Bullying a reality in US cos

[OhioChick]

3 Sep 2007
WASHINGTON: Nearly half of working Americans said they suffered or witnessed workplace bullying, including verbal abuse, job sabotage or destruction of workplace relationships, according to a new survey.

And 37% or 54 million employees, questioned in the online poll said they are being or have been bullied at some point in their working life.

"It's our version of competition, it's interpersonal competition, and it's destructive," Gary Namie, the director of the Workplace Bullying Institute in Bellingham, Washington, which conducted the poll with Zogby Interactive. Namie suggested it happens because bullying behaviour is not illegal in the United States.

"They tolerate it, as long as it produces results for Wall Street. That's why about 40% of the victims leave voluntarily," he added in an interview.

In the long term, unpleasant work environments lead to high turnover and litigation for companies, and stress, psychological or physical health problems for the victims, Namie added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bullying_a_reality_in_US_cos/articleshow/2332202.cms

[flashl]

1. Is it simply the unspoken survival law

in response to the notion of scarity?

[rhett o rick]

2. It's part of our sports mentality. We grow up watching sports where competition is no longer

the goal but dominance is. It's not enough that a basketball team simply play better but if you can dominate and humiliate, all the better. In-your-face slam dunking is intended to humiliate the opponent. Football is all about bullying and humiliation. End zone dances are mocking. Brain damage is the goal in boxing and pro wrestling is all about dominance and humiliation.

We often say, "May the best team win." and not, "Let's have a safe and fun game."

This same mentality leads dummies to say, "We must stay in Iraq until we win." How juvenile.

[bvar22]

4. I remember a time when it wasn't like that.

There was a concept called "Sportsmanship".

Sometimes I'm glad I'm old.

[rhett o rick]

5. Yes, I am old enough to remember too. Pro Sports are dead to me. nm

[Demeter]

3. It's the American Way

And women are really good at doing it to other women, too. Not so good with men, though.

[Briar]

6. Not just America

Bullying is just another name for imposing authority on inferiors. Making society orderly and obedient and well-behaved. The military does it big time, but all other institutions do it too. School is really a mechanism for teaching kids how to bully (bullies at school generally do well in later life: become managers and sergeants and so on) or how to not be bullied by conforming and joining the bullies' gangs. It's called socialisation. Only bleeding heart liberals, do-gooders and lily-livered pacifists object, and free speech bullies know how to frame them as losers.

[dsc]

7. I think teachers do tend to have it easier in this regard

I did get outed at one job sight by an ass but I really don't think he was trying to be mean but he did do it.

[pathansen]

8. Yes, I've experienced this at last job

I was a legal secretary and the legal assistant constantly gave me grief I think because she was competing against me and wanted me out so that her best friend could return.
There was a distinct double standard: Even though I never abused these privileges, I was not allowed to even make emergency phone calls except at lunch time while she would certainly do so, even go upstairs and take naps. Had to report to her before I was allowed to leave every day. Once I called in sick and she was calling my home, checking up on me even though I didn't even get sick pay. Then she started giving me very menial tasks to do or forcing me to do 4 large tasks at once along with deadlines.
There were many other examples of bullying. The worst part was the way she would talk to me, totally shaming, humiliating over every trivial thing or nothing at all. I was trying to find another job but not much out there.
This woman seemed to have a great deal of clut because she had been there for 25 years and everyone seemed afraid of her. No HR to report problems to.
Then she would repeatedly lie about me to the boss and others to the point where she finally got me fired. Our Boss suddenly told me to get my things and leave immediately without any warning or giving me a chance to defend myself whatsoever. But I honestly cannot think of a single thing I did wrong, always did exactly what I was told to do and never faught back because I was afraid she would get me fired, but it happened anyway.

After I left, the abuse still didn't end. I found out that she was lying about my employment verification, claiming that I only worked there for 9 months instead of 1 year and 9 months.

Anyway, I just need to let off some steam. It was a very upsetting experience but a great relief to get away from this bully.