Employers Can’t Ignore Workplace Bullies. BusinessWeek.

Workplace Bullying in the News

BusinessWeek

Employers Can’t Ignore Workplace Bullies

A recent court ruling has implications for business. Adopting an anti-bullying policy can improve morale and help avoid legal trouble

by Karen E. Klein

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Last month, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled in favor of a hospital employee who sued a surgeon for emotional distress and assault based on his treatment of the person at work. The ruling drew national attention as an acknowledgment by the courts of workplace bullying both as a phenomenon and as legal terminology, says Garry Mathiason, chair of the corporate compliance practice group at labor and employment law firm Littler

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2008/sb2008057_530667.htm

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ABC’s comment regarding the article; Employers

Can’t Ignore Workplace Bullies. Full Edition printed in it’s entirity below. By ABC

Thank you for this article inclusive of those two, very important words, “workplace” and “bullying”, which when put together as in “workplace bullying”, defines a predictable phenomenon, with the potential for life altering, devastating, emotional and physical adverse health effects. These words first came together in Europe decades ago, where in many countries, especially The United Kingdom, there are laws against it. Phrases such as “stress breakdown” and “emotional injury” are common knowledge in their workplaces and those who breakdown in tears at the hands of a bully on the job, are immediately physically separated from the bully, and emergency emotional first aide is administered. Thank you for explaining that this ruling in The Indiana Supreme Court, is essentially an acknowledgement of the validity of the term “workplace bullying” as a definable legal term, as well as a definable, predictable phenomenon. This now, being just the beginning of our understanding of the phenomenon in this country, have a long way to go before those who refer to and speak out against “workplace bullying (and mobbing)” are taken seriously, and not for the whining crybabies they are thought to be. Truly knowing and understanding workplace bully and mobbing, is knowing that true bullies abuse their positions of power and influence, to not only hurt their targets, but to destroy them. True bullies are often “successful pyschopaths”, and predators, who manipulate the target’s coworkers into unwittingly participating in the abuse. Understanding workplace bullying and mobbing, is knowing that it is likely the largest hidden expense in business today. Lets learn to recognize it, name it, and end workplace bullying and mobbing together! ABC