Blog Post: Workplace Bullying - Not for the Fainthearted!

As an HR professional employed by Southwest Florida Water Management District and grad student at Saint Leo University, I have had the opportunity to encounter all kinds of behaviors on the job; and, now, am doing research on one of the most fascinating and yet damaging behaviors that I have encountered to date: Workplace Bullying in the Florida Healthcare system.

Why healthcare when I don't work in that field, you ask! Well, in another life, I spent many years in hospital HR, and am now surrounded by friends and family who work as nurses or healthcare professionals. (A hearty congrats to my oldest boy Chris, who is now Chris, RN!)One of Florida's main industries is the healthcare industry -- and believe me, this study has been an eye opener, not just because of the prevalence of bullying in the system, but more so the different types of bullies, and the many ways they demoralize, humiliate, intimidate, and downright degrade their fellow workers.

I used to envision the workplace bully as the overbearing, finger in the face, downright mean supervisor who towers over his or her cringing victim, shouting and pacing, cutting the poor soul off at the knees, only to be left in a mass of quivering fear and loathing. For some, that might still be true, but the workplace bully nowadays takes on many different personas, and their tactics are sometimes anything but overt. Take for example the co-workers who hoards information, only to play a game of "gotcha" (usually in public) in order to humiliate you. Ever happened to you? Has to me. Or what about the bully who shows one face to the outside world, but with coworkers is overbearing, manipulative, gossip mongering, or back stabbing. Perhaps that person is that way with only one or two others -- seeking out the new employees, the weaker or more timid employees, or the ones who could be a professional threat. These covert ops are probably the most damaging.

The cost of bullying is almost incalculable. Not only do employees experience emotional stress any physical symptoms (there have been some documented cases of suicide), but the employer faces lost productivity, sabotage, turnover, and a host of other indicators of low morale. And what happens to the bully? I have seen bullies go about their merry way, leaving bodies in their wake, an NO ONE stands up to them. It is a head scratcher.

I'd like to hear some of your stories. Have you experienced bully behavior on your job? Did you leave because of it? Did you or your manager try to address it? Was it your manager? Did you find any type of intervention that actually worked? My research is a work in progress, and will reach far beyond finishing this course in 7 weeks. It is a subject that has captured my interest for a long time -- ever since I was first thrown under the bus by my first bully .... I'll tell you about that next time.

You can reach me at enthoosed@hrenthusiast.com

For more information, check out the Workplace Bullying Institute.