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Do You Work For a Bully Boss? - Industry Trend or Event

Industry Standard, The, March 12, 2001 by Anita Chabria

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"At a leaner, meaner organization, you tend to find more aggressive behavior," says Loraleigh Keashly, an associate professor of urban and labor studies at Wayne State University in Detroit.

While the average target stays with an abusive boss for about a year and a half, Keashly notes companies with bullying bosses have higher turnover rates and increased employee absences. Her studies have shown that companies with bullying bosses report greater sick leave and stress leave. She also says unchecked bullying leads other employees to develop a "duck and cover" mentality to avoid any work that could bring the attention of a bully.

More Articles of Interest: Recourse for those who are bullied by the boss?; FOR THE BULLYING VICTIMS OF WORKPLACE IT IS NOW PAYBACK TIME; More; Bullying Bosses; Bullying bosses a fact of life for many; Mean bosses annoy workers

That kind of management leads to a culture of "stifled innovation," says Columbia's Hornstein.

"Companies may get productivity from those people who are terrified, but they don't get the kind of commitment and creativity that organizations want," he adds. A single bully can lead to reduced productivity -- and sagging profits -- for the entire company, Hornstein warns.

Victims of workplace abuse have few rights and often receive little help from their companies. Namie is helping to author legislation on the subject in California. He says current state laws against harassment are limited to such factors as gender or race. Because of a lack of legislation, human resources departments often treat bullying as just a personality conflict, leaving the victim to either put up with the behavior or quit.

Take Walker's company, for example. He says his appeals to the human resources department fell on deaf ears. While a spokesman at Walker's company wouldn't comment on his situation, he did say that bullying behavior is "unacceptable and unprofessional," adding that the industry "is very competitive, so everyone on a regular basis has high expectations."

But companies need to set clear guidelines between high expectations and unreasonable demands if they want to build a successful organization, notes Hornstein. "The effect that bullies have is not only on the individual victims; it's on the functioning of the entire system," he says. "These bosses are like a virus."

Anita Chabria (chabria@jps.net) is a writer in Los Angeles.

ARE YOU BEING PUSHED AROUND?

Not sure if your boss' bad behavior is crossing the line into abuse? Experts say if you answer yes to each of these four questions, then you may be toiling for a tyrant.

(Y) (N) Does your boss have a history of bullying behavior with other employees?

(Y) (N) Do you feel harmed by his or her behavior, either emotionally or physically?

(Y) (N) Do you regularly feel demeaned or humiliated at work?

(Y) (N) Are you lied to, yelled at or subjected to other behavior you find objectionable?

Do You Work For a Bully Boss? - Industry Trend or Event

Industry Standard, The, March 12, 2001 by Anita Chabria

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