Psychological Abuse At The Workplace

HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Workplaces have become increasingly stressful.  Stress claims on Worker’s Compensation have risen to unmanageable levels in the past ten years.  Organisation expect their workforce to produce more with less staff and limited resources.  Workers are held accountable for their efforts.  Those who cannot produce quickly, efficiently and adequately become redundant.  Those with the potential to expose the inadequacies of individuals with tenuous hold on their positions pose a serious threat.

Abusers work their way into situations where they will have influence over the vulnerable - appointees, newly promoted staff, and those in highly stressful working situations where deadlines and client satisfaction are crucial. People become victims of these abusers when they are isolated from the rest of their colleagues. Once they are without a support system that can put unreasonable behaviour into perspective, they are vulnerable to the stages of abuse that lead to complete coercion. If other staff members are aware of the danger of this abuser, but unaware of how people can become their victim’s abuser, they may see this early alliance as threatening and so ostracise the victim, expediting the abuser’s aim.

As the victim becomes reliant on the abuser, the victim is overwhelmed by the perceived power this person has over others. Other members of staff keep their distance which means the victim has no way of substantiating the stories of the abuser’s power. Because of the constant drive to meet unreasonable demands and expectations in order to gain approval and stop the abuse, the victim becomes physically, and in turn, emotionally weak which reinforces compliance rather than challenging the abusive behaviour. The victim knows that he or she is being treated unfairly, but feels powerless to do anything about it. Veiled threats and stories that lead to te demise of other members of staff are further incentives to comply with the abuser’s demands. The victim believes that compliance means that the abuse will abate. 

By this stage victims blame themselves for their low self-esteem. They think they are not worthy to hold the position and so should be grateful for any tolerance offered. Positive comments or actions, often displayed in public, offer the victim a chance of respite from the abuse - the chance to believe the worst is over. Yet in reality, the victim falls further into the coercive pattern of behaviour as the abuse returns. By this stage, the victim can see no way out of the situation and is reduced to self-preservation tactics. Compliance with the requests and expectations seems the most expedient tactic. Once this pattern of compliance is established, it is difficult to break it.
 
Reproduced with the express permission of Robyn Mann (2000).

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