Bullying in the Workplace

The art of bullying or manipulating circumstances to suit an agenda that affects another human being is totally unacceptable. I have faced this numerous times in my life. I want to share my story.

My suffering comes from having certain professional and ethical values that I believed in, yet the jobs I undertook asked me or rather told me to take my beliefs in what was right and wrong and ignore it.

I was forced to go against what I believed to be right and what was according to them, what was in the best interest of keeping my job.

Those that were supposed to enforce the anti-bullying laws were the ones ignoring them and even assisting in the employers' endeavors to dismiss the said, offender.

In the first instance of workplace bullying, I succumbed to a work injury, however, the company I was working for didn’t believe me. Everything I did, said or anyone I spoke to was questioned. I was eventually, by mutual agreement terminated from the job.

I decided after a payout from my previous employer to remove myself from the area. I didn’t expect to move to New Zealand but it seemed to be a safe bet and a new start.

I had during my rehabilitation from my work injury found that being a security officer seemed to fit my abilities. How wrong was I?

Initially, security suited me but then the outside influences started. My marriage failed and I moved to a different security officer job working in malls. Day three I took a hit to the head from a gang member and lost two days pay. I lost more time attending court where the offender after nearly a year was let off.

I was offered a position as a security officer at a supermarket store and had been excited at having what I thought would be less a stressful position, how wrong I was. The head of security was more interested in apprehension than utilizing methods of a deterrent. This caused conflict between myself and my supervisor which then incurred three warning (which were later rescinded) for offenses which were meant to put me in my place.

I resigned after I found that other employees had gone through similar experiences.

In my final job as a security officer and as my final job full stop I encountered the same pattern of workplace bullying.

My job description was totally different from what I was asked to do. When I asked for information relating to security matters I was told that cameras were down or the vision was blurred or there was nothing to be seen. I was never allowed to use nor see any camera vision.

Some employees complained of harassment by senior staff (which I witnessed) so I offered my services as I had experience in making complaints in an appropriate way. Unfortunately, this was part of my downfall.

I reported bullying by senior staff; I reported incidents of suspected theft and of course dodgy dealings.

I reported all of this to the powers that be but then I become accused of assorted accusations which although I denied, they could not be proved nor disproved. It all depended on which side of the fence one sat.

My struggle was trying to remain professional and ethical and yet fighting against people who have neither morals nor ethics.

We know who won.

I have not been able to work for the last 5 years yet I still live through those terrible times of having to try and defend oneself against those that do not care nor have any morals. I re-live the torment I went through, I re-live the lies and the fact those that were in control, just didn’t care.

Author Steve Boddey