Forcing my Department Out

[Ryan1981]

looking for some advise please as not sure if I have any standing here.

I was was brought into my company to build up a department in which the company didn’t usually deal with (a trade) I have since built it up to a level we’re we have 4 engineers on the road and are constantly busy. I was brought in by the joint MD and he has since left and since he has left the other MD has bit by bit chipped away at all the items he was involved in such as paying off all sales staff etc.

I am currently trying to build the department some more with good contracts and my MD has made it clear to me and others that she wishes our department was not part of the company however she is restricted by the fact that we are making money and busy so the shareholders wouldn’t agree to it not to mention the work we have generated for the main business trade with the work we do.

My MD is actively and openly trying to make like difficult for myself and my team by making comments openly about us or not approving new contracts we agree with clients for trivial issues which we already have agreed with other clients who we currently do work for. This is making work challenging to say the least but the morale of my team is low because of this too and it’s a constant struggle to keep them motivated. We all feel that the MD is actively trying to restrict our department into a situation were we could start to fail at what we are doing.

My question is what if any rights do I have or what can be done to try and mitigate this. Do I have a case at all civil or legal to take them to task by them openly acting and blatantly trying to undermine the department to which my men might end up quitting and the department will cease to exist.

Thanks

[ULA]

It sounds like you are in difficult situation.

From an employment perspective the option you have is to raise a grievance but I would be concerned for you if you did that on the basis that it would be against the MD of the company who is clearly trying to undermine your department. Not knowing your company structure I do not know if there are any other senior managers in the business who would be "neutral" and "independent" to hear the grievance. Even if the process was fair and the grievance was upheld I'm not sure that any action could/would be taken against the MD of the business.

So my only other thought on the issue (albeit a bit radical) would be whether you could write to the shareholders or speak "off the record" to an individual shareholder (someone you already know??)of the business and explain what is happening? Seeing as they have an interest in insuring that they are invested in a profitable and growing business they may be able to suggest a way to manage the situation.

If you do decide to do something I would suggest you need to think about it very carefully and proceed with caution.