The Feeling of Being Marginalized at Work: Either a Product of Bullying or a Certain Work Culture

by Nov 3, 2015

At times, employees may experience the feeling of being marginalized for reasons of performance. This feeling takes place when one sees that everyone is working together, and that the group may seem to be productive and is functioning well without himself. Or sometimes, one finds himself assigned tasks far below his skill and experience levels, and notice that his contributions are being simplified. This may point out a lack of civility training programs, or could simply a personal issue.

With these situations, some employees wonder whether they are being bullied or simply are incompetent enough to be secluded out. At times, one may just need an assertiveness training. Such concern may be remedied by addressing one’s concerns to a superior or to a sympathetic colleague. One should be able to point out his problem about his performance and ask for concrete suggestions for improvement.

However, if one receives vague, unrelated answers; then maybe he is either being bullied or trapped in a culture of expectations defined by subjective traits and soft skills. The first speculation is with malice, but the second one clearly points out that managers in such organization are simply incapable of critiquing what they cannot quantify. This just shows that they lack civility at work.

In addition, if such feeling of being dysfunctional as opposed to a group persists in different settings other than the workplace, then one may be needing a help of a counselor for assistance. One may be having problems which need a negative behaviors consultant.

Click here to read the full article.

 

Let’s create a plan to build a positive workplace! | Invite Catherine to speak

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.

My Director of Operations Can Be Your Director of Operations

Since I often hear from my audience and followers that they wish they could come work for me, I’m giving you the next best thing—my most trusted team member. It is with a whole lot of bittersweetness that I’m sharing this with you: Rebecca Del Secco, who has been with...

Is Training Enough? 6 Signs Your Company Needs Culture Consulting

Your company invested in training. Employees attended the workshop, passed the quiz, and checked every box. Yet a few weeks later, managers are still dodging difficult conversations, departments are still pointing fingers, and good employees are still heading for the...

4 Ways HR and Leaders Can Address Political Tension at Work

Your employees may disagree about politics. They still need to finish a project together by Thursday. And with the November 3 midterm elections just days away, now is a good time to prepare for the conversations that could follow your employees into meetings, group...

How to De-Escalate Tense Conversations at Work: The 3-Step ART Method for Leaders

Is there a conversation on your calendar this week you’re not looking forward to? Maybe you need to address someone’s behavior, explain an unpopular decision, or sit down with two employees who have apparently decided that making each other miserable is now part of...

5 Best Culture Consulting Firms to Consider and How to Choose the Right Partner

Your company values say “respect.” Your employees would like to know when that takes effect. A company can offer impressive benefits, display inspirational slogans, and call its people its greatest asset while tolerating behavior that sends those same people straight...

Your Employees Aren’t Resistant to Change. Here Are 5 Things They Need to Navigate It

When employees struggle with change, organizations love to reach for a convenient diagnosis: They’re resistant… or they don’t want to learn the new system, they aren’t embracing the new strategy, they keep asking questions leadership thought they already answered, or...

Gallup 2026: Disengagement Hits COVID Levels & What to Do About It

According to Gallup’s 2026 Report, global levels of engagement now match the level we hit in 2020, when only 20% of the global workforce was engaged at work. And that drop “cost the world economy approximately $10 trillion in lost productivity, or 9% of GDP.” Gallup...

3 Reasons Gen Z Is Ghosting Employers and How to Fix It

Search “Gen Z in the workplace” and you’ll find plenty of complaints. You’ll find results like, "They're entitled," "They don’t want to work," "They quit too quickly," "They won’t pick up the phone," and “They accept interviews and don’t show up." Some even accept job...

Do You Want to Share Your Expertise With Civility Partners’ Audience?

Do you have a perspective, idea, or area of expertise that HR professionals and leaders need to hear? We’re opening guest opportunities for professionals who can bring fresh thinking and practical value to the Civility Partners community. There are two ways to join...

AI Could Kill Humans in the Next Decade?? Leaders, Here Are 4 Things You Can Do Now

There are headlines you read, shake your head at, and move on from. Then there are headlines like this one: AI could kill all humans within the next decade. It sounds like the plot of a sci-fi movie. Some of the people raising these concerns are building the...