The story about the bullying of Jonathan Martin of the Miami Dolphins by teammate Ricky Incognito is all over the news. When Martin walked out on the team, there were many varied reactions but then recordings demonstrated that the harassment included racial slurs and threats of violence. That led analysts to note that Incognito’s excessive behavior went beyond hazing but many voices still blame Martin for not “manning up.”
Most sports commentators accept hazing as being part of the locker room culture. The truth is, hazing IS bullying—it’s just a matter of degree. Jokes are funny; hazing is never fun for the target and it actually undermines performance.
Bullying in the Workplace
These days there is a lot of attention to bullying on the playground but the topic is not generally addressed with regard to adults. Studies show that 50% of American workers have seen bullying in the workplace and fully a third of us have been victimized during our careers. When the target is from a protected class and the bully is not (white on black, male on female, straight on gay, etc.) there is a higher probability that management will intercede, but when it is about intimidation involving power relationships it is less universally supported. Many people believe that the bullied person has “brought it on himself or herself.” (Reportedly, some of Martin’s teammates are angry that he didn’t just take the abuse.)
Bullies Create an Unhealthy Workplace
Last year I heard a report on the NPR show Marketplace about the effects abusive bosses have on an organization. The report focused on why they are tolerated and the long-term consequences are for the corporation. The story highlighted recent management shifts in Microsoft and Apple. The commentary resonated with me because I have always believed that toxic environments undercut performance and that will hurt productivity and internal and external perceptions.
I have watched and been impacted by bad bosses (and coworkers) over the years. Despite the study that showed that the incidence of bullying is stable, I believe, and I am not alone, that occurrences of interpersonal abuse have increased since the economy crashed in 2008 (I question whether workers are comfortable admitting being harassed). Perhaps the increased stress we all feel makes it more likely that insecure supervisors and coworkers will take their own frustrations out on colleagues under the guise of oversight and zeal. Workers with little flexibility are more likely to take abuse despite what it does to their health and performance.
What Causes Bullying on the Job?
There is a lot more information about abusers today than in previous generations. It is now understood that in the home, office, and social settings some people try to deal with their own insecurities by intimidating others. Almost anyone can be the focus, but conscientious employees who are anxious to succeed are most often the targets. In fact, it is clear that high percentages of people have been bullied in the workplace and have witnessed the abuse of others. According to the 2007 Workplace Bullying Institute study commissioned by Zogby International,
- 37% of workers reported having been bullied: 13% currently and 24% in the past
- Most bullies are bosses (72%) – but the rest are coworkers
- More perpetrators are men (60%) than are women (40%)
- Most Targets (57%) are women
- Women bullies target women (71%); men target men (54%)
- Bullying is 4 times more prevalent than illegal discriminatory harassment
- 62% of employers ignore the problem when it comes to their attention
- 45% of Targets suffer stress-related health problems
- 40% of bullied individuals never tell their employers
- Only 3% of bullied people file lawsuits
(These results are based on 7,740 respondents who comprised a sample representative of all American adults in August, 2007. The margin of error was +/- 1.1 percentage points.) Other studies show even higher rates.
Why Bullying is Ignored
Despite all the credible information about the phenomenon, bullying in the workplace receives little attention. Targets are isolated from other people in the situation because they are new to the group or don’t have strong interpersonal support. In addition, it is common for some bystanders to consider them at fault and call them extremely emotional and/or incompetent (I was once silenced by a bully in a meeting by his repeated assertions that any response to his accusations showed that I was overly sensitive). I was so shocked that I couldn’t react. Many victims are often afraid to cause any problems because jobs are so difficult to obtain. When they are bullied, capable people are undermined which results in significantly lower productivity and PTSD.
This is exactly the same as what happens with domestic violence or sexual harassment. Establishing concrete criteria and communicating the issues to perpetrators, bystanders, and targets is a big problem however. Bullying is more easily acknowledged if the victim happens to be the member of a protected class (a member of a minority as Jonathan Martin is) but in most abuse cases that is not the case. Most victims are nice people who just want to do their jobs and get along. Because they haven’t done anything to warrant being attacked, they have a hard time deciding how to respond. With no support, nothing they do will result in a good outcome for them.
The accusation that the person who complains of abuse is being overly sensitive and paranoid is difficult to refute. When there is a conflict of any kind, it is hard to determine where the fault lies. Is it the boss or the employee? Every situation is unique. Employees sometimes characterize their bosses as abusive when the employee doesn’t agree with management decisions. But just because some rape reports are unjustified, we should not assume that all of them are.
Recognizing and Minimizing Workplace Abuse
Every report of abuse (of any kind) should be investigated by an objective outsider. A close hearing of the different perspectives will begin to uncover discrepancies in the stories and show whether they are consistent and credible. This takes time. It also means that arbiters must shed their own biases.
In most situations the perpetrator holds some kind of power over the target. Self-serving unrelated aspects of the tormenter usually determines who the target will be (jealousy, personal gain, ego, bias, etc.). The harassment is intended to assert power and control and not to advance any positive goal. (How could hazing ever contribute to group cohesiveness?) If we admit it exists we could go a long way toward minimizing the incidence of bullying.
A word to people who have been victims–Management (and human resources) will have a built-in bias against you. The perpetrator feels in control and will seem more rational when supervisors talk to both sides. Victims are always emotional which can be perceived as instability and supports the abusers contentions. Management often decided that it is easier to sacrifice you than stand behind you.
If you or someone you know is in a hostile work environment, you may want to send them this Forbes analysis of workplace bullying because those who are committed to doing a good job can be the most at risk. Realizing that the situation exists is the first step to handling it.
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