It's the hidden problem you don't dare complain about too loudly at work - bullying bosses.
But a new survey shows it's a bigger concern than most employers realize.
Nearly half of all workers asked say they've been the victim of some kind of abuse from their supervisor at work.
The poll, taken by an organization called the Employment Law Alliance - which has members in every Canadian province - shows those in charge are usually too smart to use actual physical force to exercise their reigns of terror on the job.
Instead, they resort to a more subtle form of intimidation, including making jokes or questionable comments about an employee, yelling unnecessarily at someone, spreading rumours or criticizing a worker in front of their peers.
And then there's the reverse form that's just as serious but much harder to gauge - bosses who simply ignore a chosen employee altogether.
The Alliance claims the fact so many are reporting the problem appears to show companies need to wake up to the fact an abusive boss can be a growing cancer on an organization, a disease that eventually affects everyone that person touches.
"It is time for senior management to realize that this conduct damages their people and is costing them a fortune," warns Professor Robert Sutton of Stanford University.
"Demeaned workers respond with a reduced commitment and loss of productivity, and they run for the exits to find more humane bosses."
Advocates warn there's not only a cost to the company for these kinds of infractions, but that the health of workers suffers significantly, as well. And it gets increasingly harder for firms to retain good people, further hurting the bottom line.
The survey of 1,000 workers was taken two weeks ago in the U.S. But it's not just a problem there, claims employment lawyer Stephen J. Hirschfeld.
"Montreal-based lawyer, Manon Savard from Ogilvy Renault, reports a recent case, still under review, where an employer was ordered to pay $5,000 as moral damages for inflicting psychological abuse under Quebec's anti-psychological harassment law," he reveals.
"That law provides a right to recover damages for "any vexatious behavior" that affects an employee's dignity or psychological or physical integrity."
But the Quebec rule is relatively unique in Canada, and most advocates complain workers who feel they've been unfairly treated or abused in this country have little recourse.
The Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits harassment related to race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or handicap.
But what if your complaint falls outside that range and you feel bullied by your boss?
According to the Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety, the most important thing is to keep meticulous records of what you're experiencing so you can prove your point if you need to.
Among their suggestions:
-Talk to your boss if possible. This can be dicey, but telling him or her why you consider the behaviour a problem could go a long way toward alleviating it. Make sure you present the facts in a non-confrontational and positive way that's aimed only at improving productivity in the workplace. Some experts suggest the majority of bad bosses simply don't realize what they're doing.
-Check out your company's policies on human rights and harassment. All big firms have them and they're usually posted somewhere. More and more businesses are starting to take these kinds of violations seriously.
-Retain emails or memos that back up your contentions.
-Keep a log of the dates and times you feel you've been unfairly treated, and note the names of anyone who saw it happen.
-Report the problem to your human resources department and ask them for advice on your next move.
-Don't try to get even. It usually backfires and you could give your abusive boss a reason to fire you.
-Don't ignore the problem if it goes on for too long. It won't go away and may get worse.
-Look for employment elsewhere. It's a drastic step but one you may need to consider if things get really bad.
Source:
Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety
Worst Types of Boss Abuse Reported By Workers:
Sarcastic jokes or teasing: 60%
Criticizing your performance in front of co-workers: 59%
Interrupting you in a rude manner: 58%
"Dirty looks": 56%
Raising voice or yelling: 55%
Ignoring you completely: 54%
Insulting you: 50%
Demeaning or embarrassing you in person or by email: 45%
Spreading rumours or sharing confidential information with others: 40%
Inappropriate physical contact: 17%
Physically threatening you: 11%
Source: Employment Law Alliance survey
From our archives:
How to deal with a bad boss
Your bad boss stories, Part I
Your bad boss stories, Part II
Other resources:
Bullyonline.org
Employment Law Alliance
Workplace Bullying Article: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Nobullyforme.ca