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Workplace Bullying: Psychological Violence?

Inadvertent bullying

Acct Tech
Forest Service
Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:05 AM

Post Reply

Excellent article, especially the encouragement to managers and supervisors to examine their own behavior. I think sometimes the seemingly 'natural' inclination of humans to create cliques and 'in groups' extends to management personnel - they are doing what seems secure and familiar to them. However, it can have devastating effect on subordinates who aren't part of the 'in group'. I have seen it in effect in my own department.

Work Place Bullying

Quality Assurance Specialist
DCMA
Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:06 AM

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This article is very interesting however it does not point out, at least I didn't see it, that a person can be accused of being a bully when you react to comments or lies spread by the office suck-butt and every office has one. In my case I have ignored this jerk in my office for years but recent actions and distortion of facts concerning my actual work task were blown out of proportion to management. Management chose to believe there "golden knee-pad" boy which resulted in me being reassigned to a lesser job where I am assigned task that require much less skill and training I possess. When I mentioned that I wanted to confront this individual face to face in a controlled area were all facts could be presented I was accused of Bullying. Finally I want to say that all I wanted was a chance to confront my accuser but after not being given that chance I can understand why someone would want to be very much more assertive in a confrontation.

workplace bullying

tech
usda
Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:28 AM

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I worked in an office that was closed and merged with another. since the first day I walked into the new office I got 16 of the 19 examples. I thank God, my Doctor and one co-worker that stood by me. I carpool with that one co-worker; work talk was off limits in the vehicle. That helped me get home without not wanting to kill my husband. My Doctor bless her heart got me in immediately one day, when I called her crying. She signed me up for stress reduction classess. She said I was the happiest person she had ever met, and I needed to learn how to deal with what was going on. And I prayed every night. Well, after one year, one of the people maybe the second worst offender came to me and appoligized. She told me my old manager had started spreading rumors about me before the office even merged. There is finally less stress in the office, and most of us are working as a team. The old manager is having a rough time. But, I am being business professional with her.

This is my experience too

Anonymous
Anonymous
Wed Dec 3, 2008 9:34 AM

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I currently work in a federal agency where this type of behavior is prevalent and acceptable. I am a victim of this kind of behavior, and I am aggressively applying for another job in light of this climate. Despite the fact that I have a very strong, positive work ethic, I hold an MBA, and have demonstrated a consistent contribution to my current federal agency, I am still the target of this type of abuse. It is unbearable, and those who engage in this kind of treatment (at ALL levels) should be held accountable.

Workplace Bullying

Peon
VA
Wed Dec 3, 2008 10:04 AM

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Thank you, thank you for helping to bring this to light. As others have said, until it happens to you it is hard to understand the devastating effects it can have. I felt like I was in the twilight zone - nothing made sense. Targets, take heart - you are targeted many times BECAUSE you care, are conscientious, are competent, and you are threatening to those who aren't. And to the person who was called a bully because he merely reacted to bullying - that itself is a bullying tactic! When I retire from this bully-ridden environment, I will make it my mission to work towards anti-bullying legislation. Europe has it and knows this behavior cannot be tolerated in any civilized country.

Re: Workplace Bullying

Registered Nurse
VA
Thu Dec 4, 2008 7:57 AM
You are not a peon, despite the way you may feel!! You are insightful and see the way caring, compassionate workers are subjected to abuse and bullying. I bet you have heard this line," It's the VA way or the highway!" I agree with most everything you have stated, with the exception of waiting until you retire from the VA, to fight for anti-bullying legislation. We need to stick together and pursue change now. The veterans and staff deserve our action. Good luck to you!

Re: Workplace Bullying

Diversity Manager
DOL
Thu Dec 4, 2008 7:44 PM
What Europe are you talking about?? Germans, French and italians are worse at this than any place I've worked in the US

Re: Workplace Bullying

Registered Nurse
VA
Fri Dec 5, 2008 7:45 AM
Diversity Manager is retired from the military and is not a federal worker!!!! The VA has many programs to help its veterans and I urge "Diversity Manager" to give them a call! It is clear he is in need of psychological help. He is also a dishonor to the men and women who have served in our military and deserve our full respect and assistance!

Re: Workplace Bullying

Thorn in the Side
DOD
Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:46 AM
"Diversity Manager" also works for the Post Office and has a couple of other jobs. He's a troll.

Workplace bullying is psychological aggression

Steward & Mediation Rep, AFGE 12
OSHA
Wed Dec 3, 2008 10:07 AM

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Thank you for shedding light on the serious problem of workplace psychological aggression. I now prefer this term to bullying, because what happens at work is ordinarily very different from the bullying of the school yard. A school yard bully can injure a child. A boss who is psychologically aggressive can injure a worker and his/her family economically, psychologically, and physically (as the worker becomes ill). I saw all of this at the Department of Labor, which led me to conduct a study on it. The Labor and Employment Relations Association invited me, and AFGE 12 sent me, to present my paper at the LERA annual conference January 2007. The paper was the groundwork for our "Proposal to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao on Workplace Bullying and Psychological Harassment." The proposal package is at htt://L12Bullying.googlepages.com. We invite people to read it and link to it. Also, people can file complaints under their Department's workplace violence programs. It will fit.

Being bullied

Registered Nurse
VA
Wed Dec 3, 2008 10:25 AM

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Your article describes most of the acts that management has subjected me to since I requested a reasonable accommodation based on mental disability. AFGE Union has also been involved in these tactics. My complaints of discrimination with retaliation have gone formal, however I hear the EEO process takes years. I can not afford to quit with 2 kids in college, nor can I afford to take much more of this abuse. Any ideas or suggestions?

Re: Being bullied

Benefits Counselor (Retired)
VA
Wed Dec 3, 2008 2:38 PM
I had a couple of supervisors who would make public comments about performance issues. I would always ask, loud enough for those nearby to hear, that the conversation should be moved to a more private location. That pinned a "failure to ensure privacy" on the supe. I kept a steno pad handy and would pull it out and start with a notation of the date and time (took a long look at my watch before writing the first notes). This put them on notice that I would be in posession of notes of this event and who knows how many others I wrote out of their sight. Don't be in a hurry with the converstion. Clearly and obviously be taking verbatim notes. The thought of being confronted at some later meeting with who knows who takes the wind out of their sails. Keep the steno pad handy. Be ostentatious about taking the notes. If you are asked about the practice just say you are documenting...period! Let their imaginations run wild.

Re: Being bullied

Diversity Manager
DOL
Thu Dec 4, 2008 7:51 PM
Its too bad that Vets needing care aren't taking notes as well. Wonder how many at the VA would be working if the were allowed to voice their opinion of the quality of care they received.
Maybe bulling is needed when dealing with a work force that doesn't do its job

Re: Being bullied

clerk
IRS
Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:43 AM
dont waist your time with the EEO, I went that route after being bullied by a yound new inexerpienced kid. He took all my duties away, and gave to the sweet young 20 year olds. Oh, did I say I had 21 years experience and he only had 5?
Needless to say, I turned to the Union, which the steward was worthless. So with the encouragement of some workers in a unit and department other then mine, who saw the aggressive behaviror towards me, encouraged me to file with the EEO. I did. Relatiaition is huge from managment, and the sweet yound things that the prior manager gave special special favors to, were constangly putting me down, yes, they missed the prior manager and all the attention he gave them. Oh did I mention, managment gave him a promotion to get him out of our unit, which is what the EEO officer told me usually happens at the IRS. This inferrior slug of a manager, destroyed my evaluation that took me 21 years to get in the exceeds bracket, and my performance awards.

Re: Being bullied

clerk
IRS
Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:49 AM
He lowered my evaluation from 4.6 out of 5.0.to a 1.8.
Yeah, he got away with it. I filed with the EEO on March 28, 2007. Our federal court hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2009. Yes, two years, $3400 of attorney fees, and I just found out, in a discrimination case, you win nothing. Even if you prove your case and the evidence is in your favor, you get nothing. No attorney fees paid, no compensatory damages, which means, I could not get my evaluation reinstated, my performance awards will not be reinstaded. And management makes ways for me to fail, so they can now substantiate lowereing my evaluation, which he never had before.
With my eval in the toilet, I cannot put in for other jobs. Oh, I did put in for other jobs and when called to get offers, I found out the detailed manager behind the "slug", turned them away and told them my CJE's were so low I could not go. Which personnel told me is illegal. OK, this is all illegal, but the truth is, the laws protect the behavior
Total Comments: 105
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