By Emily Baucum, OzarksFirst.com
We’ve all had hard-to-please bosses, but what do you do when your boss’ behavior is abusive?
A bully boss is not someone who is pushing you to do your best. It’s someone who is always right, always needs to win and makes personal attacks.
It boils down to a power struggle. Here’s how you can take control.
Jill Elliston says she loves being a nurse, but hated going to work.
“A nurse I knew was recently let go of her job because her employer was demanding that she work a lot of hours off the clock,” Elliston says.
She left her job, a decision psychologist Rita Westermann says 84% of people with bully bosses make.
“In the great majority of cases, really the only valid thing to do is to leave, unfortunately,” Westermann says.
But why hang it up when there’s no guarantee you’ll get another shot?
“In today’s economy, this problem is even worse because we all know if you have a job right now, you’ve got something,” Westermann says.
That’s why Elliston felt “powerless,” she says.
They have a lot of books in this office, but there are actually no laws on the books in the United States dealing with workplace bullying.
“See if your workplace has a harassment policy, a general harassment policy,” Westermann says.
After that research, she recommends taking action.
“Going above your boss’ head,” Westermann says. “Have someone either on your boss’ level or above your boss’ level confront that behavior.”
Office politics may make employees afraid.
“Afraid that people will retaliate,” Elliston says.
But Westermann says when your work is under a microscope.
“This costs the workplace billions of dollars in lost productivity, absenteeism, increased healthcare costs,” she says.
Elliston turned her negative experience into a positive.
“I don’t want the eggs in one basket anymore,” she says.
She didn’t want a carbon copy of her last boss, so now she’s in charge.
“Definitely is an empowering feeling,” Elliston says.
She’s training to be a legal nurse consultant.
“If people are sitting at home frightened, scared to death to go into work tomorrow, there is something that they can do tonight,” Elliston says.
Westermann says there is always going to be another job, but you can’t replace your health.
If leaving your job is just not a possibility, she suggests seeing a therapist or confiding in someone who is not a coworker.
A lot of people may think they’re alone in this, but actually a lot of people deal with bully bosses.
If you’re in this situation, we’ve put together a list of websites that can help you out.
http://nojobisworththis.com
http://www.mobbing-usa.com
http://www.innovations-training.com
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Anonymous
May 1, 2012 at 9:36 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
My bully boss, it is exactly as it was described above, she is the best, & allways is right, she is a lier, has the position because i don’t know how she get a colege degree, maybe she paid for it, always say she was in the navy, & nothing is real, and my question is when she’ll get fired
Amber
September 26, 2011 at 11:55 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Hi I’m currently working as a cashier and I love my job as odd as that might sound but I love talking to the people, seeing what they by and around holiday time asking about Thanksgiving with the family? or asking little kids about Christmas and such. But there is one lady at work who constantly seems to give me trouble. Shes the manager of the department and it is a well known fact that she doesn’t like me, but shes friends with the store managers. Shes belittled me infront of collegues and customers and to other collegues called me such nasty names that I feel bed repeating them. I have done nothing to this woman and tried to going to the Union rep or our store and nothing has come of it.
I fear going to work each day and get physically sick sometimes, I am looking for another job with very little luck. I got injured in the store a few months back and can not work more then a five hour shift as per doctors and specilist orders on my injured ankle. She contantly gives me eight hour shifts and I’m left struggling to swap my shifts or loose hours in my store.
she picks on a few others too but so far I am the only one to take action (with little results) by going to the union. I am dealing with a smart bully here. I could use a few suggestions while looking for another job. thanks.
49 Of the Worst Bosses Ever and Some Advice in Dealing with Them | PaydayLoans.org
June 22, 2010 at 3:44 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
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