What to do When You See Abusive Behavior at Work?

Abusive behavior in the workplace can result in workplace stress, decreased motivation and morale among the staff, a lack of productivity and even lawsuits against the employer or abuser. Find out what to do if you notice or experience abusive behavior in the workplace.

Sexual Harassment

Is a co-worker making unwelcome sexual advances or sexually suggestive comments towards you? Did a manager request sexual favors? Sexual harassment typically leads to a hostile work environment in which an employee is intimated or humiliated, and the misconduct typically impacts the person's work performance. If you ever face sexual harassment, immediately tell the abuser the behavior is not acceptable. If the offender continues, report the abusive behavior to your human resources department. Document every conversation and interaction, making sure you're as specific as possible.

Discrimination

Another type of abusive behavior, discrimination, takes the form of bias based on age, gender or sexual orientation. Do you believe your employer is passing you up for promotions repeatedly because of your age? Does your manager give the best work assignments to male employees or make crude comments about a homosexual employee? Report this behavior to human resources, and consult an attorney, if necessary. Consider contacting the Human Rights Campaign for advice and support if you need help getting through this ordeal.

Bullying

Bullying in the workplace comes in many forms. Does a co-worker spread rumors or talk badly about other employees in an effort to make himself look good to superiors? Does your manager yell at you in public, ridicule your ideas or assign an unreasonable amount of work with deadlines that are impossible to meet? Document all instances of bullying behavior when it occurs, writing down dates and the details of each conversation. Report the abusive behavior to HR, and follow up to ensure it's handled properly. If your employer fails to take appropriate action, consult a lawyer.

Cyber Bullying

With technology being such an important part of the modern workplace, cyber bullying has become a huge concern for employers. Does a co-worker send text messages with offensive or inappropriate photos? Does your boss forward emails that contain racist or sexist jokes? Try to put a stop to this behavior as soon as it begins. Tell the employee the messages are inappropriate and unwelcome, and insist that he stop sending them. If the text messages or emails continue, take them to your human resources office, and file an official complaint.

No matter the form, abusive behavior in the workplace causes unnecessary stress and discord among staff and creates a toxic work environment. Knowing what to do when abusive behavior starts helps to put an end to the misconduct before the situation spirals out of control and hurts the organization.

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