Hi everyone, it’s Tina here. I wanted to take some time to share a really frustrating situation I’ve been dealing with at work lately in the hopes that some of you can relate and maybe even offer up some advice.

For the past several months now, I feel like I’ve been the constant target of retaliation and petty office politics ever since I dared to speak up about some issues I was seeing in our department. I went to management, hoping they would address my concerns, but instead it seems like I’ve just made myself a big old target on my back.

Ever since I raised those initial complaints, it’s been one thing after another. I constantly feel like I’m being assigned the worst clients or the most unpleasant tasks, while my colleagues get to coast along and handle all the “good” work. And don’t even get me started on the scheduling – I’ve been sent to work at our satellite office multiple times now, which is an absolute nightmare for my commute. Anytime I try to bring this up to my manager, they just brush it off or come up with some excuse.

It’s so infuriating because I know I’m not imagining this. It’s crystal clear to me that certain people are going out of their way to make my life difficult, whether it’s whispering and snickering when I walk by or straight-up excluding me from things. And forget about getting any of the special treatment or access to the perks that everyone else in the office seems to enjoy. For me, it’s just excuse after excuse after excuse.

I feel like I’m constantly walking on eggshells, worried that any little thing I do is going to be used against me. They’re trying to set me up for failure, blaming me for things that are completely out of my control. It’s like they’ve put me on some kind of “sh*t list” and are just waiting for me to mess up so they can finally justify getting rid of me.

The worst part is, I know these people are just deeply unhappy and insecure in their own lives. They’re taking out all their frustrations and wounded egos on me, because it makes them feel better about their own miserable existences. Meanwhile, they get to coast along, basking in their little fiefdoms of power and privilege, while my career is an absolute living nightmare.

I dread going into the office every single day. My anxiety is through the roof, and I find myself constantly on the defensive, trying to cover my tracks and make sure I don’t give them any ammunition to use against me. It’s taking a huge toll on my mental health and my work performance. Some days, I just want to quit and find a new job, but I know that’s exactly what they want.

So I’m trying to hang in there, document everything, and continue to advocate for myself. But it’s so exhausting. Have any of you been through something similar in your workplaces? How did you cope? I’d love to hear your stories and any advice you might have, because at this point, I’m just feeling so alone in this.

At the very least, it would be nice to know I’m not the only one dealing with this kind of petty retaliation and office politics nonsense. It’s bad enough that I have to put up with it, but the fact that others seem to be sailing through with no issues whatsoever, while I’m constantly being singled out, is just the salt in the wound.

Okay, that’s my rant for today. Thanks for listening, friends. Wishing you all better luck in your workplaces than I’m having!

-Tina