Recession Leads to Workplace Bullying
The current economic storm may lead to an increase in aggressive and underhand behaviour in the workplace in order to survive. Bullying by colleagues and bosses is often rife during a recession. Is this the best way to keep your job?
During times of recession there is often an increase in workplace bullying. The perpetrators can be co-workers or those in senior positions. During the downturn of the early 1990’s, there were reports in the United States that behaviours such as backstabbing reached an all-time high.
Bullying by Co-Workers
When people are worried about being made redundant, they will try to discredit others to protect their own job. This might include implying to management that colleagues are not particularly competant or productive. Ideas put forward by co-workers may be undermined or dismissed. Important information is sometimes deliberately witheld. Cliques sometimes develop where a certain group unite and by excluding non-clique members, power is gained by the group.
Bullying by Managers
There are some managers who view an economic downturn as the perfect opportunity to gain more control over their subordinates. Taking advantage of the fact that people are concerned about downsizing and job losses, unpopular changes to working conditions can be put in place. In the midst of a recession, workers can be more reluctant to conflict with their boss. This leads them to concede to unreasonable demands.
Are Aggressive Tactics the Best Way to Survive?
In a well structured organisation which has highly capable managers, bullying will not increase even in the harshest of economic conditions. In order to ride the economic storm, both management and employees have to increase their level of co-operation. Pulling together as a team can sometimes be the key to survival.
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Post CommentBen Leichtling
On May 12, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Great post Paula,
I’d only add that the worst problem will be a dramatic increase in negative self-talk that I call “self-bullying.” Your inner voices will make dire predictions of the future, tell you that you’re helpless in the grip of huge forces beyond your control and predict that, no matter how hard you try, you’ll inevitable fail. Your supercritical inner voices will try to stress, depress and discourage you, and make you give up. Your inner voices, full of self-questioning and self-doubt, can erode your self-esteem and self-confidence, destroy your hope and immobilize you.
Self-bullying is the most destructive form of bullying because it saps your will to overcome your circumstances. Self-bullying can rob you of your determination, courage, strength and skill. With those voices shouting or whispering in your ear, it’s impossible to gather yourself and make consistent, focused effort. If you let fear and self-bullying destroy your strength and will, you won’t have the right stuff, you won’t do the right thing and the economic tide will pull you under.
Find a great coach or therapist to guide you in the inner work necessary to convert those voices into effective coaches. Do things that keep your spirits up and your backbone strong.
Emerson was right when he said, “What lies behind us and lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”
Disclosure: I’m a practical, pragmatic coach and consultant, and author of, “How to Stop Bullies in their Tracks” and “Eliminate the High Cost of Low Attitudes.” Check out my website and blog at BulliesBeGone (http://www.BulliesBeGone.com).