I just watched this clip about bullying in the workplace. Marsha Petrie Sue and I met this past May. The topic of her new book, Toxic People, is one I’m fascinated with since toxic people are such a big part of the GarbageFactor™ . Check it out below, and while you’re watching, think about who the “bullies” are/were in your life.
It’s disappointing to hear the stories. Women seem to get the award for the most workplace bullying. Looking at my own personal experiences, as a kid I was bullied by both genders, but as an adult, I’ve only been bullied by women. I’d like to say it isn’t so, but now I’m curious about other people’s stories and whether they differ by generation.
If bullying is as common as the report implies, then I’m even more confused about the reporter’s closing comments “According to the United Nations International Labor Organization, workplace bullying often goes un-reported and since it isn’t illegal, when reported, employers rarely take action.”
Why on earth do we have to have something made illegal for people to realize it’s wrong! And why does Human Resources have to add insult to injury by issuing a 25 page manual for the 1% of employees who are a problem. That’s a waste of energy and resources. Everyone knows that the 1% with the problem don’t know that the manual was written for them, and the rest of us know better and don’t appreciate training on policies we don’t need. Have we really gotten to the point in this society where we don’t think or hold people accountable for unacceptable behavior?
Hello?! Snap out of it people. Bullying is wrong. Bullying is hurtful. Did I tell you anything you didn’t already know? No, of course I didn’t. We don’t need a manual or a law.
Note to employers – If you’ve got bullying going on, you owe it to your company to create an environment conducive to productivity (that’s right, getting rid of bullying helps your bottom line). The added bonus is you create a pleasant environment in which people can actually work without “added” stress. Don’t wait for a law or a policy, just stop the bullying.
