I always thought of it like this: if a workplace makes you feel devalued or is toxic (gaslighting and ranting about you behind your back), you quietly find new pastures.
Now, however, I think this is the wrong approach: why do I have to accept they bully me? I should defend myself. And doesn’t the manager have to make sure a workplace ain’t toxic? Instead of quietly looking for a new job next time this happens, wouldn’t it be better to confront, document and escalate instead of letting it go? even if HR only exists to protect the company and not me.
If HR and manager do nothing to address the problem, wouldn’t it be a better strategy to start working the least possible and let the company fire me, while looking for another job?
Don’t do the laxatives things. Poisoning people is very illegal, for good reason.
Bring a bigass eight line hookah into work and blow banana flavored clouds. When people complain offer to switch to a different flavor.
Can you be my new best friend
If you maintain documentation or comment code, start weaving a disconnected, corkboard narrative into it.