Chapter 42 - “Treating” Employees to Abuse in the Workplace
Sarah Riforgiate & Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik
Synopsis
Having little work experience, Rachel wasn’t always sure how to understand or respond to the behaviors of Misty, the company president. While at times Misty went out of her way to treat employees to meals and gifts, she also was very demanding that work was completed to specifications. How Rachel and others felt and responded in the circumstances raises questions about communication applications in this type of workplace environment that the reader should be prepared to consider.
Keywords: Workplace Bullying, Employee Emotional Abuse, Destructive Leadership, Followership, Organizational Culture
Key Takeaways and Take a Stand Form
Key Takeaways
- Workplace bullying often defies logic by forcing victims and witnesses to attempt to make sense of normal workplace events juxtaposed with harsh incongruent behaviors.
- Employee Emotional Abuse, or workplace bullying, is the “repetitive, targeted, and destructive form of communication directed by more powerful members at work to those less powerful” (Lutgen-Sandvik, 2003, p. 472).
- Workplace bullying is far-reaching, impacting not only the target of bullying, but also co-workers who witness the abuse.
- Organizational policies and culture often contributes to the perpetuation of bullying.
- Power dynamics and reliance on work make it difficult for targets and employee witnesses to end the bullying cycle.
Take a Stand Form
- Take a Stand Form (DOC 20KB)