reflecting on our experiences
Losses
Targets of on-the-job psychological abuse:
Suffer from damage to their psychological and physical health
Frequently lose their jobs, careers, and means of livelihood and face serious financial consequences
Lose or endure strains to their personal relationships
In the worst case scenario, employers drive targets to suicide when they direct the violence experienced at work to themselves and lose hope for a way out. In recent years, workplace suicides have increased dramatically, rising 39 percent between 2000 and 2019 according to the Guardian, and toxic work cultures may play a significant role in the rise.
Others who lose:
- Family and friends lose a beloved spouse, parent, sibling, child, or friend to physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral problems, and in some cases, death, whether because of poor health or suicide. Family members particularly bear the brunt of pent-up rage, shame, hostility, and hopelessness or suffer from neglect when the target withdraws.
- Witnesses to workplace bullying experience the same health difficulties as targets. Their problems are less intense, but one-quarter of witnesses experience moderate to severe stress, according to a Brandeis University report.
- Employers face negative impact, too – diminished morale, lower productivity, damage to reputation or brand, increased sick time, employee turnover, and higher legal costs. American corporations alone are said to lose billions of dollars annually because of workplace abuse.
SHARE YOUR LOSSES
Do these losses resonate with you? Share it anonymously on our memorial wall.
SHARE YOUR Story
In one page, tell us the following:
- Field/industry you were in and what you did for work
- How the bullying began, the tactics used, and how it escalated
- How your employer handled or did not handle the situation
- If discrimination and bias were a factor in the bullying. Include information about your identity or identities – age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, class, education, etc.
- Impact the bullying had on you and your loved ones and on your organization
- Any action you are taking to fight workplace bullying
- Importance of legislation to you personally
- Advice for others dealing with workplace bullying
Email it to us at info@endworkplaceabuse.com.
SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Sources:
https://www.brandeis.edu/faculty-senate/ongoing-work/dignity-at-work/pdfs/dignity-at-work-task-torce-final-report-with-proposals-april22-2019.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/27/us-workplace-suicide-rates-pandemic
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380603/
https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/purduetoday/releases/2022/Q1/workplace-bullying-takes-an-emotional,-physical-toll-support-is-in-place-to-help.html
https://transportation.wv.gov/highways/training/TrainingDocuments/Bullying%20In%20The%20Workplace%20Training%20Manual%20With%20Quiz%20Sheet.pdf
https://workplacebullying.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Full-Report.pdfhttps://workplacebullying.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Full-Report.pdf