I've now been in three positions where the lead management positions think it's okay to throw tantrums, bully the staff and function in confrontational, hostile environments.  Just recently watched the senior partner in my firm throw her cell phone across the office after yelling obscenities and then hanging up on the person on the other line.  I've been a part of nationwide conference calls where a CEO bullys her staff by public humiliation and throws temper tantrums to get her way.  This is wrong on so many levels and this behavior seems to be spreading like cancer in the workplace.  Why? For one, we seem to be so shocked by it perhaps and think it will not happen again.  When it does, we are shocked again that this person could be in a position of leadership.  Because they are in leadership positions, how do we challenge that behavior without having it irrevocably mark our professional records?  Does one always have to leave their job to find a sane, considerate respectful workplace?  What can executive staff do when they are trying to create a trackable, successful career path and have to leave because the workplace environment at the top levels is so hostile and unhealthy?    

I agree this behaviour should not be tolerated and there should be some recourse when executives don't treat their employees with respect. You can usually file a grievance with the HR dept in the bigger companies, they usually put it as a strike against that person if they feels it's validated and if other people also have complained against the same person they usually insist that person will  need to undergo interpersonal classes so they learn how to handle their employees in a positive way.  Unfortunately if you live in a state that has a "at will" law you can be fired and they dont have to give you a reason why.  Be glad that you dont live in Mississippi because they have this outrageous law that should never have been put into law.

 

Seen that  plenty of times. I live in Texas and it's an "at-will" state. When my former boss would bang on the desk, get red and say ugly things, no really wanted to say anyting for fear of their job. But I think it's different when it becomes an uncomfortable situation. I too had a boss throw things across the room, too. Both of these places, they were CPA firms! Go figure....

My working experience of over 30 years has proven that if you are honest, have high work and moral ethics  you are toast in corporations in America.  It didn't use to be this way.   Approximately the last 10 years there has been a fast decline in employees being treated fairly and with respect.  I have been sworn at by a supervisor after she got in trouble for having me do something that was improper processing of legal documents.   I have been sworn at by loan officers when they wanted me to do something unethical and I questioned them on it.   I contacted Human Resources - we are told by corporate management to report anything unethical.  I did and was told that "there are many employees that have been successful looking for work outside the company."   Because of workplace harassment I went to EAP (employee assistance program) which is paid by the company.  The counselor at EAP said the environment that I was currently working at sounded like middle school behavior, and that I was an easy target for harassment as I was too honest and open for the environment that I worked in. If I had an union rep, I am sure I wouldn't been told to look elsewhere for employment.   I work in a state, where "the man" is trying to have this state become a "right to work" state.  The term alone shows how "the man"  tries to con the average person that ""this is good for them" .  What many people don't realize is that because of unions most workers standard of living increased because companies that didn't want to become unionized had to give employees better pay and benefits so that there wouldn't be a union drive at their company.

It seems as the economy worsens and jobs are harder to find, management  believes they can treat their employees anyway they want to and get away with it.  The sad truth is they can!

My daughter was unfairly fired, my a manager.  The assistant managers were shocked and said that my daughter was unfairly fired, that she was one of the best workers they had.  EEOC said that my daughter had a valid claim but due to limited resources they couldn't do anything for her.  Why have laws and government departments that are supposed to protect us and nothing happens to those who break the law?  But we can give oil companies millions of dollars in tax credits, but we can't  help the average American.  How come this great country (supposedly) can't help the average American?

We need to band together and change corrupt America.

 

 

 

 

 

Bullies are everywhere, but it is very stressful to work with these. I have had a few job with bullies. One was with the Catholic Church which is one of the richest employers in the world. My boss had the meanest old hag secretary that I have ever personally met. She was the most miserable woman. She wanted to talk, talk, and talk some more about really dumb stuff. She was an old hag with a cigarette always hanging from her lips. Her health was horrible, and we had to listen to hours of lectures on her surgeries and health woes. So why was she there? She spoke and wrote many languages which is a skill that the Church greatly needed since they bring so many foreign born seminarians into the US. This old woman would bring her grand-children to work with her in the summer. But she was too busy to care for them and would demand that other employees take care of her brats. None of us had been employed as day care workers. The boss knew she was as mean as a snake, but he did not have her foreign language skills. Therefore, we were all expected to take whatever she dished out. She had to have special expensive bottled water. She required only expensive foods purchased at the most expensive local market. When she needed work done at her home she expected Church employees to drop their duties and rush over to her home to do whatever she demanded of them. She was out sick a lot and would call the office and demand that employees run errands such as going to the pharmacy for her. Oh, I can write a book about bullies. But many have already been written!