An advocate asks: where’s the professional and community understanding of workplace bullying?

My workplace bullying started in May of 2010 when my then husband was on his second deployment to Afghanistan. I worked as an Executive Administrator for seven years coordinating sales training schools.

In September of 2010, my position became full time. After signing the paperwork, the sabotage increased. Management orchestrated it and recruited sales training managers, salespeople in the field, and possibly even a vendor. I just found out the term for this is “mobbing.”

  • Things on my documents changed (limo pickup times, rooming lists, etc.)
  • Laptop crashed, suspicious issues with computer
  • Important papers were taken off my desk
  • Excluded from meetings
  • Blamed for mistakes that others made
  • Workload increased
  • Last minute requests increased
  • Emails deleted

This was the first time ever in my life that my work was sabotaged. I was in complete shock that people actually behaved this way. I could not imagine doing this to anyone. I had always received positive reviews, and each sales school ran smoothly. I was responsible for coordinating all the behind-the-scenes logistics (hotel, ground transportation, dinners, room set-up, home study, etc.). I would take care of all the logistics once the agenda was set. It went on “auto pilot,” as I heard one of the sales training managers tell someone.

I knew going to Human Resources would just make matters worse so instead I started documenting everything. I did confront my manager at one point who just laughed it off. When the sabotage increased to an intolerable level, I ended up going to Human Resources, who sent me to the EAP office and told me they were going to investigate it. I ended up taking a leave of absence for a month from all the stress. When I returned, I was given no other option but to keep working with the same manager. Their “investigation” turned into them promoting this manager. I was there a couple more months until the sabotage started again. I decided to give my two week notice. I just wanted to leave on good terms, but it appeared they wanted to be able to say something negative about my performance before I left, so the sabotage continued to increase. I ended up seeing my primary care doctor and had high blood pressure. I left the company in March of 2011 without another position. Since then I have just wanted to move on, but the sabotage has followed me to every job after. So I figured the only solution was to work for myself. During this time, I have gone through a divorce and am now a single mother.

It should be every citizen’s right to financially provide for their families without their job being severely sabotaged. Many targets are injured first by bullying and second by the substantial lack of professional and community understanding.

 


Share your workplace bullying story. Email to [email protected] in one page along with an optional photo:

Where did you work and what did you do?
How did the bullying begin? What tactics were used?
How did you feel?
How did it escalate?
How did your employer react (or not react)?
What was the impact on you?
What was the impact on the organization?
Why do you want workplace bullying legislation to pass?
What advice do you have for others going through bullying at work?

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