Abuse in the workplace is a problem and can have a substantial negative impact on employees. Abuse is a broad term for a number of experiences that an employee may face at work. There are things that managers can do to help identify and eliminate abuse in their workplaces.
Explained
Workplace abuse affects both men and women. It comprises five different categories, including threats and bribes, isolation and exclusion, verbal aggression, disrespectful behaviors and physical aggression, as Jaimee Marsh and colleagues explain in a study published in "Journal of Occupational Health" in 2009.
Effects
Employees who are abused at work have a difficult time. They often dread going to work every day and are left in a state of confusion as to why they cannot defend themselves, as discussed by Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik and colleagues in September 2007 in the "Journal of Management Studies." Employees who experience workplace abuse have been found to experience more stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health problems than employees who have not been victimized, as Marsh and colleagues cite.
Prevalence
About one quarter of employees revealed being abused at work, as mentioned by Marsh and colleagues. They also note that women are more susceptible to abuse than men and the outcomes are worse on women. Specifically, they are more likely to experience negative impacts on health and social relationships. Women of color are even more at risk for such negative outcomes, especially when they have positions of higher rank and are in positions that do not fit stereotypical roles, as the researchers explain.
Identification
Researchers have used questionnaire items to assess workplace bullying. Specifically, the items ask participants to explain how often they have engaged in different behaviors that would qualify as workplace abuse, as Marsh and colleagues outline. The statements include "There have been occasions when I took advantage of someone," "I sometimes try to get even rather than forgive and forget," and "No matter who I'm talking to, I'm always a good listener." These are areas that managers can be mindful of to determine if abuse is occurring in their workplaces.
Types
Workplace bullying is a type of abuse in the workplace that is distinguished from regular impoliteness by a longer duration, greater frequency, greater intensity and some type of power disparity, as explained by Lutgen-Sandvik and colleagues. Essentially, bullying is much more severe than typical gripes at work and is exerted on those in lesser positions of power within a company. This can, for example, be a supervisor of a group of employees abusing his power to isolate and demoralize his subordinates. The employee doing the bullying constantly offends the victim, creating a hostile work environment, as discussed by Lutgen-Sandvik and colleagues. The researchers also explain that workplace abuse can exist in the form of sexual harassment, which involves unwanted sexual advance towards an employee.
References
- "Journal of Management Studies"; Burned by Bullying in the American Workplace: Prevalence, Perception, Degree and Impact; Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik, Sarah J. Tracy & Jess K. Alberts; September 2007
- "Journal of Occupational Health"; Prevalence of Workplace Abuse and Sexual Harassment Among Female Faculty and Staff; Jaimee Marsh et al., 2009
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