Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog

Bullying is a largely unreported, often unrecognized phenomenon as companies promote under qualified employees into management positions. Without the skill base to manage and lead adequately, bullying, demeaning, gossiping and 'closed door' can quickly replace encouragement, guidance, open door and belonging as management styles. Oftentimes individuals don't know the effects (short & long term) of bullying. Further, many don't know they are being bullied - they just feel bad about themselves. See the link to depression? Google it, post it, stop it.

Jill, thanks for the comment. Bullying in the workplace is definitely another factor that could cause an employee to leave his or her job. As you stated, it often goes unreported so companies may, or may not, be aware that it is taking place. Today, almost every state has passed school anti-bullying legislation and schools have implemented anti-bullying programs and policies. Do you think companies and organizations should create and implement anti-bullying policies?

Absolutely! I agree 100%! The biggest problem is bullying(gossip & demeaning comments). It is so hard to work for a company that says one thing and does the other, especially when your superiors are the people you hear talking about you and demeaning other employees. When you hear the President or CEO of a company 'bad-mouth' you in front of others.....you don't have a chance in that pit of lies and deceit. - They do everything to get you to leave or quit....but it's funny when they stalk your FB page or steal your ideas from the internet. Constantly trying to milk the cow for free. What they don't realize is this cow is smarter than they realize.....

The five reasons giving for leaving are interesting but not unexpected. Despite the extensive literature and even the leadership and management practitioners offering ideas and suggestions on what to do, the problems seem to continue. 
 
It is interesting that workplace bullying has been identified. Unfortunately, this is a topic that has been regularly discussed on various forums over the past three years. Despite the fact that some organisations have been proactive by documenting policies and procedures, bullying still occurs. In some cases, bullying is tolerated to the point of acceptance. In other cases, the environment is a contributor. This is an environment where everyone is under pressure from internal and external sources, there is constant change, deadlines constantly change, and some people lack the skills or abilities to address workplace conflict when it first occurs. 
 
Organisations should have policies and procedures in place to prevent, detect and resolve all forms of counterproductive workplace behaviours e.g. bullying, harassment, sexual harassment. There should be a range of training programs e.g. face to face, online, self paced. There should be support networks e.g. Harassment Referral Officers etc. There should be regular audits/assessments/reviews to determine whether or not the policies and procedures are working. There should be systems and processes in place to maintain currency of knowledge regarding trends and issues, and even Court, Commission or Tribunal decisions. 
 
Workplace culture is a key issue in whether or not workplace bullying will be prevented. Turning a blind eye and not supporting those being targeted will not assist anyone.  
 
In some cases, it might be appropriate for individuals to conduct a self-assessment to document the physical, verbal and non-verbal behaviours being directed at them, or that they witness in the workplace. In some cases, because the bullying is not being reported, senior managers don't believe there is an issue because there is no data. In other cases, those being targeted find that the road to resolution is so hard and difficult to negotiate, they simply give up and become a 'victim' of the system. Eventually, they get results because they have become so depressed, despondent and anxious that they lodge a workplace injury claim or commence litigation. 
 
Organisations have to learn that workplace bullying is a critical issue that impacts on every aspect of their organisation. Sweeping the issue under the carpet and pretending it is not happening will not help anyone.

Workplace bullying seems to be more of an issue than most people realize. Although some companies have implemented anti-bullying policies, it seems that the general concensus is that workplace bullying is still not taken seriously and that enough is not being done to prevent it. Thanks for the comments and additional information!

Posted in Linked In Sat. 21st April 2012 
 
“There are ostensibly 2 or 3 significant reasons people leave their managers. The manager may not be performing to their potential, poor performance of executive management under which they observe their manager under performing, or their own lack of performance.  
 
If we observe the accuracy of the global market as observed by the reputed management professional Dr Lacy Hunt of the US, in 2009*, we observe the constant source of primary evidence of the dynamics at the source of the issue in the OECD, that underpins the phenomenon of constant business rationalisation of its workforce variable cost, and the transient nature now observed of this workforce, aligning of such dynamics.  
 
[* Australia, ABC, TV1, Lateline, Thursday Oct. 8th 2009]  
 
I am aware from personal experience, the mediaeval feudal attitudes still entrenched within Western management as a culture, that observes any worker of lesser status the commodity of a serf, but it is not the sum of the issue.  
 
For if we observe the continually reliable accurate projections of those such as Dr Lacy Hunt, of the direction the global market continues to lead as progressively unfolding, we observe the competent comparative analysis of the differentiation between developing tiger economies, and the OECD.  
 
It demonstrates by application of the expenditure multiplier ratio, until relative equilibrium in GDP growth is observed between these 2 economic demographics, the OECD will continue to be observed in economic decline.  
 
When GDP rates are observed equating to standard of living rates, we realise the recompense and conditions that may be offered to the workforce in the future within the OECD, given both this factor, and the feature I refer to within the archaic, intransigent, Western management culture still with us, must inevitably lead to a serious management crisis.  
 
For if as GDP rates in rising developing economies are raised, OECD, GDP rates must observe stagnation, or decrease, as corresponding, ipso facto, the potential diminishing of standard of living rates within the OECD, compared to their global dominance as previous to this current era, must follow.  
 
It means in the OECD, the true potential of the 2 pillars of scientific management, Marketing, and Human Resources, must now be allowed to finally flourish, within balanced management competence as prescribed by the science, that further realises the brakes upon unfettered profits of market capitalism in the OECD, as obvious as required as corresponding.  
 
This means for the OECD, the requirement of a paradigm shift from the unfounded and unsubstantiated ideology, doctrine, and culture, of economic rationalism now comprehensively discredited, to a more sustainable consolidation of its resources, that includes its human resources, during this transition of the development of the new rising, developing economies in the world.  
 
When we observe further, the coincidence of this transition, that by 2050, with the current global threats of;  
 
[1] climate change,  
 
[2] renewable energy requirement,  
 
[3] exponential global population increase, that realises compounding threat to global food security,  
 
and,  
 
[4] synthesis with the now globally unrefuted projection of Asia dominating the world economy by 2050 [projected to retain 60% of global GDP by that date],  
 
we observe the reinstatement of observation of the fundamental, universal, dynamic principles of scientific management are no longer to be observed by Western management an extravagance in the OECD, but must be observed the necessity clearly evident, quite apart from the basic common sense such competent consideration always was.”  

Furthermore, if we observe alignment of such dynamics with the profound appreciation of such scientific analysis, of the now standard marketing enlightenment of the paper Marketing Myopia, by the late Harvard Business School Professor Emeritus Theodore (Ted) Levitt, we may observe the time is now imperative for the West to consign its selfish, imperial, self serving attitudes to the annals of failed history, where they appropriately belong.  
 
For their constant outcomes demonstrate nothing resembling the enlightenment of science!  
 

A particular employee that finally quit was always fighting the system for years behind the scenes, no matter who was in charge. Was always disagreeable, didn't like the schedule, didn't use the accomodations made available to enable the individual to accomplish the task at hand,due to a physical inabilities. Always liked to party,have a good time.

Thanks for your comment! Employees like the one you decribed can definitely make for an uncomfortable work environment. Although that individual went on to explore other opportunities,you may at some point encounter another coworker with some of the same qualities. Check out another one of our popular articles on how to handle difficult employees/coworkers. http://info.profilesinternational.com/profiles-employee-assessment-blog/bid/105029/attitude-check-tips-to-manage-difficult-employees-with-bad-attitudes