Up to 30 percent of employees affected; stress felt throughout workplace

[Ladyhawk418]

Up to 30 percent of employees affected; stress felt throughout workplace

This is what I have been faced with working under a female boss. I got another bad review this last week. She was cruel in her evaluation. I made one error on the balance sheet that took about 2 seconds to fix and would have caught when I wasn't so much under the gun. She, at one point told me that being in my office made her want to throw up because I had some personal things in my office that made me happy and made me remove them to blank walls and nothing on my desk but my work. I feel like I am under constant scrutiny with her and was told I listen but I do not hear which I have to admit the Lexapro does make me somewhat lethargic so I quit taking them to keep my job. We will see how I cope without them. But the thing that got to me the most is she forgets things constantly and expects me to remember hers at her other job and my own work. We are having an event in August in which everyone had to pay in advance to get the tickets. I told her I was going to cash the checks like she wanted me to but I had to do this by depositing the checks and cashing a check for the same amount as I am not a signer on the account. I deposited $1200.00 and cashed a check for the same. She called me 2 hours later to ask why I was cashing a check for $1200.00 (in a tone like I was stealing or something). Duh........doing what she told me to do, I replied to her about it calmly saying the name of the event and she just said "Oh" not like sorry I forgot or anything, but I forgot to write something on the bulletin board earlier in the week and she was outraged. But she can't remember what she told me to do just 2 hours before. If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black. I have been there 3 years and have not had a raise and sometimes I think she does these things to keep from giving me a raise. I am so stressed at my job I could scream but am kind of getting back in some subtle ways by cutting back on the extra things that I do that is not listed as my "JOB Description". She also makes sure she lets me know that I can be replaced but when I said at my review I would clean out my desk and make sure my work was finished by days end she replied: Oh you're not fired", but according to her she just covers for me all the time. And yet other's at my work say everything is so great since I started there and give me praise for the things I do.
Anyway I had seen this on the Today show the other day and found it quite interesting.

"The office bully" as posted on CNBC

The office bully has an array of weapons at his disposal, ranging from the subtle silent treatment to not-so-subtle verbal ridicule, the effects of which can ripple through the workplace.

A new study finds that while nearly 30 percent of U.S. workers have endured a punishing boss or co-worker, many individuals would not label themselves as bully targets. For those who do, it’s not just the bully victim who feels the heat. Witnesses in nearby cubicles are affected and show an increase in stress and overall dissatisfaction with their jobs.

The prevalence of bullying in the American workplace tops the rates found in Scandinavian countries and is on par with those in Great Britain, the scientists found.

The study, published in the June 2007 issue of the Journal of Management Studies, adds to a growing body of research into the dynamics and effects of workplace bullying, including an investigation by the same team that found that victims of bullying feel like they are fighting a battle.

Been bullied?
The scientists, led by Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik of the University of New Mexico, conducted an online survey that included general workplace questions as well as those specific to bullying.

During the survey, the 400 U.S. workers who participated, including 266 women and 134 men, ranked how often they had experienced a list of 22 negative acts in the past six months, on a scale ranging from never to daily. Participants then read a definition of workplace bullying and were asked whether they considered themselves targets of bullies. Those who answered “no” were asked if they had witnessed bullying based on the given definition over the past six months.

While a blood-pumping harangue from a boss can send many an employee into victim mode, feeling they are being bullied, the authors stress that certain criteria must be met for behavior to be considered bullying.

The definition given to respondents stated that bullying occurs when an individual experiences at least two negative acts, weekly or more often, for six or more months, in situations where targets find it difficult to defend against and stop the abuse.

The sample included people from all age groups and from various industries, including agriculture, art, information, real estate and utilities. Women, individuals aged 35 to 44 and workers in white-collar industries were somewhat overrepresented, the researchers note.

Ripple effects
Lutgen-Sandvik and her colleagues found that nearly 30 percent of the participants met criteria for being “bullied.” But less than 10 percent of those respondents labeled themselves as bully targets. One reason for the discrepancy has to do with the subtlety of abusive acts toward another employee.

“Bullying, by definition, is escalatory. This is one of the reasons it’s so difficult to prevent it, because it usually starts in really small ways,” said study team member Sarah Tracy, director of the Project for Wellness and Work-Life at Arizona State University.

Another factor might be that bullying is a phenomenon just creeping into people’s vocabulary as the research and education on the topic burgeons. For instance, Tracy explained, before the term “sexual harassment” was in the American lexicon, people didn’t identify the behavior as such.

Until recently, the term “bully” has been used to describe the schoolyard tyrant, which is kid stuff. So identifying yourself as a victim of a playground act can make a person feel weak and childish.

Co-workers on the sidelines of the bully battle, as identified in the online survey, had higher stress levels and a greater dissatisfaction with their jobs compared with those who were not exposed to bullying.

“Witnesses describe seeing others psychologically terrorized as the equivalent to watching a mugging every day and being unable to stop it,” Lutgen-Sandvik told LiveScience. “They feel deep pain for their colleagues. Some get involved and try to help and are either targeted as a result or feel deep disappointment, anger, and shock that little is done to stop the abuse.”

Ladyhawk418

 

[midnight]

your boss does not sound like anice lady - is she trying to compensate for her inabilities by having a go at you?

 

[Ladyhawk418]

I only wish I knew. She is like a pilar in the community and she walks in so sweet and nice then she can turn like a pit bull.

Ladyhawk418

 

[scottsblue]

i gota be most bullied at work ever, probs why i was gona kill myself or go live on streets instead of gettin a job. thnk god i jumped out a window an doctors helped with findin me somwhere i wudnt be here i know it.

 

[Dollit]

I was having a similar discussion with a friend this morning about someone we both work/have worked with in the past. I find this man supportive and helpful and someone who takes an interest in what I'm doing even though I'm only a volunteer and I rarely see him. My friend had him as a line manager and finds him overbearing and rude. We agreed that some managerial styles are better than others.

People who feel powerless in one area of their lives often overcompensate by over exerting power in another. (Not that the person I mentioned above has this problem.) If people feel powerless say, in a personal relationship, they may try to make up the balance by exerting more power than necessary at work, hiding behind the job. Often they do pick on the people who are more than adequate for the job - you probably make her feel inadequate.

 

[Louise 28]

possible help avenues

Hi LadyHawk,
Your boss sounds like they are being a bit unfair!
If they are bullying you, there are people who may be able to help advise or support you- I dont know if you are in the UK or which may be relevant, but you can always ignore them/me.

If you have a Union, they may have support

In some jobs- usually I think with a government or council or civil servant employer I think there can be help or support from 'Occupational Health Department' (not sure if other employees/ employers can use Occ' Health Dept'?)

Citizens advice can quite often help people find support for things like bullying at work too.

Like I said, not quite sure if they are relevant, or even needed- if anything helps, use it, if it doesnt then no harm done.

Do keep looking after yourself, and Im glad you sound nicer than your boss!!!

Louise.

 

[Louise 28]

link

Dont know if this is relevant either- was on a link from another post on this site- forgot which post- sorry

If you're having problems with bullying, the website Bullying Online contains lots of helpful information on all sorts of bullying including dealing with bullies who taunt others by text messages, go to www.bullying.co.uk. Sometimes bullying can make you feel very unhappy and upset and that life isn't worth living but you will come through it. You can email at any time to [email protected].