Is there someone higher up that you can talk to? That is a problem if you don't have anyone to back you. As far as I'm concerned, not only do you have bullying going on, but it's harassment as well and that is against the law. I don't know what the laws are where you are as far as harassment and bullying goes. If you can't find any help, then the best you can do is to completely ignore these two women. Even if they talk to you, you don't have to talk back. As long as they know they are getting to you, they are going to continue to do this to you. Be a better person then they are and maybe just smile. Hugs GB

OMGosh.. this happened to me too. It was so bad, the girl who was bad-mouthing me and making up stories even said some stuff in a training class about me which was not true. I was not there, but someone I know was and called her out and then told me. I went to HR.. but all they said was... girls, will be girls. Such a load of crap. Personally I think it was a racial thing. eventually, I left the company - I didn't want to - but the culture there was very cutthroat and if you were not in with the in-crowd (partiers, sleeping around, etc) you were treated like an outsider and the stress was more than I could handle. Every day I went to work, I felt like I was fighting a civil war.

For the female in charge not to say anything is the same as approval.
From the 2nd reply - for an hr person to say "girls will be girls" - her very low standards for the behavior of women in an office helps make it another unfit workplace.

The way grown women are treated in workplaces, by other women, is shameful. It's bad enough that we get so much less pay than men, but to not be treated with dignity, and not be able to find a female in charge to have the decency to do anything about it, is totally pathetic. Everyone can't quit their job - it's called a livelihood for a reason.

your boss should have put a stop to it right away ,assumming she recognised it forwhat it was. Bullying in the workplace is a form of harrassment. If the boss does not want to do anything about it speak to your boss's immediate superior. the employee has created a hostile environment within you are presently obliged to work in. Your employer is suppossed to see that this does not take place. By employer, I mean the company you work for. If your boss is the employer than seek out a form of arbitration. You have already done as much as you can do at this point. Once the problem is solved watch yourself around the newer employee. She might have been the real instgator in all of this. But for now seek out arbitration so that the environment is no longer a toxic one. If the situation continues with the newer employment do the same thing again. good luck

It's a horrible experience, going through something like that, seeing colleagues change against you right in front of your eyes without any rhyme or reason. The longer it goes on, unchecked by management, the worse the impact on you is and working under that level of stress will eventually affect your mind (bullying is known as an assault on the brain, after all) and lead to clinical depression for a (hopefully) short time (but the longer it goes on, unchecked by management, the longer the depression will last).

There is something important you need to write out and put up around your house so you can see it and remind yourself....IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THIS IS HAPPENING.

Say it again: IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THIS IS HAPPENING.

There are lots of well educated people out there studying the reasons behind why perpetrators of bullying do what they do, and you can begin to research it by looking up various websites if you feel the need to. For me, researching what was happening helped me find a language for it). It may be more productive to develop your management plan.

The sad fact is that it won't stop. These people have bonded over the persecution of you, and it's clear your management are not going to act on this behavior.

You could keep a diary of events, including management presence and response, and go down the HR route to 'prove' your case. Yes, you might be vindicated but you may 'lose the overall battle for your emotional well being.

The best advice I can give you is to start preparing to leave for another job. Get your CV up to scratch, review the things you've done well, get it down on your CV, etc etc. Also, over time dealing with that sort of behavior drains your energy, and also is likely to drain your faith in yourself and your abilities. Remember; it's not your fault, if anything you've been targeted because your are VERY GOOD at your job and the others feel threatened and jealous.

No it's not fair. No, there's no justice, but in reality HR proceedings and trying to get justice, recognition and support for what's been happening will, most likely, just drain your energy and not change the situation at all. My advice is protect yourself, trust that it's not your fault and start preparing to leave before it gets worse and you loose faith in yourself and your skills and begins to affect your health.

It is school-yard crap and it's pathetic happening in the adult workplace and they are idiotic little cretins. Don't let them drag you down. You're good at what you do and deserve recognition and a supportive, professional workplace.

All so true pumpkin...It's a new frontier and it will be awhile before workplace abuse extends beyond physical and sexual abuse to emotional abuse.
Bullying in children is being recognized and laws are being written but adults are expected to fend for themselves.
Most supervisors don't want to get in the middle and may even blame you (i.e., you are too sensitive, or ask what you've done to provoke this).
Sorry that there is not an answer. Unless you have a supervisor with 0 tolerance for this kind of thing, I don't see things changing

I, too, was in a horrible workplace bullying situation. I tried talking to the perpetrators, management, HR, work counselor, and the Union. I kept notes in case of legal action (as was suggested by some), tried not to be "too sensitive" (as most accused me of), and sought activities outside of work to lessen the impact from work (as many friends suggested). I struggled for 7 years because it was a very secure and high paying job and I liked the work itself. I also tried hard to make it work because I simply didn't want to feel I was being weak.. In the end nothing helped, some avenues lead to even more bullying, and I ended up resigning but by the time I did it I was a broken soul. In retrospect I should have quit that job years earlier but my upbringing ("Stand up for yourself", "Just ignore them", etc.) and my own desire to prove to myself that I could rise above it all drove me to put up a fight. It was so not worth it in the end.

My advice is to prepare to move on. Maybe things will work out but if they don't then you will at least be in a better position to make a change for the better by having a prepared resume and knowledge of the other employers out there. Heck, you might even get lucky and find a better paying job in a better environment so why not be prepared and look around now.

Sometimes it is important to be able to say to yourself that you really tried to work things out But sometimes it is more important to realize that there are some really crappy situations created by people whom you likely cannot change.