Amarillo, TX – Bullying in public schools and social media has found its way to the national spotlight over the last few years, but bullying in the workplace is a growing trend which often leaves victims with no legal recourse.
According to data from the Workplace Bullying Institute (see associated link), 35% of American workers have either seen or personally experienced bullying in their workplace.
Other forms of abuse like harassment and discrimination are specifically addressed in both state and federal laws, and most workplaces have their own policies in that vein. However, unlike harassment and discrimination, the legal definition of “bullying” is ambiguous at best, which makes blanket legislation difficult, as Steve Dawson of Express Employment Professionals says,
“Is it just an overbearing boss that just really wants to get things done and a no-so-thick-skinned employee takes it the wrong way? Or it could be an actual bullying-type deal where they’re just constantly on that employee about something more and more all the time.”
Additionally, financial stressors can put added strain on interpersonal relationships, as Tim Dannels of Sanford Rose Associates says,
“As companies have gone into the downturn, there’s a lot of companies that are operating leaner, people wearing multiple hats, doing multiple jobs, asked to do more, and that stress causes a lot of their bosses or superiors to be more demanding.”
Some say the impact of bullying reaches beyond the personal level, impacting the overall workplace, and ultimately, its productivity, as Dawson adds that turnover is among the biggest threats to business.
An online push to address and enforce workplace bullying through legislation (see associated link) monitors trends and allows those concerned to get involved.
About Tim Dannels
Tim Dannels opened the Sanford Rose Associates® – Amarillo office after an extensive career in the commercial manufacturing sector. He has 15 years of manufacturing management experience, as well as 4 years of active duty military experience.
Prior to joining Sanford Rose Associates®, Tim was the Division Manager, Business Systems and Six Sigma for BWXT Pantex, a company responsible for the assembly, disassembly, maintenance and surveillance of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
Before Tim was with BWXT Pantex, he was the Plant Manager for the largest operating site in the Composite Solutions Business division of Owens Corning Corporation. Prior to that he was a Business Team Manager for the security hardware group of the Black and Decker Company. Tim came up through the ranks at Frigidaire Home Products where he started out as a Process Engineer and quickly advanced to Product Line Manager for the ISO-certified Laundry Division of the Appliance Group. Tim started his career with the Newell Company as a Manufacturing Engineer.
In addition to his professional experience, Tim holds a Six Sigma Black Belt certification and is both a Certified Quality Engineer and a Certified Reliability Engineer through the American Society for Quality. He has held Top Security Clearances for both the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. He belongs to the Institute of Industrial Engineers and the American Society for Quality and has served the past 5 years on the Governing Board of the United Way of Amarillo. Tim has been published professionally twice and his works are currently present in many college-level marketing text books.
Read more: http://www.newschannel10.com/story/19838073/workplace-bu
