My boss/colleague

[drchasuble]

She is not my boss per se but in a more senior position than me and is probably the rudest person I have ever met (and I've met Angus Deayton!). She's not one of those people who can get away with it in the way that some witty people can.
When she speaks to people including myself I seem to crinkle up inside with mortification, I actually hurt with shame and often feel like running after the person and apologising. She's a very brash Australian so I don't know whether it's just the way she was brought up or whether I'm being too sensitive but I really find it unbearable.
I'm currently on a contract until end March and it should be renewed for 6 months then so I'll be working here for the forseeable future.
I just don't really know what to do or say as I'm not sure that it's at a level to take to HR as yet and I also don't want to rock the boat as the last girl's contract wasn't renewed after she had a clash with Little Miss Rude too.

What to do? Any advice?

[Champagne]

Do you know if anybody else feels the same about her?

I would tread very carefully because you are on a contract basis, and you may find that she is actually well liked!! So you don't want to voice your opinion to your detriment.

Do fish about a bit though and find out what people think about her, and whether they consider her a problem or not.

I worked with a guy who seemed to rub people up the wrong way quite a lot. He was gossiped about behind his back by a small group of people. He was a lovely, genuine guy though. We finally got everyone to realise this and soon people took a lot of what he said with a pinch of salt because there was never anything meant by it.

[drchasuble]

Well we were just having something installed in our office and she was so rude to the guy installing it, his supervisor has just made a complaint to our office manager.

I think she thinks she's more popular than she actually is. She has a small gaggle of work pals but nothing spesh.

[Champagne]

She may just be abrasive and not actually mean to be. She might be horrified if she found out just how many people she was offending.

Something certainly needs to be said, but not by you.

[coco pops]

She probably hasn't really got any work pals they are maybe just people who are scared of her. If you want to keep this job I would say nothing to rock the boat at the moment . Use HR as a last resort. What goes around comes around and before long she will meet her match.

[DJerba]

ask her to the pub for a drink get to know her outside of work in a more social environment a bottle of wine (white usually works best) she'll start to open up a bit as she is probably really insecure inside which is why she acts like she does. The more outings you two take together the better, I'm speaking from experience so trust me it can work!
I however she is really reluctant to come do it when the contract is renewed and say as we're going to be working together more how about a drink bla bla bla...
Good luck

[drchasuble]

I've been out with her a few times but she's a real bitchy gossip and is always talking about other people. And the next day she's chatting to the very person she slating the night before.

I just think she's just really rude and I haven't a clue how to takle it.

[drchasuble]

Just found out this afternoon that her contract isn't being renewed as of the end of March so I'm off the hook!

Thanks for all your advice anyway guys x