Workplace Bullying & Rolling The Day Job Dice

Summary: Many rideshare drivers are moving into working traditional jobs due to the changes taking place in the gig app economy. Traffic is dying down, and many people are waking up to the realities of the gig app economy. This post will cover an essential topic for those re-entering the W-2 economy and working a regular job. The topic we will cover today is workplace bullying, how it plays a significant role in the quality of the work environment and can cause a lot of trouble, and how to improve workplace conditions.

Co-Worker Control 

In our previous article, we highlighted the 30 million employees who believe that the workplace is toxic. No person is more harmful than the bully in some workplace environments. Here is a person who may have been given a role because others are intimidated by them or something is out of control in their personal life, and they seek to maintain power by controlling/bullying others.

According to Dr. Bertrice Berry (2004) " These are people who don't understand their own purpose or potential, and because they don't, they try to destroy the purpose and potential of [someone else]. They would make things wrong to prove that they are right." (p. 1).

Bullying on the job is a form of boosting one's low self-esteem. The mindset is making oneself feel better about themselves by putting down somebody else. A study published in Psychological Science found that low self-esteem is linked to aggressive and antisocial behavior, including bullying. This research suggests that individuals with low self-esteem may bully others to feel better about themselves and distract from their perceived shortcomings​ (Choi & Park, 2021).

Additionally, an article from Psychology Today indicates that bullying behavior is more associated with feelings of shame rather than low self-esteem per se. Bullies might use aggressive behavior to project their shame onto others and maintain their self-esteem by making others feel inferior​ (Lamia, 2021).

The main issue I see with workplace bullying is that you are away from home at work, so you want to have peace when you are away from home. This peace is difficult to accomplish with someone who could be in management or someone who is your co-worker.

The key is not to tear down the bully but to get them to understand where they are going wrong and how to improve. Now that we know who the bully is and their potential intent, let's talk about one of my first experiences with a workplace bully. 

The Rodeo Show

I was working in my area and began walking near the center of the office area, and the bully came walking towards me. He was friendly with me at first, then he asked: 

"Can I shake Your Hand?" 

I shook his hand, and he didn't want to let go of my hand. So, I decided it was best to pull my hand away and tell him: 

 "to stop and go away! "

Fortunately for him, I wasn't the violent type of person, which could have resulted in some horrible outcomes. At first, I didn't say much about it and shook my head, but I should have acted more against this character sooner because he followed up with more madness! 

Vending Venting

So now I'm near the vending machine and about to grab something out of the vending machine, and he steps in front of me and says: 

"What type of snack should I get out of this machine?" 

 I told him: 

" You might like twix it is a good snack" 

He says: 

" F*** that S*** ! I'm about grab me some skittles" 

He proceeded to grab the Skittles and then go into his area; at that point, I had to discuss his area with the area manager and the issues I had with him. I didn't want to be directly confrontational because I didn't want to erupt; I just had management talk with him. 

After that, I had no problem with him, and he got the message. 

The following bullying incident occurred in the kitchen area of the next place of business. 

Kitchen Katana

The following incident took place while I was a dishwasher in the kitchen. The dishes piled up, and I didn't want the dishes to pile up. However, the lead manager on duty pulled me to the back to help him with a repair. 

I understand why the following person (bully) would get upset seeing how many dishes piled up, but It was a situation that was out of my control. So he approached me after I helped the manager and asked why so many dishes were piling up. 

I told him: 

" The manager pulled me to the back to help out with repair work"  

 He said: 

"The next time  you leave dishes behind like this, you gotta stay" 

A non-manager told me what I had to do who needed to have the authority. The tone and energy were confrontational, but I decided to guide him to the manager, who would help him understand what happened. 

The next bully was a female bully who would say crazy things to me. At first, I would ignore her, but over time, I just had to tell her that this situation was not working for me, and she stopped. 

She would often target me to bear the brunt of jokes, some behind my back and in my face. This was a fun reaction. She sought out others to validate herself. 

Evidence shows that workplace bullying can sometimes be motivated by the desire to make others laugh. This type of behavior often involves the bully seeking attention and validation from peers by making the victim a target of jokes or ridicule. Such actions can foster a toxic work environment where the bully gains social capital at the expense of the victim's well-being​ (Suskind, 2024).

This is a coping mechanism for someone not receiving away from work, or they may have wanted to be more prevalent in high school than they became.  -Brian

The next bullly was a prominent manager who thought it would be funny to intentionally tell me the wrong directions to get everyone to stand around and laugh at me like it was entertainment. As highlighted in one of my previous videos, about four out of seven people treated me like a redheaded stepchild. 

The toxicity of these situations can be taken differently by different people who cannot handle this negativity. Again, everyone is different; some might not say anything, and some may fight back. The key is handling these situations with class and keeping those situations from getting the best of you. 

In most of the jobs I started, I was the target on day one of working at my new workplace. I remember a separate occasion where receiving tips was terrible for another co-worker. An elderly lady tipped me because she thought I deserved it. My co-worker did not like that at all and was mad at me for receiving tips. 

She waved her hand in my face when the discussion came up at work and said to me: 

"You know you are not supposed to receive tips!" 

I went by the book and company policy, and the company policy was ok with me receiving a five-dollar tip; it's just that she was not okay with a five-dollar tip. Remember, other co-workers didn't like me receiving any tips. 

So jealousy can build tension in the workplace, and that is simply how the environment is in some spaces.

If I hadn't been so resilient, I would have left many more jobs in the past, which would have negatively affected my upward trajectory, income, and mobility. 

So, how does one deal with this chaos as gig app workers move over to W-2 work again? 

Handling Hostility 

Regarding the prevalence of workplace bullying, a study by the Workplace Bullying Institute found that approximately 30% of adults in the U.S. have experienced bullying at work, affecting around 76.3 million workers. This statistic highlights the widespread nature of the issue and the need for comprehensive strategies to address it​ (Namie, 2024).

Psychology professionals emphasize several strategies for handling workplace bullying effectively. These strategies include proactive organizational measures and individual coping mechanisms.

1. Organizational Measures:

   • Clear Policies: Organizations should establish and enforce clear anti-bullying policies. These policies should define unacceptable behaviors, outline procedures for reporting bullying, and ensure there are consequences for perpetrators. This creates a culture of accountability and psychological safety​ (Suskind, 2023).
   • Training Programs: Training employees, managers, and HR personnel on recognizing, preventing, and addressing bullying is crucial. Training helps understand the dynamics of bullying and equips staff with the tools to intervene effectively​ (Suskind, 2023).
   • Support Systems: Providing support systems like Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can help victims of bullying access counseling and other resources to cope with the psychological impact of bullying.

2. Individual Coping Mechanisms:

• Documentation: Individuals need to document instances of bullying. Keeping a detailed record of incidents can be helpful when reporting to HR or management and provides evidence if the situation escalates​ (Albrecht, 2022).
• Setting Boundaries: Victims should communicate assertively, setting clear boundaries with the bully. Using "I" statements to express discomfort can help manage the situation without escalating it​ (Marter, 2022).
• Seeking Help: If direct confrontation is ineffective, victims should seek help from supervisors, HR, or even external bodies like legal counsel if necessary. In some cases, transferring to a different department or finding a new job may be the best option for one's mental health​ (Emamzadeh, 2022).

A healthy workplace can create better worker conditions, and better working conditions can lead to happier employees (Clark, 2024). We'll see a future where everyone can co-exist without bullying and seeking to intimidate others on the job. 

There are a host of different issues that stem from workplace bullying, which is affecting adults and youth in 2024. What do you think will change this significant issue for the better? 

Note: Contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) if you need more information to help: 

General information about the laws EEOC enforces and filing a charge: 1-800-669-4000, 1-800-669-6820 (TTY for Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers only), 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone for Deaf/Hard of Hearing callers only), or info@eeoc.gov.

Today's video:

Channel link:

IncomeButton. (n.d.). YouTube.

        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqthzu4t0Po-O63LHuwlLmw

References

           Albrecht, S. A. (2022, December 14). A national epidemic, a crime, or a misdefined problem? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-act-of-violence/201307/bullying-in-the-workplace

            Ballard, S. (2004). HOW TO Handle A Workplace Bully. Jet, 106(4), 16–53.

Choi, B., & Park, S. (2021). Bullying perpetration, victimization, and low self-esteem: Examining their relationship over time. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(4), 739–752. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01379-8

Clark, B. (2024, June 30). 30 million would agree that the workplace can be very toxic. https://incomebutton.blogspot.com/2024/06/30-million-would-agree-that-workplace.html

            Contact EEOC. (n.d.). US EEOC. https://www.eeoc.gov/contact-eeoc

            Emamzadeh, A. (2022, December 13). The effects of workplace bullying are examined. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-a-new-home/202104/workplace-bullying-effects-on-work-health-and-family

   

           Lamia, M. C., PhD. (2021, June 9). Why do bullies seem so sure of themselves? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/intense-emotions-and-strong-feelings/201010/do-bullies-really-have-low-self-esteem

 

           Marter, J. M. (2022, December 13). Set boundaries and start reporting to stop bullying in the workplace. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/mental-wealth/202211/how-to-stop-workplace-bullying

            Namie, G. (2024, May 3). 2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey. Workplace Bullying Institute. https://workplacebullying.org/2021-wbi-survey/

                        Suskind, D., PhD. (2022, December 13). Colliding characteristics of targets and bullies that lead to workplace abuse. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bully-wise/202102/why-               are-you-being-bullied-at-work

                                    Suskind, D., PhD. (2023, October 27). Workplace abuse is a dehumanizing and predictable cycle that can be overcome. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bully-wise/202310/workplace-bullying-how-to-spot-it-stop-it-and-heal