All I don't know about bullying
I've see much about bullying, not only on the news and in the newspaper, but on Facebook and Gmail. Some pretty good discussion are going on using the different media. One type of bullying I found interesting and that I've observed often happens in the workplace.
As usual, there are various type of bullying in the workplace. Pressure bullying is where stress causes a person's behavior to change for the worse and he or she is short-tempered, irritable, and may shout or swear at others. This happens from time to time and amends are made and apologies accepted. Hopefully, everyone learns something from the situation and, if it happens again, people are able to deal with it better.
Corporate bullying takes place when the employer abuses employees by different methods. These may include coercing employees to work 60 to 80 hours a week regularly and then making life miserable when they object. Using absence management to take away employee's annual or sick leaves, for which they are entitled, is another tool. Employers sometimes stoop to spying and snooping. They may ask leading questions of customers, utilize video cameras, and use personnel officers to check up on employees who are on "sick leave". They may also view employees who are suffering from stress as weak. They choose to ignore that the work environment is actually causing the stress issues and do little to make things better.
Institutional bullying comes about when bullying becomes a part of the workplace culture. People are moved, permanent positions are replaced by lesser qualified individuals or by short-term contracts,workloads are increased, schedules changed, and the ability to progress as a professional is blocked with termination without any notification. I've see all of the above throughout my career. Workers were given directives before termination that no normal person could ever hope to accomplish.
There are more types of office place bullying that I'd like to share in further articles. It appears that bullies come in all forms and at all periods in our lives.
Tawni is a retired Linton-Stockton Elementary School teacher. She can be reached by email at tprudhomme@gmail.com.
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