"It is Sunday evening and you wonder where the weekend went. The thought of going to work is making you feel sick to your stomach. You are calling in sick more often and dreading to go into work on Monday morning. For me, I would wake up in the morning and vomit or have hard dry heaves that left my stomach feeling turned inside out. One morning I experienced chest pains severe enough that I went to the emergency room. Though medical tests revealed that I wasn't having a heart attack, the ER doctor advised me to see a cardiologist.
Is your blood pressure too high? Are you experiencing headaches, stomach aches and/or bouts of diarrhea? Grinding your teeth at night? Or maybe you just can't sleep as you lay awake replaying an incident at work over and over in your mind? Do you feel exhausted and depressed from the oppressive atmosphere at work and the way you are being treated? You may be experiencing workplace bullying, a highly toxic experience that can tear your entire life apart.
At work you may notice your manager or even co-workers may be treating you differently than other workers. Someone may be watching when you arrive at work, how long you take breaks and what time you leave work. You may find you are given more and more work to do and what seems like impossible deadlines. Or you may find that the work projects that normally came your way are being passed on to someone else. You notice your co-workers going to meetings that you aren't told about. When you ask for the same training opportunities offered to others in the office, you are denied; the information necessary to do your job is withheld.
You may discover that someone else is taking credit for the work you did. No matter how hard you work, and you know you are doing the best job possible, you are told, either directly or indirectly, that it is not good enough...implying YOU are not good enough! You may find you are being reprimanded for incidental things that your coworkers do every day. You are afraid to speak up and say anything in fear you may be written up for insubordination or you may be accused of not being a team player.
Your supervisor may be in your face, yelling at your while others at work are being told not to talk to you. There are rules that apply to you but not to others in your office. You find that everything you do or say is being scrutinized. You feel isolated and alone as your career takes a dive. When you complain to management the situation worsens. You ask for a transfer and the transfer is denied. WORK SHOULDN'T HURT!"
California Healthy Workplace Advocates would like to thank the member who wrote this biography of experiences. If any of this is happening to you, please join our grass roots movement to pass a law to correct and prevent workplace bullying! Thankyou
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Workplace Bullying- Arnold slipped this one in...
BUDGET CONTAINING OFFSHORE DRILLING LANGUAGE GOT PAST US...
California Governor Arnold slipped this one over on us. Because fur was flying during the budget process, few noticed that off-shore drilling would be used to drum up the money needed to balance our goofed up political system. Would this kind of politics be considered a form or workplace bullying?
Wonder if Arnold has ever read Faust? He’s selling state cars with his signature on them. Wonder if he will sign his soul when he sells that too? Or maybe he already has.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/20/ED2M18S3UU.DTL
California Governor Arnold slipped this one over on us. Because fur was flying during the budget process, few noticed that off-shore drilling would be used to drum up the money needed to balance our goofed up political system. Would this kind of politics be considered a form or workplace bullying?
Wonder if Arnold has ever read Faust? He’s selling state cars with his signature on them. Wonder if he will sign his soul when he sells that too? Or maybe he already has.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/20/ED2M18S3UU.DTL
Dealing with Workplace Bullying is passed to the next generation...
As quoted by Associated Press writer, Philip Elliot, on news.yahoo.com yesterday, "WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is telling the nation's oldest civil rights organization that government, families, and neighborhoods must work together to improve communities."
Did you know that on July, 2008, the NAACP National Convention proposed a resolution that (#15 Workplace Bullying) Resolved: That NAACP Units at all levels will seek legislation at all appropriate levels to deem workplace bullying illegal."? The resolution was adopted (see bullyfreeworkplace.org under News Articles 2006-2008 to read the entire article). THANK YOU!
What legacy are we leaving our future generations if we continue to take NO ACTION to correct and prevent bullying in the workplace? We are doing the same thing we are objecting to in corporate America. We are colluding with the bullies! I am referring to the collective "We" since many of us are working diligently to get the Healthy Workplace Bill passed into law.
Once again, I am going to post a paragraph submitted to California Healthy Workplace Advocates by email today. This comes in from a member of the 30 something generation:
"My experience with working for a corporation is that a law has to be put into place in order for the business to adhere to providing a fair work environment. There will always be bullies; it's human nature. But bullying in the workplace is unfair and can only be controlled if a business fears legal and/or financial consequences of the behavior elicited by the bully. I generally see a lot of reactive behavior in lieu of proactive awareness. Labor laws eliminate that choice and encourage organizations to follow the laws."
THANK YOU for this submission, this objective and insightful paragraph, and permission to publish it! California Healthy Workplace Advocates next meeting is this coming Saturday, July 25th in Sacramento (see website for time and location). Please join our grassroots movement in our mission to pass a law to correct and prevent workplace bullying!
Did you know that on July, 2008, the NAACP National Convention proposed a resolution that (#15 Workplace Bullying) Resolved: That NAACP Units at all levels will seek legislation at all appropriate levels to deem workplace bullying illegal."? The resolution was adopted (see bullyfreeworkplace.org under News Articles 2006-2008 to read the entire article). THANK YOU!
What legacy are we leaving our future generations if we continue to take NO ACTION to correct and prevent bullying in the workplace? We are doing the same thing we are objecting to in corporate America. We are colluding with the bullies! I am referring to the collective "We" since many of us are working diligently to get the Healthy Workplace Bill passed into law.
Once again, I am going to post a paragraph submitted to California Healthy Workplace Advocates by email today. This comes in from a member of the 30 something generation:
"My experience with working for a corporation is that a law has to be put into place in order for the business to adhere to providing a fair work environment. There will always be bullies; it's human nature. But bullying in the workplace is unfair and can only be controlled if a business fears legal and/or financial consequences of the behavior elicited by the bully. I generally see a lot of reactive behavior in lieu of proactive awareness. Labor laws eliminate that choice and encourage organizations to follow the laws."
THANK YOU for this submission, this objective and insightful paragraph, and permission to publish it! California Healthy Workplace Advocates next meeting is this coming Saturday, July 25th in Sacramento (see website for time and location). Please join our grassroots movement in our mission to pass a law to correct and prevent workplace bullying!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Submitted today by a target for your review...
"I have been targeted by my supervisors. My story is a painful one, as I imagine, are yours. I have been forced to defend myself by going intermittendly to my union representative, who has been a blessing. I have also resolved to educate myself, which I am doing behind closed doors. Any knowledge I accumulate, whether about correctional healthcare or about management in general, or about bullies co-existing with them, serves to make the bullies around me more insecure. My every move infuriates her.
I personally/professionally feel that workplace bullying has a trickle down effect. Frustration, depression, anger, resentment, etc. experienced by parents in the workplace is witnessed by children and re-enacted in a painful cycle on the schoolyard playground. History repeats itself. I am concerned that the increase in child suicide is linked to workplace bullying, and schoolyard bullying, and hatecrimes.
...I am deeply committed to doing whatever else I can to help. I am a passionate and hard worker. When I set my mind to do something it gets done. Count on it."
Thank you to this courageous person for permission to use this submission. California Healthy Workplace Advocates is committed to preserving the anonymity of our members, i.e., "The names have been changed to protect the innocent", just like the old TV show, Dragnet. Please join us in promoting legislation to help establish a bully-free environment at work for ALL of us by passing a law to correct and prevent bullying in the workplace.
I personally/professionally feel that workplace bullying has a trickle down effect. Frustration, depression, anger, resentment, etc. experienced by parents in the workplace is witnessed by children and re-enacted in a painful cycle on the schoolyard playground. History repeats itself. I am concerned that the increase in child suicide is linked to workplace bullying, and schoolyard bullying, and hatecrimes.
...I am deeply committed to doing whatever else I can to help. I am a passionate and hard worker. When I set my mind to do something it gets done. Count on it."
Thank you to this courageous person for permission to use this submission. California Healthy Workplace Advocates is committed to preserving the anonymity of our members, i.e., "The names have been changed to protect the innocent", just like the old TV show, Dragnet. Please join us in promoting legislation to help establish a bully-free environment at work for ALL of us by passing a law to correct and prevent bullying in the workplace.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Whose responsibility is workplace bullying?
I'm still processing the broadcast on yesterday's TODAY show on NBC, available to see at
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#31904004
Whose responsibility is it to provide a safe and healthy workplace? The employer
Whose responsibility is it to reign in the bully's behavior? The bully
Who are often people targeted for workplace bullying? The brightest and the best
Why are they targeted? Their competence and accomplishment present a threat to the bully
WE DO NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG TO INVITE WORKPLACE BULLYING!
Yes, I've read and heard, "You should not disagree with management", or, "Don't rock the boat". But who would have dreamed that expressing ideas, questioning the way things are done, or just being good at what you do would invite workplace bullying?
One of the best quotes I ever heard was from John Bradshaw, author of Healing the Shame that Binds You. To quote as I recall, he said, "Unquestionable authority stopped at the Nuramberg Trials". Does anyone remember all those who tried to evade responsiblity for their actions by saying they just followed orders? Need I say more??
Please join our grassroots movement to promote legislation into law to correct and prevent workplace bullying. Go to http://www.bullyfreeworkplace.org/ to learn more.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#31904004
Whose responsibility is it to provide a safe and healthy workplace? The employer
Whose responsibility is it to reign in the bully's behavior? The bully
Who are often people targeted for workplace bullying? The brightest and the best
Why are they targeted? Their competence and accomplishment present a threat to the bully
WE DO NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG TO INVITE WORKPLACE BULLYING!
Yes, I've read and heard, "You should not disagree with management", or, "Don't rock the boat". But who would have dreamed that expressing ideas, questioning the way things are done, or just being good at what you do would invite workplace bullying?
One of the best quotes I ever heard was from John Bradshaw, author of Healing the Shame that Binds You. To quote as I recall, he said, "Unquestionable authority stopped at the Nuramberg Trials". Does anyone remember all those who tried to evade responsiblity for their actions by saying they just followed orders? Need I say more??
Please join our grassroots movement to promote legislation into law to correct and prevent workplace bullying. Go to http://www.bullyfreeworkplace.org/ to learn more.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Review of TODAY Show on Workplace Bullying
NBC's TODAY SHOW once again exposed the problem of workplace bullying on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, successfully featuring Colleen Robinson, a coordinator of the Illinois Healthy Workplace Advocates. Not since May 23, 2005, has TODAY acknowledged the Workplace Bullying Institute as the nation's leading source of research on work abuse. The announcer said that 1 in every 8 workers was targeted by workplace bullying. Oddly, the study quoted, the WBI-Zogby poll of 2007, tells us that 37%, or one in every 3+ workers are targeted in the US at sometime in their careers. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31904004#31904004)
Unfortunately, TODAY's career expert offered naive advice for targets of workplace bullying. She suggested,
"You need to stand up for yourself." (you'll likely get fired because we do not yet have a law against status-blind work abuse.)
"Bullies go after the weak." (Only weak people get targeted? Targets are statistically INDEPENDENT, COMPETENT, SOCIALLY ADEPT, and ETHICAL WHISTLEBLOWERS.)
"It's about power." (Yea, that's why 72% of bullies are bosses!)
"They're going to go after someone else." (You may be traumatized by witnessing other's abuse.)
On this highest-rated television morning news and talk show, the topic of workplace bullying is covered once or twice a year. Because of the good work of WBI and Healthy Workplace Advocates, the tone used has become much more empathetic to our slowly-recognized problem of workplace bullying
In 2005, TODAY anchor, Matt Lauer, displayed a somewhat antagonistic attitude about the subject. He interviewed Dr. Gary Namie in the studio and seemed to question the very existence of workplace bullying with the typical attitude of denial given to an abuse long ignored by our society. Perhaps Lauer himself has been impacted by various controversies historically surrounding employees of TODAY, the third, longest running daytime TV program. (See Wikipedia" TODAY Show)
More likely, our culture is finally evolving and awakening to the issue of work abuse and it's high cost to our society. Thanks to the Workplace Bullying Institute's legislative campaign for the Healthy Workplace Bill, our words are out there: Workplace Bullying does indeed exist and does indeed destroy lives at an enormous cost to our communities. THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW!
Join our grassroots movement at www.bullyfreeworkplace.org
Unfortunately, TODAY's career expert offered naive advice for targets of workplace bullying. She suggested,
"You need to stand up for yourself." (you'll likely get fired because we do not yet have a law against status-blind work abuse.)
"Bullies go after the weak." (Only weak people get targeted? Targets are statistically INDEPENDENT, COMPETENT, SOCIALLY ADEPT, and ETHICAL WHISTLEBLOWERS.)
"It's about power." (Yea, that's why 72% of bullies are bosses!)
"They're going to go after someone else." (You may be traumatized by witnessing other's abuse.)
On this highest-rated television morning news and talk show, the topic of workplace bullying is covered once or twice a year. Because of the good work of WBI and Healthy Workplace Advocates, the tone used has become much more empathetic to our slowly-recognized problem of workplace bullying
In 2005, TODAY anchor, Matt Lauer, displayed a somewhat antagonistic attitude about the subject. He interviewed Dr. Gary Namie in the studio and seemed to question the very existence of workplace bullying with the typical attitude of denial given to an abuse long ignored by our society. Perhaps Lauer himself has been impacted by various controversies historically surrounding employees of TODAY, the third, longest running daytime TV program. (See Wikipedia" TODAY Show)
More likely, our culture is finally evolving and awakening to the issue of work abuse and it's high cost to our society. Thanks to the Workplace Bullying Institute's legislative campaign for the Healthy Workplace Bill, our words are out there: Workplace Bullying does indeed exist and does indeed destroy lives at an enormous cost to our communities. THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW!
Join our grassroots movement at www.bullyfreeworkplace.org
Monday, July 13, 2009
See Workplace Bullying on TODAY SHOW 8am Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Special alert! The NBC morning TODAY SHOW is to air a special segment on Workplace Bullying with Collene Robinson, an Illinois Healthy Workplace Advocate on Tuesday, July 14th at 8am. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about this incidious phenomenon, a national disgrace that continues to run rampant through all levels of business.
Join our grassroots movement to pass legislation to correct and prevent workplace bullying! Contact us directly at www.bullyfreeworkplace.org to learn more.
Join our grassroots movement to pass legislation to correct and prevent workplace bullying! Contact us directly at www.bullyfreeworkplace.org to learn more.
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