'My office manager has the hots for me...'

Diana

Dear Diana,
I have been working in a travel agency for the last two years. It is a cool place and I am enjoying my work. I get along with my co-workers. Things were going fine till last month when a new manager joined the organisation. He is in his 50s and tries to be overfriendly with me. He keeps coming to my desk or calls me to his cabin every now and then. I have become a part of the office gossip. My colleagues tell me that he has the hots for me. They keep teasing me. Last week, it was my birthday and he splurged me with a high-end luxury hand bag. I know it is an expensive buy. I refused it, but he insisted that I take it. He even told me that he would take me out for dinner to celebrate my birthday. How do I tell him I am not interested in him? Why does he not behave with me in a professional way? Ever since he joined the company, work has become a source of stress for me.
- Manali

Illustration/ Uday Mohite

Dear Manali,
If he is proving to be a great source of bother to you, then you need to tell the higher-ups in the organisation. But if you think this will aggravate the matter - if he is pulled up - then you need to talk to him directly. Tell him politely that you do not like his behaviour and that he deal with you in a professional manner like he does with the rest of the staff. You can also seek help from a trusted co-worker who can explain to him your predicament. But all this will have to be done with tact. Remember he is your boss, so you need to be polite, yet firm. If all fails, then look for another job, but this should be your last option.