong? You need it? constantly protect yourself and throw these boomerangs away from you?
Shenderova Elena Sergeevna, psychologist Moscow
Good answer 2 bad answer 0Today we will talk about office informers. I'm sure many of you have experienced this phenomenon and, moreover, almost all of you willy-nilly become informers. The atmosphere in the office is very conducive to this.
Why is the psychology of people such that they have little hope for the authorities, for the fact that he himself will see and understand everything. Apparently, in most cases, the manager simply does not give a damn about who and how much is laid out, he monitors the indicators and results, not paying attention to the preponderance of work in the direction of one or another employee. Or draws, but not on a workaholic, but on an imitator of activity.
AT kindergarten we called informers "sneak"
It was a terrible insult. That is, as if we, three-year-old assholes, were on one side of the barricades, and the educators on the other. Do you think psychology has changed since you became adults? I don't think. In the same way, we run to a more influential person and try to punish an objectionable employee with his hands.
Office snitches are different
It very much depends on whether the knocker is a man or a woman. The specifics of squealing simply differ radically.
So it knocks woman. Yes, a woman knocks constantly, it is in the nature of female psychology. "Random" phrases are dropped in the course of a casual conversation with the boss, alternating flirting with denunciation. It is unlikely that a woman will write an official denunciation. No, most likely it will be just a replica, and turned by the most acute angle.
The woman will not say that someone is not fulfilling their duties, she will say that someone said something bad about the boss himself. What is the female employee playing? That's right, on personal qualities, on the psychology of a person, on his weaknesses. She unmistakably strikes at the most painful place of the boss - his self-conceit.
It is very difficult to prove that an employee is doing nonsense instead of working. Sometimes it's just not possible. An experienced freeloader imitates violent activity, piles up papers on the table and constantly fusses in front of the nose of his superiors, picking up the phone or sending SMS to himself and immediately running out.
Therefore, the tactic of female denunciation most often hits right on target and a couple of such informers, and the boss subconsciously begins to treat the objectionable employee less loyally.
Men are divided into two types. Men always knock, but there are two fundamental differences. The first ones seem to be silent and most likely they will make a well-aimed remark in a smoking room. For example, like this - the silent man stands next to the boss, listens with an understanding look to what the boss says about the employees, and as soon as it comes to the victim, the silent man exhales cigarette smoke, frowns so characteristically, says barely audibly, “Yes, he doesn’t work either x. ..”, puts out a cigarette butt in a bucket with saliva and leaves.
That's it, the snitch has done its job, the snitch can leave. This is less effective than the women's denunciation tactics, but it also works well. It works the more effectively, the more authoritative the snitch looks.
The second type of denunciation is self-affirmation in the eyes of the team at the expense of the victim. Such a hidden form does not always work, especially if the informer has already earned the image of a squabbler and hysteria in the eyes of the team. Such a brawler begins to scream, accuse and point to his own merits. And at the same time, the health does not suffer at all from the squabbler, on the contrary, he splashes it all out and calmly feels how the nerves depart and life improves. The victim and the whole team suffer.
This form of denunciation, as if from a pure heart and something like “Well, I can’t keep all this in myself!” not very efficient. A heart-to-heart conversation with the boss always gives the effect several times better.
How do we deal with all these snitches if in fact we work normally and do our job better than a snitch?
Well, you don't have to fight women. What is a good attitude towards you, what is bad - in principle, it does not play a special role. This ratio can change several times a week. Most often, a woman is envious, so even if you simply achieve good results in your work, you will not be able to count on her favor. A person who tries to play along with the “influential” lady in the team, instead of gaining experience and defending his line of behavior, looks truly pitiful.
Understand, such an opinion is the same as the opinion of a grandmother from the entrance. She can sometimes spoil, but it is unlikely to be serious.
I'm not considering options with a female boss. No matter what anyone says, but there is no (or simply can not resist) a woman in a commanding chair if she does not know how to think beyond her emotions. So we clearly share these concepts and do not confuse the clerk Marina and the head of the sales department Olga Olegovna. The boss's chair leaves its mark, and it is no longer erasable.
So, in the case of a woman, just work and ignore her.
The case with the hysteroid - do not be afraid to talk heart to heart with him and sort things out outside the office. Most often, at the same time, the thought comes about the uncivilization of such an act, and it’s just too lazy to get involved ...
No matter what anyone says, the method of force and threat is the most effective. People come up with new technologies, try to conquer at least a little space and stir up something with nanotechnologies, but human psychology does not change. The child will never get better if the belt is not used, this is the truth of life. A person will never understand that he is doing something wrong until he comes across a limiter in the form of a fist.
Conversations, persuasion and attempts to listen to the voice of reason of a squabbler are just drawing your attention to him. Watch how quickly a spoiled child rolling on the floor calms down if you just go into another room and ignore him. And you can get a belt and make a couple of soothing gestures.
Exactly the same here. Outside the office, try several times to turn the conversation into a fight - and you will see how the next day this toilet will turn white and even without germs. Do you think force is a method for stupid people? Drop these stereotypes.
Remains the most influential and most difficult type of informer - authoritative, old, honored worker. Or just a silent man, doing everything on time. I think that such informers in a rotten office environment are even useful as a crayon "Mashenka" expelling cockroaches.
This office orderly sees right through you and if he says that you don't work, then most likely you don't work. The method of struggle is work and asking for advice to such an authority. You can't make friends, just trust me. But to deserve attention - quite.
1 -1
Snitches are not born, they are made. But still, in order to convey, you need to have a special warehouse of character. Only in cheap detective stories does a smart detective catch someone on something illegal and offer an alternative: either you work for me, or you go to jail. And that's it, information flowed to the opera. This is nonsense, after a while the compromising evidence will become obsolete. In addition, a decent person will choose the second - prison. Well, if the detainee agrees to "help" the authorities, then he was already ready to become an informant. He was simply pushed into it.
The opera, by the way, offers to cooperate with almost all those arrested, but not everyone agrees. As a rule, blackmail is appropriate only if the person is constantly under control. It happens that in pre-trial detention centers operatives recruit juvenile rapists. We, they say, will hide your article from the cellmates, put you with inexperienced pioneers, and you will report: who says what, and who has what prohibited items in the cell. And since the rapist, in case of refusal, expects unpleasant (for someone like) manipulations with the sphincter of the rectum, he accepts the offer. Basically, people themselves go to contact with the administration. Someone - to have smoke and tea, others - for dates with relatives, others - because they are embittered at the whole world and, by their nature, rotten, they cannot but knock. Those who sold themselves to operas for a pack of smoke and a mess of tea are the most primitive and I can easily redeem a gay. Usually these are repeatedly convicted prisoners. They are placed with inexperienced pioneers. And recidivists, using cheap prestige among newcomers, act as an adviser. Not only will they ask about the crimes of a cellmate, but they will also recommend to write a confession, promising that they will release him on bail.
The opera in prison is imprisoned according to the regime. Pervokhodov, planers and special officers separately. So, if everyone in the cell is convicted for the first time, and a “sitting” prisoner with outstanding convictions is sitting with them, you should be wary. The sexots described above continue to knock with great enthusiasm even after their release. And since, due to limited mental abilities, they cannot commit a major crime, they hunt on trifles. When such an instance comes across, the opera, remembering its past merits, can “smear off” his person.
The situation is more complicated with the so-called volunteers. They knock because they despise the gray mass. They consider themselves superior to others. They are consumed by jealousy. They have a mess in their heads from a sense of false justice and personal meanness. Such, only to get the opportunity to make someone bad, convey with inspiration. This category literally burns at work, just to find out information from a specific person. At the request of the opera, they can easily sit in a punishment cell with an object of interest to the administration. It happens that their intelligence is more powerful and it is quite difficult to calculate them. It's in jail.
In the correct (“black”) zone, it is not so difficult to identify the informant. Although his contact with the operative, of course, takes place without witnesses. And the sexot will always unlock, saying that they called for by registered mail. But after all, everyone knows about the “kumovskayas”, but they don’t get in touch with them. It happens, of course, if someone "burned out" on his denunciation or drunkenness, informants are severely beaten, "lowered", killed, but infrequently. Who wants to get extra time?
On the other hand, law-abiding citizens only benefit from informers. But people hate them. Status plays an important role here. If you are a policeman and have infiltrated a gang, then you are a hero scout. And if without shoulder straps, then - fu, informer-informer!
However, in Russia, every second - sexot. There are more than a million prisoners in the zones and prisons, they did not surrender themselves. In the "red" colonies, the people knock without exception, running to the headquarters in a race. Look at the enthusiasm with which our people responded to the call of the authorities after the terrorist attacks to report suspicious neighbors. True, the authorities themselves were not happy then. They weren't told anything specific, one district police officer had to take a hundred calls a day: a neighbor looked askance at a neighbor and immediately fell into the category of suspicious.
In kindergarten, we called informers sneaks, and it was a terrible insult. But since we became adults, this phenomenon has not been eradicated. Some even now run in the same way to a more influential person and try to punish their objectionable colleague with his hands.
What drives a whistleblower?
“How to get a snitch to quit? She has no more strength, sits in the same office with us, warms her ears, "mines" grimaces, then goes around knocking on the bosses, what she heard or thought there, in addition, she regularly spreads gossip and weaves intrigues, spoils the whole atmosphere in the team, now she still tries newcomers make friends with employees. It is impossible to work like this anymore, there is nothing to dismiss her management, she herself is not going anywhere either, everything suits her. The atmosphere is clearly unhealthy, and it’s not at all a joy to work with such a lousy person ... ”complains one of the forum users on the Web.
This situation is probably known to many. According to various surveys, 84 percent of people at work have informers. 86 percent know who is involved in denunciations, the majority condemns such "informers", but at the same time, one in four considers this to be normal practice. And the scammers themselves cite the following arguments as an explanation for their behavior: “I can’t do without it, this is part of my character”, “I hope for a promotion”, “I suck up to the leadership”, “I fight for justice”, “This is revenge, I do this from harmfulness." But whatever the reasons for the snitch, the presence of him in the team gives rise to an alarming and unpleasant atmosphere.
Office snitches are different. In addition to those who like to write official slander, there are so-called psychologists. They are unlikely to scribble a denunciation, but in the course of a casual conversation with the boss, they will drop “random” phrases, replicas turned at the sharpest angle. It's basically a female tactic. The employee will not directly say that engineer Ivanov is not fulfilling his duties, but rather will say that Ivanov said something bad about the boss himself. And it will unmistakably hit the boss's most painful place - his conceit. A couple more such well-timed phrases - and the boss subconsciously begins to treat Ivanov less loyally.
The second type is silent. They will express their well-aimed remark not in the management's office, but as if by accident. For example, like this - the silent man stands in the smoking room next to the boss, listens with an understanding look to what he says about the employees, and as soon as it comes to the victim, the silent man exhales cigarette smoke, characteristically frowns, says barely audibly, “Yes, he doesn’t work either x ... ”, puts out a cigarette butt and leaves. This denunciation tactic also works well, and the more effective the more authoritative the informer looks.
Another type of denunciation is self-affirmation in the eyes of the team at the expense of the victim. Such a brawler under the authorities begins to shout at a colleague, accuse him and point to his own merits. It turns out, as it were, from the bottom of my heart: “Well, I can’t keep all this in myself!”, And the squabbler himself in the eyes of the management looks like an honest employee who sincerely worries about the quality of work and is ready to lay down his soul for it.
Fighting methods
How to deal with office sneaks? You can try to survive the informer from the company. “We had one like that - and knocked on the authorities, and invented, and did nasty things, and threw frank accusations in the face of people, in what they didn’t even do,” one employee says on the forum. - The four of us sat in the office, as a result, the three of us did not communicate with her. For example, she asks something outside of work, everyone is silent ... she says something else - silence again. She starts talking about herself (she loved very much) - no one reacts. After half a year, she quit herself.
You can also try to get ahead of the snitch. If you see that the scammer is preparing to go to the director with another slander, visit the "carpet" earlier and openly announce that Marfa Ivanovna is initiating conflict situations in working time, which will certainly lead to a decrease in labor productivity and an unhealthy atmosphere in your friendly team. And that you, with all this, understand that she is a valuable employee, and you want the situation to be resolved in an amicable way. This will not be snitching on your part, because the director will hear polar opinions on one issue.
In fact, only the leader can be guaranteed to eliminate the informer. To do this, it is enough just to punish the subordinate for slander and not take into account his words. Unfortunately, such a policy is not common - few people admit it, but usually the authorities want to know what is happening in the organization, so behind the scenes tinkering is encouraged.
Scammers, informers, sneaks - these are all somehow not typical for our soil representatives. If in the West such behavior is absolutely normal, then our attitude towards scammers has always been and is sharply negative. But if in one case this needs to be done in the name of people's safety (in Switzerland, if a person has drunk and got behind the wheel, then the owner of the bar where he drank will immediately report this to the police), then as for encouraging internal corporate denunciations, this can provoke the emergence of an atmosphere of distrust between employees and completely destroy team spirit. In addition, those who are not sure of the quality of their own work and are looking for someone to shift the responsibility for their own mistakes are most often “looking at” the work of others.
Prepared by Alexandra Bilyarchik,
based on materials