HRCleanUp

A Student's Point-of-View

Bullying Bosses Effects on the Workplace

Bad bosses are one of the top reasons why employees choose to leave an employer. 
Bully bosses will terrorize both male and female employees although the majority of employees whom suffer from this incivility tend to be female.  Women  tend to be victimized more than men because they are perceived to be weaker and incapable of defending themselves.  Bullies thrive off of picking on others weaknesses.  Although 95% of bullying is witnessed there are far fewer incidents that are reported to an authority figure that can stop the behavior.  Many bystanders will not get involved out of fear of being victimized themselves or even losing their position.  Other employees may not get involved because they think that the manager is just tough or having a bad day, rather than behaving like a bully.  If bullying bosses are not confronted and the environment remains status quo there can be serious consequences to the company and individuals that are being victimized.  
  
Employees who deal with a bully boss day in and day out tend to be less productive and have greater health issues than those with fair and just managers. Employees need to take a tactful approach when dealing with a bullying boss.  It is not an easy conversation to have for any employee.  However, if employees let the behavior persist there are few options that will be left in the end.  Employees will need to face the bully head on or move on to another company.  The harmful effects of bullying on any person can only be tolerated for so long. The best way to handle a bully, regardless of which type of management style your boss has is to talk to them.  
 
Employees are not the only victims when a bullying manager is present at a company.  The organization itself will suffer tremendously if bullying behavior is allowed to persist.  Employees will produce less; have higher levels of absenteeism due to health issues, have lower employee morale and be less loyal to the company.  The cost of losing productivity during business hours can be staggering for an organization.  Employee health issues can also cost a company in the millions due to the lack of work being produced, sick pay and higher health care premiums.  If a company fosters a bully friendly environment employee morale will be extremely low and will result in internal conflict and high turnover rates.  
 
Companies should start by recruiting diverse candidates with strong cultural fit.  They also need to have a policy in place that clearly states that harassment and incivility will not be tolerated and that all employees are expected to treat each other with respect.  As mentioned previously however, just having a policy will not guarantee that it is read or followed.  It is up to the management team to monitor not only employee behavior but also other managers’ behavior when interacting with peers.  If a company sets their expectations in a clear manner such that all employees, regardless of level, must adhere to the policies implemented there will be less oversight when the culture is not followed. 
 
 
 

Maytag Repairman--Way Harder Than It Looks!

Today, the Appliance Repair Guy came to my home to fix our ice maker that, wonder of wonders, stopped producing ice a few weeks ago.  Nice guy.  Normal service call.  Ended up turning the water on that had been mysteriously turned off...and I don't have children...so immediately blamed the housekeeper. 

The repair job, however has nothing to do with this post.  This post is about the fact that in my conversation with the Appliance Repair Guy, I learned about what it is like to work in what is considered a "High Risk" territory.  Because my home lies in the same zip code as several housing projects we get a "High Risk:" designation.  My guy started to share some stories with me.  And, I shall share them with you.

It is not uncommon for at-home moms to offer sex in exchange for a refrigerator repair--with their children present.

Always take the stairs in a housing project...it is much safer than an elevator.

Be careful not to get caught in any type of gun crossfire (it has happened to him twice).

Carry a wrench at the top of your bag.  It may save your life.

Pay attention to where the knives are in the kitchen.  If he get's a bad "vibe" he won't turn his back to you.

When you work in "High Risk" neighborhoods, you get to know the "ladies of the evening" and most of them are pretty nice.  He buys them a juice if they are in front of Dunkin' Donuts and it looks like they had a bad night--they occasionally buy him a juice, too.

Finally, The Appliance Company equips him a Bullet Proof Vest.  He knocked on it.  It was there.

It got me thinking about how dangerous some jobs really are when they involve going into people's homes.  You see the "hoarders" on Bravo, the junkies in all the movies, and the crazies on the bus.  We observe but we rarely participate.  These people enter their homes. They fix their appliances/cable TV/toilet, etc., and then ask for money.  You can see how it can get dangerous quickly.

So, take my advice, be nice.  Get out of their way.  Let them do their job.  Make the visit to your home normal, non-threatening, even pleasant.  Don't complain about the charge. 

THEY EARN EVERY PENNY OF IT. 

Dennis Williams

I had the pleasure of meeting Dennis Williams when I attended "bootcamp" at Profiles International almost three years ago.  We were both "newbies" just getting the hang of what it means to consult um, I mean, sell assessment tests.  We both knew the value.  We both understood how the implementation of these tools could actually drive organizational change.

What we didn't know was how damn darn hard it was going to be.

Oh, and we had no idea the economy would come crashing down like a firestorm all around us.

And perhaps that is what has made it fun (aside from the amazing Mexican Food restaurant that we found near the hotel right along I-35 in Waco, Texas).  In any event, Dennis and I have remained friends ever since we met at bootcamp and I think we've had a similar ride...driven by excitement, fear, and a need to support the people we love.  Here we both are, three years later, happy to in the place where we are.

Read Dennis' blog today and see if it doesn't shed a new perspective for you.  And who says that Networking doesn't pay off...especially when your new Networking friend becomes your friend.

http://denniskwilliams.wordpress.com/

 

A Student's Point-of-View

HRM: Human Role Model?

Human Resources has the reputation of being the role model for employees. This
is primarily because it is the department that oversees policies regarding dress code,
attendance, ethics, workplace conduct, and many others. They should embody the model of a good employee, or one would think. That’s what I thought before I started in Human Resources.

This is my first job in my HR career. I had an idea of what Human Resources entailed from my undergrad coursework. However, I was extremely surprised how my human resources manager acts, and continues to act. Especially as a manager, you would think that she would be more professional. She comes in late every day. I expect her to arrive to work anytime between 10 and 11. Per corporate guidelines, we allow for a flexible schedule start time can vary between 7 and 9:30, depending upon department and project needs. When she does have a meeting scheduled at 10 she gets in around 9:58. She doesn’t have time to even boot up her computer most days. In addition when she arrives in the early meetings (sometimes 5 or 10 minutes late) she always “huffs” and it is very disruptive to the meeting that has already been started. I also think that many days she leaves around 5 or 5:30, based on emails that I receive. In addition, she does not dress professionally. She looks disheveled and is not dressed what I deem appropriate for a manager. It has gotten to the point that the HR department is a considered, kind of a joke at my location.

She has some experience, but I do a majority of the work. Every time I go into her office she is either typing away a personal email or sitting blankly at the computer screen. Over the summer I caught her reading books in her office (not on lunch), when I was contemplating working overtime in order to get all the work done that needed to get done.

How is it that a manager can act like this and get away with not representing the company properly and not doing her fair share of work? Can I make her salary, have those hours, and do less? Where do I sign up?