Bad Economy and Modern Workplaces are Breeding ‘Ruthless’ Bullies

by Sep 24, 2015

Nearly every organization is striving hard to remain on top of competition or to stay afloat in today’s challenging economy. But given the uncertainty and fluctuations in the global economy, it has also created the perfect conditions for workplace bullying to become ‘ruthless,’ according to an expert.

Linda Crocket, Executive Director of Alberta Bullying Research, Resources & Recover and workplace bullying expert, said that employees nowadays are worried about company cutbacks, as well as fears that they may lose their jobs. These thoughts are creating an environment that is filled with “paranoia and competition,” explained Crocket, wherein people are becoming more “ruthless” in order to get what they want. The worrying thing is that most of these ruthless employees are getting away with their behavior.

Moreover, these ruthless employees turn into work place bullies. However, some of the bullying may not be as evident as one would think. In extreme cases, it may involve shouting, harassment or physical confrontations. Although, at times, it’s in the simple or common things such as excluding a co-worker or a subordinate from an email communication or probably a meeting.  What’s apparent is that the competition and high levels of stress in the workplace increases the chances of bullying to happen in the organization.

To read more about the subject, click here to read the full article.

Incivility, bullying, and harassment occur because the culture allows them to. Before starting inclusivity initiatives, you’ve got to stop bad behavior. Take this assessment to determine if your workplace fosters a positive culture.

 

Catherine

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500s to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author, and blogger and has 60+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning. Her fourth book, Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies (Wiley), is available in all major bookstores and where audiobooks are sold.

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