The office might be far from the playground, but it’s not off limits to bullies. From a screaming boss to snubbing colleagues, bullies can create a “war zone” in the workplace.
In a recent study, bullied employees likened their experiences to a battle, water torture, a nightmare or a noxious substance. Understanding the seriousness of workplace bullying and what it feels like to get bullied could help managers put the brakes on the behavior, shown to afflict 25 to 30 percent of employees sometime during their careers.
“Many Americans are familiar with sexual and racial harassment, but not generalized workplace bullying,” said study team member Sarah Tracy of Arizona State University. Bullying can lead to higher company costs including increased employee illness, use of sick days, and medical costs, ultimately affecting productivity, she added.
Workplace bullying can include “screaming, cursing, spreading vicious rumors, destroying the target’s property or work product, excessive criticism, and sometimes hitting, slapping, and shoving.” Subtle behaviors, such as silent treatment, disregard of requests and exclusion from meetings, count as bullying.
The scientists interviewed 17 women and 10 men ranging from 26 to 72 years old, who had experienced bullying. Often, people have trouble putting into words their emotions surrounding bully behavior. So the researchers analyzed the metaphors found throughout the participants’ descriptions of bullying.
The bullies were described as two-faced actors, narcissistic dictators and devils, leading workers to feel like vulnerable children, slaves and prisoners in these situations. As one employee explained, "I feel like I have 'kick me' tattooed on my forehead."
Source -http://www.livescience.com
April 22, 2010
April 19, 2010
The workplace bullying suicide of Jodie Zebell, age 31 (article)
Jodie Zebell took her own life after enduring months of workplace bullying at the clinic where she worked as a mammographer. As reported by the Wisconsin State Journal:
In 2008, 31-year-old Jodie Zebell appeared to have a full life. The UW-Madison graduate was married with two young children and a part-time job as a mammographer at a La Crosse clinic, where she was praised as a model employee.
But soon afterward, Zebell became the target of co-workers who unfairly blamed her for problems at work. After she was promoted, the bullying intensified….(T)he boss joined in the harassment, filling Zebell’s personnel file with baseless complaints about her performance and loudly criticizing her in front of others.
“This went on for a series of months,” said [her aunt Joie] Bostwick, a Blue Mounds native who now lives in Naples, Fla. “It just got worse and worse.”
On Feb. 3, 2008, the day before she was to receive a poor job review, Jodie Zebell took her own life.
The Journal article recounts the testimony of many other workers who have been subjected to severe workplace bullying. It closes with a plea from University of Wisconsin labor studies professor Corliss Olson, who has long been involved in advocacy and education efforts around workplace bullying:
Corliss Olson, associate professor at the UW-Extension’s School for Workers, said the bill is “desperately” needed.
Olson said most targets of bullying are “normal, competent people” who can be driven to disability or even death.
“This is a viciousness in the workplace that we need to stop,” Olson said. “We can and we must change our workplaces so they are civil.”
For good reason, much attention has been devoted in recent weeks to the suicide of Massachusetts teenager Phoebe Prince, who took her own life after a merciless campaign of bullying by her schoolmates.
In addition, we cannot forget that in severe circumstances, adults can be driven to suicide because of horrific treatment at work that threatens their security and livelihoods.
Source - http://newworkplace.wordpress.com
April 1, 2010
Teen's EXPERIENCE of being bulled
Charlotte, 13
I got bullied when I was in year 6, year 2 and year 3 it was horrible. Speak up about it, tell someone that's how my bullying stopped. X
Emily, 12
When I was being bullied, I didnt want to tell anyone, I thought that they might think that I was making it sound worse than it really is. but after i had told my parents they told my school and they sorted it out. but unfortunatly the person who was bullying me lived in my village, and he used to follow me when i got off the bus and would shout out names. Soon the police got involved as he bullied many other people. if i hadnt told anyone i would have still been very unhappy.
Kylie, 12
I know how angel feels. My friend, also named Callum, turned against me. It really isn't a nice feeling and I cried every day. Now, I see what happened. I really wanted to be friends with him again and he just didn't want to know. I also had a mega crush on him, and when he started going out with Romany, I just about died. I still feel ill when i think about him. I just need help!!!
xx, 14
i have been builled all my life this site has helped me aalot i can feel good about my self and im not a fat cow xx :) =)
Sarah , 17
I've been bullied and i still get bullied now and then but i try to ignore the name calling and people shouting abuse to me but if someone hit me or attacked me i'd say something about it
Danielle , 15
I got bullied for years, although i never spoke up.. felt quite stupid saying i got bullied, was really embrassed.. i used to skiped school because of it. I still try my best to keep my distance from the people who like to pick on me and start fights with me...
Kerry, 13
When I was bullied I didn't at first just speak out.Instead I found a way of showing the bullies that they didn't phase me. For me this was performing in the school concert, and doing karaoke in our school music class. And now I'm not being bullied and i'm getting people telling me how good I was in the school corridor, whereas before they wouldn't even say hi. So now I think that as well as talking about it, it can be good to show people who you instead of being quiet.Coz that gets people to listen to you and to notice you and that can create respect for who you are.
jane, 15
I was bullied last year by people spreading rumours, teachers didn't listen and just took no notice. all they said was ignore them they will soon give up, thing is they didn't. things got so out of control that i took an overdose at school and ended up being took to hospital. i was maded to speak to a sicologist which helped. the teachers at school finally then started to do something about it. i'm not saying that you should risk taking your life to be heard i'm just saying that you should never give up trying. when i ever get any trouble now i keep telling and telling the teachers at school and they do something about it. xxxxx
sophie, 14
i this previous year i have been bullied. it started of as what they called a joke but i didnt find it funny at all. then they got about 6 people to come up to me to me and start verbally harrassing me when i was out of site of the teachers. they excluded me and gossiped obout me behind my back and half the time they wernt quiet enough and i heared what they were saying. what was even worse, i thought these people were my best friends. one person stuck by me and went with me to tell someone, which is the best option, but then they found out. they didnt believe they done wrong and started pushing me away from my remaning friends and bullying me to say sorry for what i believe is telling someone about it but i still am glad i told someone because if they carry on the person i told will be notified straight away... TELL SOMEONE!!!
Mable, 16
When I got bullied it took me along time to say anything about it... But it was soo long that I had deletled the message and reported abuse on the bebo profiles so I couldn't show the evidence... It you are bullied tell straight away!
Jessica, 12
I got bullied at one point by them slagging me off but as someone else said I think they were jealous. At one point they thought I was gonna dob on them so they were really nice 2 me - I h8 them. I have gd friends now though.
Lizzie, 13
I was badly bulllied for a long time. i was beaten up, rumours were spread about me, i was called names the lot but the best thing i ever did in the time i was bullied was tell someone, at first the school didnt do much, but in the end the bully got chucked out of the school, because other people were being bullied by the same girl, and everyone who told helped themselves!!! Tell someone if ur being bullied, its the best thing !!
rosie, 15
i think bullies are just jelous of the person that they are bullying and would like them not to be who they are. the person who is been bullied might have bigger boobs than them (iam and i am getting bulllied for it)or might be slimmer or bigger than them. the bullies only go for quiat people as they know they wont tell and wont stand up for them selfs. we need to stop bullies. if you are one of the quiat people, then go talk to someone who you know and trust and let them know whats going on, dont suffer in silance. Never suffer alone! Be yourself, not what everyone else wants you to be. Dont let bullies win. xxxxx
Angel, 16
I was going out with a mosher called Callum for about 4 1/2 years. A few months ago, we decided to go public. Suddenly, the whole school turned on me for going out with him. I was a "slag, tart, slut, desperate prozzie" for going out with Callum. I didn't spend a day at school without having something thrown at me- more often than not, a condom. Then the worst happened. Callum turned his back on me. he didn't want to know. He'd tried sticking up for me, but his mosher mates didn't like me, and told him if he spoke to me, they'd not let him in his group. he picked them over me.
Source -http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/surgery/advice/your_world/bullying/bullying_are_you_being_bullied/
I got bullied when I was in year 6, year 2 and year 3 it was horrible. Speak up about it, tell someone that's how my bullying stopped. X
Emily, 12
When I was being bullied, I didnt want to tell anyone, I thought that they might think that I was making it sound worse than it really is. but after i had told my parents they told my school and they sorted it out. but unfortunatly the person who was bullying me lived in my village, and he used to follow me when i got off the bus and would shout out names. Soon the police got involved as he bullied many other people. if i hadnt told anyone i would have still been very unhappy.
Kylie, 12
I know how angel feels. My friend, also named Callum, turned against me. It really isn't a nice feeling and I cried every day. Now, I see what happened. I really wanted to be friends with him again and he just didn't want to know. I also had a mega crush on him, and when he started going out with Romany, I just about died. I still feel ill when i think about him. I just need help!!!
xx, 14
i have been builled all my life this site has helped me aalot i can feel good about my self and im not a fat cow xx :) =)
Sarah , 17
I've been bullied and i still get bullied now and then but i try to ignore the name calling and people shouting abuse to me but if someone hit me or attacked me i'd say something about it
Danielle , 15
I got bullied for years, although i never spoke up.. felt quite stupid saying i got bullied, was really embrassed.. i used to skiped school because of it. I still try my best to keep my distance from the people who like to pick on me and start fights with me...
Kerry, 13
When I was bullied I didn't at first just speak out.Instead I found a way of showing the bullies that they didn't phase me. For me this was performing in the school concert, and doing karaoke in our school music class. And now I'm not being bullied and i'm getting people telling me how good I was in the school corridor, whereas before they wouldn't even say hi. So now I think that as well as talking about it, it can be good to show people who you instead of being quiet.Coz that gets people to listen to you and to notice you and that can create respect for who you are.
jane, 15
I was bullied last year by people spreading rumours, teachers didn't listen and just took no notice. all they said was ignore them they will soon give up, thing is they didn't. things got so out of control that i took an overdose at school and ended up being took to hospital. i was maded to speak to a sicologist which helped. the teachers at school finally then started to do something about it. i'm not saying that you should risk taking your life to be heard i'm just saying that you should never give up trying. when i ever get any trouble now i keep telling and telling the teachers at school and they do something about it. xxxxx
sophie, 14
i this previous year i have been bullied. it started of as what they called a joke but i didnt find it funny at all. then they got about 6 people to come up to me to me and start verbally harrassing me when i was out of site of the teachers. they excluded me and gossiped obout me behind my back and half the time they wernt quiet enough and i heared what they were saying. what was even worse, i thought these people were my best friends. one person stuck by me and went with me to tell someone, which is the best option, but then they found out. they didnt believe they done wrong and started pushing me away from my remaning friends and bullying me to say sorry for what i believe is telling someone about it but i still am glad i told someone because if they carry on the person i told will be notified straight away... TELL SOMEONE!!!
Mable, 16
When I got bullied it took me along time to say anything about it... But it was soo long that I had deletled the message and reported abuse on the bebo profiles so I couldn't show the evidence... It you are bullied tell straight away!
Jessica, 12
I got bullied at one point by them slagging me off but as someone else said I think they were jealous. At one point they thought I was gonna dob on them so they were really nice 2 me - I h8 them. I have gd friends now though.
Lizzie, 13
I was badly bulllied for a long time. i was beaten up, rumours were spread about me, i was called names the lot but the best thing i ever did in the time i was bullied was tell someone, at first the school didnt do much, but in the end the bully got chucked out of the school, because other people were being bullied by the same girl, and everyone who told helped themselves!!! Tell someone if ur being bullied, its the best thing !!
rosie, 15
i think bullies are just jelous of the person that they are bullying and would like them not to be who they are. the person who is been bullied might have bigger boobs than them (iam and i am getting bulllied for it)or might be slimmer or bigger than them. the bullies only go for quiat people as they know they wont tell and wont stand up for them selfs. we need to stop bullies. if you are one of the quiat people, then go talk to someone who you know and trust and let them know whats going on, dont suffer in silance. Never suffer alone! Be yourself, not what everyone else wants you to be. Dont let bullies win. xxxxx
Angel, 16
I was going out with a mosher called Callum for about 4 1/2 years. A few months ago, we decided to go public. Suddenly, the whole school turned on me for going out with him. I was a "slag, tart, slut, desperate prozzie" for going out with Callum. I didn't spend a day at school without having something thrown at me- more often than not, a condom. Then the worst happened. Callum turned his back on me. he didn't want to know. He'd tried sticking up for me, but his mosher mates didn't like me, and told him if he spoke to me, they'd not let him in his group. he picked them over me.
Source -http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/surgery/advice/your_world/bullying/bullying_are_you_being_bullied/
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