bully01
NOTE: This is a narrative of a workplace bullying case. Out of necessity, it has been made 'generic' and otherwise redacted.
What happened to (target's name redacted)?
Report to friends, family and co-workers past and present. (First edition dated 6 FEB O6)
Among the many facets of dealing with life experiences thrust upon an individual or a family is the need to express gratitude. Many in our community have taken time to inquire about the wellbeing of our family. Their interest in (target's name redacted)'s health was sincere, kind and very welcome. It is difficult to spell out all of the events over the past several months, not only because of content but also because of the quantity of information that should be provided even for the shortest accurate account. So at the outset we convey great thanks to those whom have been supportive. They helped to maintain our belief that the majority of people will and do care about each other at a time when people in (target's name redacted)'s workplace were demonstrating the opposite -- trying and succeeding in harming her.
Over the last several months we have been almost incommunicado. Many know that (target's name redacted) had been on short term disability since September (2005), but few know why. For those of you who don't know her, (target's name redacted) is my wife and 'one-and-only' for 32 years - yes we married directly out of high school. For those out on the web, we live in southern Wisconsin. It seems like a long story, but it is the most concise version; and you are urged to read the entire account.
This narrative won't carry all the details, because they are vast in scope and number. However, to be clear at the beginning of this report and avoid any perceptions otherwise, it must be understood that (target's name redacted) was physically injured during the course of the following events. This narrative is a nightmarish travelogue; the account of a workplace problem referred by one researcher as "America's dirty little secret."
A legacy of success
Anyone who knows (target's name redacted), knows she is and has been characterized as level-headed and could be a 'tough cookie.' Nine years USAF -a Vietnam era veteran - six years Air National Guard, and since then 24 successful years with (company name redacted) - now called (company name redacted) - a division of (company name redacted) that fabricates a variety of (type of product redacted) equipment here in Wisconsin for use around the world.. She has worked her way up from a hands-on technician to management at a significant level. She has held positions in a variety of modalities and significantly to many innovative projects so it is self-evident she has met a variety of life experiences and taken them in stride.. (She has maintained an affinity for the hands-on work - a farm girl originally - which may explain her successes in supervisory and management roles.)
Her first (company name redacted) supervisory position included a span of control that included 60 hourly direct reports, proving immediate successes such as collapsing two shifts to one which in turn cut costs. She then moved to supervision of 'non-exempt' technicians who fabricated (type of product redacted)s
While a program developer in the (type of product redacted) ((type of product redacted) Scanner modality, she founded and setup a system to refurbish equipment returned from lease but in storage waiting to be scrapped. The program became a system to make equipment operational and provide the newly refurbished equipment at a major discount to areas with limited means in the parts of the US and in less developed areas globally whose patients had greater limitations in income. Initially she made the business case by going on site where the equipment was in storage and physically assembling the workable components to prove viability of the project. While this equipment was originally costing the company in storage fees and was to be scrapped; that program instead has helped parts of the world in need and generated millions in unplanned revenue for the company.
She moved on to the (company name redacted) Institute, their global training facility. Again, with a good group of teaching engineers as direct reports supporting a vision, she helped develop new programs and more specific learning tools and products, while generating new revenue in an educational environment.
In her most recent assignment, she was hand-chosen to be part of an elite team to fix a department related to the installation of the equipment (company name redacted) that the company fabricates ((type of product redacted)s. (target's name redacted) has/had a reputation for being a problem solver.
It soon became apparent that this was clearly a department that didn't want to be fixed. After a good start, the leader of this team was transferred -- in an almost mysterious manner. And things got tough for the other team member who bailed out -- a smart thing to do.
Signs of problems
(target's name redacted) stayed in her position because this sort of thing - solving challenging problems - is what she has always done. So she decided to dig in and, along with her staff, continue to head toward solutions for this department. But then signs of unusual problems surfaced. Had she known that she was facing was a studied workplace issue, (target's name redacted) might not have been blind-sided. To explain in as succinct manner possible, the new manager of this department - (manager's name redacted) - began to take incredibly deceitful and insidious actions targeted at (target's name redacted) and her work. It would be found out later that he is a textbook example of a 'workplace bully.'
These are examples of repeated actions:
(manager's name redacted) pulled (target's name redacted) from distribution lists so org information didn't get to her, leaving her in the dark. He pulled her off of calendars, so she would miss meetings, then the manager would blame her for missing them.
(manager's name redacted) plagiarized her work, took credit for information if it worked out, but blamed her publicly if it was questioned.
He told her to scrap a program effort she had worked on for more than six months, discounting the effort as so much trash even though there was solid evidence that it would be a successful program tool to enhance that portion of the business.
Additionally, he put his name directly on her power point presentations, again taking credit unless someone questioned the materials - then he didn't hesitate to blame (target's name redacted).
He isolated her from other workers, both with regard to location physically and by use of calendars and schedules
She was regularly blamed by this manager for problems, outside complaints or issues that weren't remotely related to her work
More than once she was overlooked for accomplishments while others were being lauded in public or in meetings. Often someone not directly involved would immediately mention that her accomplishments should be recognized, too. (target's name redacted)'s manager would then silence and rebuke that person.
He criticized and blamed her for failed projects that had been assigned to others...
He baited her, misprepared/misinformed her and then purposely elicited incorrect responses from her in various settings (even though earlier she would have questioned the validity of the information)
He disallowed her from meeting with the people in the field for whom she was directly responsible. And she couldn't access detractors in the field whom her manager encouraged to resist and counter her program efforts.
(target's name redacted) was manager of her staff, yet (manager's name redacted) hired those people without (target's name redacted)'s input. He wrote or directed the disposition of their appraisals leaving (target's name redacted) out of the loop. He would assign tasks to her people directly, yet if they did sub-standard work (target's name redacted) was visibly blamed. He also diminished the number of people she had while multiplying the workload.
This is a just a sample of the list. Singularly these would only be signs of a bad boss. But there were additional types of occurrences each repeated multiple times. Every day was a series of new unknowns and unpredictable repeats of previous actions, reversals of actions and new incoming assaults from unknown directions. It wasn't until she was home on short-term disability that we discovered she had been the victim of a classic workplace bully. It isn't just a phenomenon limited to school playgrounds.
Studied in Europe for years, bullying in some research has also been called 'mobbing,' though still precipitated by an individual. In an article by Susan Dunn the workplace bully's behavior is described thus:
"Done by peers, subordinates and/or superiors, the goal is to force someone out using gossip, ostracism, intimidation, discreditation, humiliation, and just plain meanness.
The blame is projected on the victim, who, 'gas lighted,' becomes confused, has trouble perceiving correctly (that people could really do this), and accepts that he or she is incompetent, to blame, etc.
Additionally, in (target's name redacted)'s case there was a tangential 'perfect storm' situation her manager, (person's name redacted), took advantage of: The people in the general manager's ((person's name redacted)) and VP - (person's name redacted) - positions of her organization changed at nearly the same time he was put in place. (target's name redacted) and (person's name redacted) had a working relationship that went back years and he was supportive of her. Just prior tall of this (target's name redacted) had been given a glowing review, a pay increase and a significant promotion. During the ensuing year (manager's name redacted) came on board.
It was about the time of the next review period that coincided with - (person's name redacted)'s - departure to another position. As is the process, a book of completed reviews is presented to the departing VP for him to review and sign off. The timing of the signature by the subsequent VP when everyone else's was signed by (name redacted), along with other information, indicate that (target's name redacted)'s review was pulled from the book and was not even signed by the VP. That review was slanderous in that there was practically no truth and it said, one year after a promotion and a glowing review, that (target's name redacted) should be terminated. Obviously something that (name redacted)would never have believed. About this time the GM, (person's name redacted) departed as well and the lack of familiarity and exposure with the new leadership worked in (manager's name redacted)'s favor.
Stepping back for a moment: Immediately after giving this damaging appraisal the manager told (target's name redacted) that the next would be the same no matter what she did to try and remedy the matter, thereby insuring failure. He made it a point to tell her that he would not look for improvements prior to her next appraisal, and would begin writing the next year's appraisal immediately with the intent of terminating her.
This was bewildering, not only for the surprising account from a manager who'd only been in place for a short while, but because he provided no substantiation for his damaging comments. Among those she was blamed for poor performance on a task assigned to another person. (target's name redacted) has conveyed that the times she has had to give less than satisfactory appraisals to her direct reports over the years, she was required to have documented examples of areas or incidents in which the person needed to improve. None of this was done by her manager.
Shortly after the appraisal was delivered her manager snuck into her office and sneeringly whispered in her ear, "How's the job search going?"
All of this was within eight months of receiving a promotion and a pay raise via her former manager, and in the larger picture, after more than 20 years of appraisals that reflected success.
Later the leadership team's lack of familiarity with (target's name redacted) (with no apparent effort to check on the matter) gave them de facto permission to ignore her. They even ignored their management peer equivalents from other (company name redacted) businesses when one especially gallantly tried to advocate on (target's name redacted)'s behalf.
But the 'perfect storm' analogy ends with the change in general manager and VP. The actions taken by her immediate manager, (manager's name redacted), were far from coincidence and consisted of a purposed series of repeated assaults. Progressively all of her 'degrees of freedom' were removed, insuring few chances for success.
Business stressors have been no more than new challenges throughout (target's name redacted)'s work life. She maintained a reputation for solving problems and making the best creative decisions under stressful situations. Still, one doesn't expect anomalies to be purposely caused by an immediate manager.
However, when a person is under fire constantly, and the enemy is nameless, the next weapon is unknown, the direction from which the hits will come, the cause and frequency unpredictable and unidentified, one's adrenaline never stops flowing. Again, (target's name redacted) has thrived on solving issues rife with problems and taken related stress at work in stride, because, as she puts it, "... the route to success in much of the business world is one where half of the battle is identifying the issues and the other half is correcting them."
The situation became untenable, and the causes remained unidentified. Early in September, (target's name redacted) called a meeting with (manager's name redacted) and her immediate HR representative, Rochelle Grace. During the meeting her manager told (target's name redacted) to train a subordinate colleague - (person's name redacted) - to do her job so he could take her position. When she asked, "What about my position?" her manager replied, "I intend to terminate you."
Reiterated: The manager, (manager's name redacted), had been manufacturing reasons deemed performance issues to terminate (target's name redacted), yet was depending on her to train her replacement - (person's name redacted). This of course begged the question: If (target's name redacted) was too incompetent not only to hold the position, but also to be employed, how could she be considered competent enough to train her backfill and pass along all of those incompetent traits?
She was then hounded out of the office in tears by her manager. Those familiar with (target's name redacted) know this uncharacteristic reaction was an indicator of the stress to which she had been purposely subjected. The attending HR rep, (name redacted) did nothing to modify the issue except to yell after her that she needed to get approval if she was taking time off. (target's name redacted) immediately approached that HR person's manager - (person's name redacted) - who in turn recommended she seek help. Initial appearances indicated that the HR department had an interest in her wellbeing. She went out on medical leave 8 SEP 05 and her physician immediately recognized her health matters as work related, although (target's name redacted) had not told them that she thought the matter was necessarily due to any issues at work. She was medically advised with an order to 'not return to work' for repeated intervals and medical appointments over the first six week period.
When sabotage is camouflaged, and adrenaline is perpetually produced it dumps corticoids -- stress hormones -- on the brain and can cause a form of brain damage. In (target's name redacted)'s case it now requires her to take meds designed for victims of epilepsy. This is what happened to (target's name redacted). She will be taking meds for this the rest of her life, and now falls under ADA protection (more on that later). In addition she is dealing with and being treated for Prolonged Duress Stress Disorder (PDSD is the same as the DSM IV listing for Complex PTSD. However PDSD has been used as the term, because so many people only attribute PTSD to experiences in war or other similar trauma).
Had (target's name redacted) identified the source of the problems, she would have been able be aware of, to avoid, and possibly sought recourse to have the assaults stop. She would later express that one would expect a manager to be a person to protect one of their people from this sort of abuse as she had always done in managerial and supervisory roles; and one would almost never suspect that their own manager was the perpetrator.
Dr. Noreen Tehrani, a researcher dealing with soldiers returning from combat as well as victims of workplace bullying said:
The symptoms displayed by people who have been in (military) conflict situations and workplaces where bullying happens are strikingly similar. Both groups suffer nightmares, are jumpy and seem fueled by too much adrenaline.
Tehrani explained that the three primary signs of PTSD are hyper-arousal, a feeling of constant anxiety and over-vigilance; avoidance of anything to do with the traumatizing event(s); and re-experiencing, in which subjects suffer flashbacks or obsessive thoughts concerning the trauma. She added that this can be the result of exposure to both environments of conflict and those where workplace bullies are allowed exist and operate.
How could this happen?
From the beginning of her work life in the USAF working in non-traditional operational roles and certainly since, she has faced many tenuous stressors as have most that have set and achieved any upward goals.
Research focused the energy of frustration and yielded a discovery that workplace bullying is an issue of epidemic proportions in the US. It became apparent that she was dealing with a common but lesser known form of bullying that actually comprise the majority of cases. Intense study and discussions with experts and authors around the world provided a variety of eye-opening information. This served to identify the matter, a problem many bully victims face as a step in realizing that it isn't something for which they are at fault.
Linnea D McChord and John Richardson co-authored a Pepperdine University research report entitled “Are Workplace Bullies Sabotaging Your Ability to Compete?” It discusses a workplace bully's negative impact on the success of an entire business. In the article, they characterize the workplace bully in the following way:
Because bullies are cowards and are driven by deep-seated insecurities and fears of inadequacy, they intentionally wage a covert war against an organization's best employees - those who are highly-skilled, intelligent, creative, ethical, able to work well with others, and independent (who refuse to be subservient or controlled by others). Bullies can act alone or in groups. Bullying behavior can exist at any level of an organization. Bullies can be superiors, subordinates, co-workers and colleagues.
Much of the rest of the western industrialized world has general harassment or anti-bullying laws in place. Many countries of Western Europe along with Australia and New Zealand are among the world's leaders.
Equal employment/non-discrimination laws in the US, however, are very limited - sex, race, religion, disability, etc. BUT the discrimination or harassment has to be directly related to those protected categories. (e.g. A woman can't claim sexual or gender discrimination simply because there is an ongoing conflict with her boss, who happens to be a man. It must be proven that any negative treatment was happening specifically because of the woman's gender or that it was sexually abusive.) So if a boss simply doesn't like people with brown eyes, and makes the brown-eyed person's life hell - it's not breaking the law or considered discrimination.
Workplace 'bullying' as a name has little scientific aura compared to many syndromes and disorders. This is due mainly to the term's origins in the UK. But it is a perfectly adequate term as it is indeed an adult more sophisticated occupational version of what many may have experienced early-on as a student in school. All those people in the school yards who are considered bullies don't just disappear.
The Difference
There is a significant difference here between a bully and a mere 'bad boss.' Most employees have had or will have bad bosses and they usually make everyone miserable. The stereotypical 'loud tyrant' model for bullying is
Workplace bullying is not a personality conflict, is not a difference of opinion, is not a misunderstanding or miscommunication.
It is repeated targeted abusive disrespect...
|
only one sort and often is in the minority as a bully type.
The difference between a bad boss and a workplace bully is that the latter usually picks an individual target and assaults that person in a variety of ways repeatedly, while trying to remain undetected. Studies indicate the majority of workplace bullies are quiet and take premeditated measures to damage or injure the target(s). This of course can cause an entire organization to be unaware of the matter, often even the target, until all the pieces fall into place. But even when people are aware of it, the organization members will often do nothing to avoid becoming a target themselves. Within the past 20 years' statistics and studies have become readily available - many resources are on the front page of this web site.
All of the studies agree: Workplace bullying is not a personality conflict, is not a difference of opinion, is not a misunderstanding or miscommunication. It is repeated targeted abusive disrespect with intent to harm or destroy the target.
While studied now more frequently by a greater number of researchers, Dr. Heinz Leymann was at the vanguard of research regarding 'mobbing' in the 1980's. John Gravois writes about Leymann's discoveries in an article appearing in the Chronicle of Higher Education:
He defined it (mobbing/bullying) as "an impassioned, collective campaign by co-workers to exclude, punish, and humiliate a targeted worker."
To flesh out the concept, Leymann drew up a list of 45 mobbing indicators. It amounted to an impressive catalog of bureaucratic nastiness: "You are interrupted constantly"; "you are isolated in a room far from others"; "management gives you no possibility to communicate"; "you are given meaningless work tasks"; "you are given dangerous work tasks"; "you are treated as if you are mentally ill."
(target's name redacted)'s 'catalog' of indicators and actions from the bully in her workplace consists of multiple incidents (between four and 20) of 56 indicators out of a new list of 87 total kinds of identifiable assaults or indicators.
Why didn't she simply leave?
This question is in many ways not fair. It is the same as the perpetrator who might say “If you don't like it (your treatment at work), you can leave anytime.” However, it isn't that simple. As in many cases, the workplace bully tries to go undetected even to the target. In these cases (per a variety of studies), the bully is not simply picking the target nor trying to get that person to leave, but is out to destroy the person. And often the person, disoriented, finds that all that has worked in the past becomes intangible or otherwise in doubt. A situation where white is black and black is now white. Because of this, many victims don't realize they are bully targets.
Additionally, when the issue was identified, consideration of departure put much at stake: One cannot at least make the effort to rectify the matter. Saying goodbye to nearly 25 years of a successful career due to a malicious individual, the question of status of retirement - losing all employer contributions, unpredictable future with a mortgage, two children in college, other bills, a sudden lack of health insurance benefits…and the list goes on. And at the base of it all is a simple matter of principle.
An organizational issue
According to US studies (Dr.s Namie, directors of the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute, and others) about 80 percent of bullied people usually end up simply resigning -carrying excess baggage for a significant time period. Additionally 51 percent of all HR departments do nothing for the bullied person. More than 20 percent of HR Departments end up blaming or punishing the victim. Often it is characterized as a 'nuts and sluts' situation - the victim referred to as a nut or a slut.
It is important to note that all of (company name redacted) is not like this. It became apparent, however, that (target's name redacted) was dealing with a (company name redacted) business that had developed a systemic dysfunction. Their past successes as a "...jewel in the crown of (company name redacted) businesses..." and the long term comfort that status provides allowed this portion of the corporation to develop their own means with some functions falling to the combined lowest set of practices. In (target's name redacted)'s circumstance that (company name redacted) business' HR would talk to no one in the family. When they did communicate they would only talk to (target's name redacted). All related departments in the meantime hid behind each other. Requests for information or help put officials on an automatic script leading (target's name redacted) in circles -- "That's the medical department's concern, no that's HR's concern, no that's the legal department's concern."
The late Tim Field, a national advocate for bully victims in the UK, said:
Most organizations have a serial bully. It never ceases to amaze me how one person's divisive, disordered, dysfunctional behavior can permeate the entire organization like a cancer.
Commenting after a lengthy list of workplace bully characteristics he also wrote:
The serial bully appears to lack insight into his or her behaviour and seems to be oblivious to the crassness and inappropriateness thereof; however, it is more likely that the bully knows what they are doing but elects to switch off the moral and ethical considerations by which normal people are bound. If the bully knows what they are doing, they are responsible for their behaviour and thus liable for its consequences to other people. If the bully doesn't know what they are doing, they should be suspended from duty on the grounds of diminished responsibility...
Medical decisions
The six-week point is the time when a decision is made to consider short-term disability to continue medical benefits. (target's name redacted) conveyed to her doctors that her HR department refused to communicate with her unless she had a return-to-work order. While she didn't feel up to returning her work environment, she needed a medical clearance in order to get the HR department to communicate with her as they wouldn't return her calls or respond to emails. At the same time, while the physicians determined the cause was due to treatment at work -- enough that they felt it important to keep her out of work for the previous six weeks -- in the end they said they couldn't justify continuing her leave using work stress as a reason. They did say that they couldn't put their medical organization at risk of being involved, because the employer would argue the physician was not in a position to determine what her work environment was like. The primary reason they couldn't commit to her best interests is lack of a law against 'status blind' harassment.
It is one pitfall common to many workplace bully targets. If she had been injured physically by a piece of machinery or had been physically assaulted by another individual, there would be no question on the part of the medical personnel. Even if there had only been allergens in the work environment, physicians would have documented the matter and recommended work environment modifications. And while her diminished health was credible enough to document and justify an order for her to not to return to work for the extent of her entire sick leave period and they still considered the patient as having compromised health, when they had to make a final determination they couldn't do what even they considered right for the patient.
No escape
Her manager continued the torment remotely by stopping her pay immediately upon her duressed departure, even though she had four weeks of sick leave and five weeks of vacation pay available - none of those leave options were paid and no one would explain why - all pay simply stopped. That status continued for eight weeks. She was assured she was still an employee. Other than that, there was no response from HR or the rest of the company when inquiring why or what to do to remedy the matter over leave and pay and they forbade her from stepping foot on the company property. We have yet to know what exactly was told to the department's general manager and VP, but they too refused to communicate with (target's name redacted).
As her medical leave was ending, in a near emergency situation, an MD/Psychiatrist saw (target's name redacted) and immediately told her and her employer that she was not going to be returning to work until she was treated properly. He became her primary medical caregiver.
Short-term disability pay started (they are independent and a separate portion of (company name redacted)) and (target's name redacted) stabilized medically. It was a long haul.
Additionally, I took an extended leave of absence to be available to her and to help with her health and return-to-work strategies. After 24 years (target's name redacted) knew the systems at her work, and it took substantial effort. It took two of us. My workplace was understanding and much more supportive than (target's name redacted)'s. Still, (target's name redacted)'s efforts were daunting enough for two, so I relinquished my position and ancillary contracts.
It also made me available at home so that between the two of us a parent was on hand for our youngest child. (As it was, all of the accomplishments that child gained during the academic year have been solely due to her own efforts - we remain so proud of her. )
In mid December (target's name redacted) and her doctors thought it was time to return to work and (target's name redacted) was enthusiastic about it. Because of this, short-term disability status ended as expected. But again her HR manager - (person's name redacted) - wouldn't tell her when to start and delayed changing her status from inactive to active. They once again stopped her pay on December 22 -- Friday before the holiday week -- as her disability pay ended with the required medical return-to-work release. This second pay interruption continued for an additional seven weeks. The promptness with which they could shut pay off, and the patronizing promises to check into the issue and not resume salary payments indicated this was not the result of mere incompetence.
As it became apparent (target's name redacted) was going to persist (and had found a high level advocate outside of the(company name redacted) Wisconsin site), the HR manager - (person's name redacted) - gave her a choice of returning to her old position or taking a month, "a more than generous amount of time," to find a new position within(company name redacted). She still wasn't allowed to be on site.
...two days before she was to return to work, (target's name redacted)'s position was given to the same person whom she was supposed to train as her backfill.
|
Additionally, it was apparent she was being torpedoed in every effort to acquire a new position, as a potential new hiring manager's first response is normally to contact HR to express interest in the candidate.
It appeared to be a trap. The assumption was that (target's name redacted) would not return to her old position because of the treatment she received before taking medical leave. However, because HR refused to tell her what would happen if she hadn't secured another position in the offered amount of time, she let them know she had no choice but to return to her workplace. Communications from HR - (person's name redacted) - came back immediately reminding her that she had said previously stated her preference was not to return to the same place. The HR manager's protests and appearance to show concern was out of context, but came into focus shortly thereafter.
Those communications fell into place with a harsh blow when approximately two days before she was to return to work, (target's name redacted)'s position was given to the same person whom she was supposed to train as her backfill, (person's name redacted). She was not notified and became aware of the change through an organizational announcement distributed throughout the business via e-mail. As with the rest of this nightmare, (company name redacted) policies were completely ignored.
(manager's name redacted) had gotten his way in his original efforts to replace (target's name redacted). Surprised by her plans to return -- after waiting it out thinking she'd either resign or simply miss the deadline for finding a new position, then make it appear they simply had to fill the position with someone -- the manager and his enablers scrambled to fill the position with the person he originally planned to put in that spot. They had held the position open from September into mid-January. Both her manager and the HR manager knew she would be returning from short-term disability, yet within a matter of 48 hours of her planned and announced return, with no warning, they filled her position.
The implication is that, in order to get his way and put this person in (target's name redacted)'s position at any cost, the manager - (manager's name redacted) - blatantly demonstrated that he no longer even cared if motives and actions were put out in the open. In a way it was a true triumph for a workplace bully. Normally having to work in a manner that went undetected, he instead put his success out for everyone to see. First, injuring and nearly destroying a human being, then getting his way bypassing protocol and openly flaunting his talent and original motives with impunity. All of it with the evident support of the organization either through the bully's further manipulation or their indifference, which, as studies indicate, happens in more than 50 percent of cases. It is quite a trophy, indicating the sort of actions the organization now rewards.
Originally in denial over these circumstances happening within a business she had known since it was a small R&D branch of (company name redacted), (target's name redacted) was also dismayed to learn that it appeared all levels of the organization now condoned such treatment and behavior. Speculation over a goal to shoot for the lowest possible outcome was proven and achieved.
It took (target's name redacted) much of her time on medical leave to realize that a company, often reported to be an 'employer of choice,' could do this to anyone. She stated that "It was some blind faith that first a manager would and should support my efforts at work, then when problems developed at that level, it was an equal assumption that the larger organization would assist in correcting matters."
Specifically in this case her former position, abruptly taken two days prior to her return by - (person's name redacted) - was never posted as open, they did not use the internal and required (company name redacted) database - COS - to offer the job to interested potential candidates, there were no interviews, there was no COS number (at the time the job was filled), nor a slate of candidates. When she asked the HR manager - (person's name redacted) - for the COS number -- a serial number of sorts for job postings -- he could provide none.
Lacking answers as to why her position was given away with no prior warning, while she was out on short-term disability, (target's name redacted) did some investigating. Because COS numbers are for the most part distributed in sequence, it wasn't too difficult to ascertain that the COS number provided to (target's name redacted) by the end of the day had been issued on the day the announcement of her replacement's promotion was made. This was confirmed when colleagues contacted her and stated they had seen no postings, but were surprised to see her job filled without knowing she was gone.
It was assumed anyone in this situation would throw up their hands and go away as people do in the majority of similar cases. But even through the worst of it (target's name redacted) would paraphrase Bugs Bunny and say "They don't know me very well, do they?!" Had the new leadership taken the time to learn of her history and her efforts to win successes for (company name redacted) Healthcare as a whole, they would have known she would not simply fade away.
Even with compromised health she maintained a stance and took actions based on principle, just as she had throughout an entire career. That characteristic was known and shown by her work and recognized several times through awards and promotions - including the promotion just prior to her manager's arrival.
As this all shaped up, it was almost as if HR read books on what SHOULD happen on behalf of abused personnel or anyone on sick leave; then DID EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE. It was clearly a simple matter of punishing the victim.
Re-writing the rules
After (target's name redacted) had tried to swim upstream for three months, trying to follow company procedures that had worked for her for more than two decades (procedures now being ignored), I had had enough. As a non-employee of (company name redacted), I didn't have to play by their rulebook - a rulebook which everyone at (company name redacted)was ignoring anyway. Hers was a situation that was not conducive to healing.
I contacted a (company name redacted) VP and member of the board of directors in London ((company name redacted) Healthcare headquarters moved from Milwaukee to the UK within recent years). During the first weeks I had tried to communicate with the HR Manager - (person's name redacted) - at (company name redacted) Healthcare. His return e-mail conveyed that he could not communicate with me, but that he would work "...in (target's name redacted)'s best interest." So up until this point I tried to accommodate those ground rules - but no one else followed ANY rules in this matter..
Bullying hits the press much more often and sees efforts and recourse in the courts in the UK compared to the US . In the UK there have been two recent cases of bullied victim suicides prominently covered in the British press (see related links on this site's front page). Globally this behavior is clearly against (company name redacted) policy, but it was of little consequence, because no other policies were being followed by the local business and its HR department.
The VP - (person's name redacted) - in Great Britain was appalled and ordered an immediate investigation, sending an audit team to review the matter and other HR functions. The local HR organization underwent an immediate operations review. Within three days positive things started to happen for (target's name redacted) - although many local people were trying to do the least possible. (target's name redacted) was offered a 'table scraps' position far less than any recent position she had held (but demoted her in her career band level) so they could say they did something for her. When she met with the local HR manager - (person's name redacted) - he begrudgingly informed her she had a position and suggested strongly that she "not let the past affect her future" as if nothing ever happened. He again suggested that she was to blame for the recent events.
The local organization -- (company name redacted) -- in short, had fallen into a frame of thought that all is well as long as everything is quiet.
|
The HR corporate VP appeared sincerely apologetic to the entire family about (target's name redacted)'s treatment. He offered assurances that all of the matters and individuals would be dealt with. This fellow reached HERO status in our family. But unlike the local organization, he simply was doing what was right and what should have happened from the beginning.
The local organization -- (company name redacted) -- in short had fallen into a frame of thought that 'all is well as long as everything is quiet.' And through all of this experience (target's name redacted) maintained every intention of making noise. They did all they could to prevent that. She was allowed only to speak with one HR manager at times he chose. These were on an average of three week intervals. She wasn't allowed to return to the workplace and so the recourse systems that normally are at employees' disposal weren't available. It was no less than a perpetual nightmare. She could have said "I've had enough." With that she would have dismissed most of her accumulated retirement with employer contributions, and other benefits - among those all medical benefits.
More than once there were debates within the family on whether it might be easier to walk away. Emotions were frequently on a simmer ready to go to a full boil. One of our children discontinued college for the year, the other child enrolled in college had to plead to get an extension to defer tuition, while diligently paying for housing herself - and this was due to the unwarranted and unexplained pay situation alone. Our youngest set her own boundaries and stopped communicating as we were so constantly talking of (target's name redacted)'s work concerns, health and ways to get through the experience. The situation had already cost her spouse his position.
(target's name redacted) maintained a professional demeanor, which paid off in the long run. It was a matter of principle for both of us. Additionally, we knew legal recourse in this country regarding 'status-blind' harassment or bullying was very futile, especially when the legal resources of a company such as (company name redacted) are ostensibly infinite. However, even though advised by professionals otherwise, we made it clear that we did not want to pursue litigation. Rather (target's name redacted) only sought to be assured a safe work environment with no change in status. This did not seem out of line for any employee's expectations.
As mentioned, after the high level intervention she was offered a less than satisfactory position within (company name redacted) Healthcare Technologies in an effort to satisfy the VP. Again the established procedure was not followed, there was no interview, no job offer letter and no posting of the position in the (company name redacted) COS system.
When there was at last a meeting, the HR manager, without consideration of her history with (company name redacted), stated that she had to "prove herself" as worthy of any position. He added that she should "not let the past affect her future" as if nothing had happened.
The same meeting was highlighted as (target's name redacted) was told there could be no accommodations related to the disability she now faced, even though it is one recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act and possibly/hopefully of an indefinite duration. To reiterate: The HR manager refused to recognize the ADA's existence and questioned resources directly from the EEOC regarding the ADA. Additionally, he stated that no one can continue to be a Senior Professional if they have a disability.
The nature of requested accommodations were all within the scope of those any (company name redacted) Senior Professional having no disability would expect. (target's name redacted) asked they be recognized by the local HR organization, though, because all other policies so far had been ignored. The accommodations were not unusual and included a work environment with adequate lighting, adequate ventilation, regular communications with management, and regular feedback. These are things one would presume every employee should expect within any company, yet all had been denied or progressively taken away before her departure for medical care.
(target's name redacted) returned an e-mail to the VP in the UK for clarification. He referred her to an HR person who is one of his direct reports. She has assisted (target's name redacted) immensely. (target's name redacted) also found out from this HR manager that the investigation, initiated after we contacted the (company name redacted) board member, just scratched enough from the surface to continue the investigation that, according to the high echelon HR person, "... will likely last at least six months." Shortly after the investigation commenced, her appraisal --which she was told, "...can never be upgraded for anyone, they're locked in" -- s be upgraded as soon as possible.
Some better news
It had been a long haul - from September 2005 through the end of January 2006. Reality became shaky often, as self-doubt can reign over an entire career, wiping out all self-confidence formerly based on a history of success.
In January, another (company name redacted) business heard that (target's name redacted) was available, knew her value as a contributor to the business and her legacy. At that point they clamored for her to start with them. They thought she was the right person to head up a new (company name redacted) business venture headquartered in Chicago.
While her manager at (company name redacted) had taken all of her direct reports away along with other resources while simultaneously adding to her work load; the new business is asking her to start a new venture and will provide her with all the personnel and resources required to make the venture succeed. The position is a promotion for (target's name redacted). However, as of this writing she is in a holding pattern as all aspects of (company name redacted) businesses involved appear to move at the pace of a fossil. At this writing the course heading remains the same with plans to launch the venture as soon as possible. While things currently feel as if they are in suspension, there is an air of safety that had not existed for over a year.
Learning and passing it on
This was a very difficult way to learn the characteristics and nature of workplace bullying and mobbing. It is an anomaly that goes against logic and goes against all that most people learn as acceptable behavior. It is almost as if some corporate environments give permission for people to act in ways they would never act if it was at home, in front of their family or in their community.
(target's name redacted) may return to (company name redacted) Technologies someday, and we both want to help change the systems that failed there so this will not happen to anyone else. It wasn't a matter of her falling through the cracks in the system, it was a purposed set of actions. As mentioned earlier, this lengthy narrative is just the tip of the iceberg with regard to the last several months' events.
Workplace bullying is a very specific type of 'status-blind' harassment. As is the case with many issues, the US trails in dealing with the problem. Within varying studies it appears western European countries with laws in place show statistics indicating the ratio of people in the workplace who are bullied there is much less compared to the definitive US studies, which indicate that one in six people report being or having been the target of a bully.
Awareness is essential to help if a family member or a colleague appears to be struggling. Use the links at this site's front page for initial information. Again, half the battle is identifying the fact one is being bullied. Most often people think it is their own fault or they are simply bewildered and cannot figure out what is happening. The perpetrators have often been practicing these bullying behaviors since they were in grade school. Many have fine-tuned this specifically to remain undetected since then. Some research suggests that many bullies may have a psychological or personality disorder.
The Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute and its founders Dr. Gary Namie and Dr. Ruth Namie (authors of the book The Bully at Work) have a list of symptoms or warning signs that impact people both at work and at home which could indicate you may be a bully's victim. Gary Namie writes:
You Know You Are Bullied At Work When ...
Experiences outside work
you feel like throwing up the night before the start of your work week
your frustrated family demands that you to stop obsessing about work at home
your doctor asks what could be causing your skyrocketing blood pressure and recent health problems, and tells you to change jobs
you feel too ashamed of being controlled by another person at work to tell your spouse or partner
all your paid time off is used for "mental health breaks" from the misery
days off are spent exhausted and lifeless, your desire to do anything is gone
your favorite activities and fun with family are no longer appealing
you begin to believe that you provoked the workplace cruelty
Experiences at work
you attempt the obviously impossible task of doing a new job without training or time to learn new skills but that work is never good enough for the boss
surprise meetings are called by your boss with no results other than further humiliation
everything your tormenter does to you is arbitrary and capricious, working a personal agenda that undermines the employer's legitimate business interests
others at work have been told to stop working, talking or socializing with you
you constantly feel agitated and anxious, experiencing a sense of doom, waiting for bad things to happen
no matter what you do, you are never left alone to do your job without interference
people feel justified screaming or yelling at you in front of others, but you are punished if you scream back
HR tells you that your harassment isn't illegal, that you have to "work it out between yourselves"
you finally, firmly confront your tormentor to stop the abusive conduct, you are accused of harassment
you are shocked when accused of incompetence despite a history of objective excellence, typically by someone who cannot do your job
everyone -- co-workers, senior bosses, HR -- agrees (in person and orally) that your tormentor is a jerk, but there is nothing they will do about it (and deny saying what they said later when asked to support you)
your request to transfer to an open position under another boss is mysteriously denied
There are now 13 states (updated 1 JULY 07) in the US with pending legislation for workplace anti-bullying laws. Wisconsin is not one of them, yet. Many other countries had the issue supported and laws changed through initial negotiations and adjustments often with the help of collective bargaining units in workplaces as contracts are renewed. As socially aware people, all reading this are urged to support any workplace anti-bullying measure when it comes up, is debated and decided wherever you live.
Follow-up
Every year (company name redacted) employees are presented with an overview of expected practices with regard to doing business, trade, environment and fair employment among others. In the past, the 'Integrity' initiative (company name redacted)-wide has been very specific about harassment related to gender, race, color, religion, disability, etc. But it always included very specific language similar to "...or any protected category as required by law..." clearly setting the understanding that only the lowest specification was required. During this experience, in one of the infrequent communications with HR (target's name redacted) reported she had been bullied by her manager. The HR manager - (person's name redacted) - said he was fully aware how severe workplace bullying could be, and replied "That may be, but we have broken no laws. Bullying is not against the law here." (target's name redacted)'s response: "You mean if you could do worse you would?"
But unlike previous years, the 2006 (company name redacted) 'Integrity' initiative - also known as the Spirit and the Letter - has Fair Employment Practices language that is very different.
First, the Fair Employment section begins, "Fair employment practices do more than keep (company name redacted) in compliance with applicable labor and employment laws. They contribute to a culture of respect." the introduction then concludes, "Beyond legal compliance, we strive to create an environment considerate of all employees wherever (company name redacted) business is being conducted."
Additionally, under a category entitled WHAT AN EMPLOYEE SHOULD DO is a directive: "Provide an environment free of improper harassment and bullying." To use the actual word was groundbreaking as over months of research we could find no (company name redacted) policy that referred to or used the word 'bullying.'
It was a bittersweet discovery, though, as a passing follow-up in looking at the materials (company name redacted) Healthcare Technologies uses to train employees in the annual S&L compliance it was evident that the new text of the policies were being ignored. The people who set up the materials used art work from the new Integrity materials, but the text, content and substance was the same as it had been for years. Much of it is directly counter to the latest materials. In fact one set of training materials was so dated it referred to (person's name redacted) as the CEO - of course (person's name redacted) hasn't been the (company name redacted) CEO for years.
In (target's name redacted)'s case, not one single policy related to employment, pay, leave, medical benefits, return-to-work, ADA compliance and non-retaliation -- among others -- was observed.
|
At (company name redacted) in Wisconsin, a generation of management and HR has emerged as one that is either ignorant of (company name redacted) policy or ignores it simply because they feel they can with no repercussions. Additionally, as with (target's name redacted)'s ghastly odyssey, they may have purposely acted in such a way collectively in a form of mob mentality.
In (target's name redacted)'s case, not one single policy related to employment, pay, leave, medical benefits, return-to-work, ADA compliance and non-retaliation -- among others -- was observed. In a business that, as a rule, seeks out innovation, efficiency and related advances in company products, their HR and personnel related departments have evolved to one which wields and imposes a free-form set of worst-practices related to written and established (company name redacted) policies. The management in (target's name redacted)'s organization was an equal disappointment as they too refused to even hear her once in attempts to communicate by phone or e-mail while they passed the matter back to HR. It appears the lack of observance of major changes in stance, policy language and intent handed down from (company name redacted)'s highest levels, reinforced by ongoing inaccurate training, will continue that trend.
While expressing gratitude to those who have been supportive, closure is an ongoing process. Generally the idea of revenge is mutually destructive. But the idea of justice through above-board channels is not outside the realm of possible future pursuits.
As stated all along, we plan to avoid litigation in a civil court. However laws may have been broken by individuals. These matters would be decided in criminal courts as represented by a District Attorney enforcing the law. There would be no personal gain except the possibility of attaining a sense of justice.
Ultimately, the greatest closure and healing act would be the possibility for all involved to be presented with, and possibly learn, appropriate behaviors and actions at work in situations such as this and in life -- simply learning to do 'what is right.'
# # #
(Special acknowledgment and thank you's to resources and friends: Dr. Sharon Bolton, director the Center for Dignity at Work, Lancaster University, UK; Dr. Noreen Tehrani; Dr.s Namie, founders of the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute. Additionally, unending gratitude for support from friends AND community members, some of whom we've previously known only on a professional basis including members of the Johnson Creek PD; the JC Public Library Staff; JC Emergency Services; Johnson Creek Publlic Schools, staff, administration and board members; and members of local government - while not acting in an official capacity expressed concern and checked in on our entire family, reinforcing the true meaning of community. And those few who stick with principle over corporate permission to do otherwise including (Person's name redacted), of (company name redacted); (person's name redacted), (company name redacted) and especially '(person's name redacted)' (person's name redacted), (company name redacted) , for her valiant efforts to rectify matters early on. And to (person's name redacted), VP, HR and member of the (company name redacted) board of directors for waking us from this nightmare..)
.---Lloyd Schultz is a journalist/photojournalist based in southern Wisconsin, and is solely responsible for the content of this report.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
An update - September 2006
It has been a year since (target's name redacted) went out on medical leave. It is a painful anniversary. At the same time we have much for which to be grateful.
(target's name redacted) has been treated well in her new position. They have recognized her value as a program director. However, she has not been officially hired (to that Date) , so the previous business in essence continues to sign her paycheck. This leaves us both in a rather tenuous position wondering if security is real.
There have been no apologies from individuals who purposely made these events happen and continue at (company name redacted). The manager - (manager's name redacted) - who perpetrated all of this is still employed. The HR manager - (person's name redacted) - who pretended at first to care, then set up nefarious steps to make her future dismissal look like it was her incompetence, is still in place. He has a high place at the table, and while he is an HRM his sub-title is 'Decision Support.' In doing research to survive this nightmare, it turns out that such titles for HRM's are euphemisms. They're an excuse to bring someone 'to the table' and give them enough of a title to dignify having that person at the table, when it is really a position for which the leadership would rather have the HRM under the table with a dog dish and a bone.
(target's name redacted) was getting close to making her new position official, as the new (company name redacted) business was/is facing a hiring freeze. In late May her former manager heard where and for whom she was working. He and the person who was moved into her position when she was to return to (manager's name redacted) and (person's name redacted) - took it upon themselves to contact her new manager in two separate unsolicited phone calls to make scathing and outrageous statements - "(target's name redacted)'s work never has any positive outcomes." "Everyone in the field hates her." "You shouldn't hire (target's name redacted)." and on. Fortunately she and her new manager have a good professional working relationship based on mutual respect. (target's name redacted) did write to the upper level HR person - (person's name redacted) - to tell her of the incident and state that the bullying now continued beyond her department and beyond previous business.
Additionally, while nearly all of her staff was taken away leaving her with two people as resources and help, the person who took her position - (person's name redacted) - now has an additional six people to handle (target's name redacted)'s previous workload.
The perpetrators remain employed. (target's name redacted) remains injured.
# # #
LS
Update December 2006
Early in November the HRM - (person's name redacted) - assigned to oversee (target's name redacted)'s case contacted her and told her that there was a deadline of December 22 set where she needed to have a position or be out. Like a recurring nightmare, December 22 was the date the year prior that (target's name redacted)'s pay was stopped for the second time. The perception we had of the situation was that two portions of (company name redacted) had used their resources to for about 10 months, but then after those two formidable entities couldn't succeed within their own systems, they dumped the responsibility back on her. At last (target's name redacted) was interviewed and has as of this date (21 DEC 06) been given a verbal offer for the position - even though she has been working successfully at it for nearly a year - and again we wait for the written offer. The job comes with a decrease in status and to add insult to insult there is to be no salary action (salary increase) with the move to the new position. This is nearly unheard of. Her earnings potential has taken a hit as she saw no salary action due to the delay in getting an inaccurate, and dare I say slanderous appraisal changed. They recognized how outrageous the appraisal was immediately after an appraisal which garnered a 10 percent raise and a promotion, that the rating was changed (again almost unheard of), although the written narrative could not be changed, likely again due to their inflexible systems. Then she has an appraisal that is blank, because she was waiting for a position in (company name redacted) E. (company name redacted) refused to give her an increase even though they knew that the costs would immediately passed on to (company name redacted) Energy. (company name redacted) Energy offered her a position with no adjustment in salary.
(company name redacted) representatives said it was "her choice" to take the position. Yes, the choice was taking the position at (company name redacted) or no employment. With - now 25 years - with (company name redacted), provably having personally generated millions of dollars for the company, the most recent message was "your lucky to have a job at all."
# # #
Addendum:
An additional article referred to early research on 'mobbing,' a term then used and still interchanged with 'bullying:'
Dr. Heinz Leymann, German industrial psychologist, is credited for identifying the syndrome in Europe, Japan and Australia where he studied it for nearly 20 years. He lived in Sweden and estimated that 15% of the suicides in Sweden were the result of mobbing in the workplace. It is cruelty in the extreme, a group bullying process that can go or weeks, months, even years, until the job is done...
Current studies indicate that work-related suicides now may be an even larger percentage of the totals established in Leymann's original inquiries.
While support outside of work helped to prevent matters of this nature in (target's name redacted)'s case, there remains a little known statistic: Suicides surpass homicides in Wisconsin at a rate of 3 to 1. This is consistent with many parts of the US, but of course these incidents do not hit the press the way or with the frequency homicides are reported. While most suicides happen at home, a large percentage of adult suicides are considered to be related to workplace issues. Most often employers, even if they know there are related issues in the work environment, will react or respond in a way that says "They must have had personal problems." So the statistic is rarely reported and in fact hard to nail down except when suicide notes or reports from family members and friends surface and convey the victim was having trouble at work.
-----------------------------------------------------
A self-assessment has been compiled from several sources - see below (on web site link). The assessment is a personal tool to show if repeated incidents or characteristics may indicate that you are being bullied. Print out pages (landscape format). (target's name redacted) completed this assessment and answered that she had experienced 56 of the 87 characteristics listed. Of those 56 she could cite between four and 20 incidents for each one.
If you think you are a workplace bully's target click here:
Thanks for reading...
Lloyd Schultz
(E-mail Lloyd at: CNeditor )
Workplace Bullying references for further information:
Workplace Trauma and Bullying Institute
Workplace Bullying and Mobbing Reference Page
A personal note: ( 1 SEP 07)
This is a stain that doesn't easily wash out of one's soul. The person I love and have loved for over 30 years has been changed through no fault of her own. (target's name redacted) was permanently injured. It is something that impacts more than the victim. She is not the same mother to our three children. My frustration was incredible, because I was not allowed to intervene or communicate with anyone at (company name redacted) on her behalf. While this was happening, I tried to communicate with (person's name redacted). He conveyed that I couldn't communicate with him nor anyone else at (company name redacted) and threatened that if I tried, things would be worse for (target's name redacted). I remained cordial knowing that incivility would gain nothing. He was the only communication portal and he would only communicate with her, and then only on his terms and his scheduled times, usually once every two weeks. The message had been sent out to all at (company name redacted) e that no one was to communicate with her. We still have no idea what they had been told, but it was enough of a prevaricated bit of information to overshadow and try to destroy more than two decades of success.
She is recovering with the same approach she has taken to previous successes. She is starting to regain dignity, with a shaky glimmer of security. But she has permanent symptoms that sometimes get worse. I have made a commitment that nothing like this will happen to her again.
LS
A self-assessment has been compiled from several sources - see below. The assessment is
a personal tool to show if repeated incidents or characteristics may indicate that you are being bullied. Print out pages (landscape format). 'Anon' completed this assessment and answered that she had experienced 56 of the 87 characteristics listed. Of those 56 she could cite between four and 20 incidents for each one.
If you think you are a workplace bully's target click here:
Thanks for reading...
Lloyd Schultz
