Volume 19, No. 4 19 years April 2016 Employee of service! assistance Report supporting EAP professionals Bullying ... Harassment … Violence Key Workplace Differences Explained By Catherine M. Mattice, MA, SPHR
have traveled around the world bad day. In fact, in an effort to power and the target does not. speaking about the topic of quantify bullying, researchers indi- The abuse ultimately leaves the I workplace bullying, and I am cate that bullying needs to occur at target feeling helpless. often asked: “What is the differ- least once per week for a period of ence between workplace bullying, six months, and on average, last Bullying behaviors can be harassment, and violence?” This for a period of two to five years. divided into three categories: article will discuss the answer. Aggressive communication, v Bullying causes psychologi- Humiliation, and Manipulation of Workplace Bullying cal and physical harm to targets work. The following are the key Workplace bullying involves and witnesses. Targets of bullies traits of each. unwanted, recurring aggressiveness frequently experience anxiety, that causes psychological and phys- depression, stress, and other continued on Page 2 ical harm, which creates a psycho- issues, which ultimately results in logical power imbalance between physical problems. The stress of the bully and target. There are three being “beaten down” at work each F e at u r e d I n s i d e main concepts that are central to day causes sleeplessness, head- What Happens when the defining workplace bullying: aches, stomach aches, heart dis- Alternative Proves Addictive? ease, and other maladies. Research Smart Supervisors… v Bullying must be repeated. shows that bullying can also cause Management Principles to Bullying does not refer to incivil- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Consider … ity or someone who’s just having a and even lead to suicide. De-stressing the Workplace: Part I v Bullying is about Sleep Apnea Treatment psychological power. Eases Nightmares An initial bullying Is CBT as Effective as incident occurs, but Clinicians Believe? for whatever reason Understanding the Impact the target doesn’t of Bullying speak out. Over time, Why Don’t More Employees Use EAP? as long as the target doesn’t speak up, the ‘High Impact, Low Cost’ bully will pick on the INSERTS target more frequently Brown Bagger: Tools to End Workplace Bullying and aggressively until Payroll Stuffers there is an understand- © ing that the bully has LifestyleTIPS
April 2016 Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com EA Report 1 Bullying... cont’d from Page 1
v Aggressive communication – just because they’re female, and not Employee Assistance Report Insulting or making offensive because of individual performance; remarks; shouting, yelling, angry not letting a person take off for a Editor - Mike Jacquart outbursts; bypassing co-workers in religious holiday; or taking respon- Publisher - Scott Kolpien order to avoid communicating sibilities away from a woman Designer - Laura J. Miller Circulation - Kim Bartel with them; harsh finger pointing, because she is pregnant. invading someone’s personal COPYRIGHT © Impact Publications, space; and harsh emails or other Harassment Inc. 2016. Employee Assistance Report electronic communication. This is defined as unwanted (ISSN 1097-6221) is published monthly v Humiliation – Ridiculing or conduct that is intimidating, hos- by Impact Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 322, Waupaca, WI 54981-9502, Phone: teasing; spreading rumors or gos- tile or abusive; interferes with an 715-258-2448, Fax: 715-258-9048, sip; ignoring peers when they walk employee’s ability to work; or is a e-mail: [email protected]. by; playing harsh practical jokes; condition of continued employ- POSTMASTER: Send address correc- and taunting with the use of social ment. Examples include using tions to Employee Assistance Report, media, intranet, etc. racially derogatory language; tell- P.O. Box 322, Waupaca, WI 54981-9502. v ing inappropriate jokes; making No part of this newsletter may be repro- Manipulation of work – duced in any form or by any means Removing tasks imperative to job offensive remarks about skin color without written permission from the pub- responsibilities; giving unmanage- or age; expressing negative stereo- lisher, except for the inclusion of brief able workloads and impossible types; or placing offensive posters quotations in a review which must credit deadlines; arbitrarily changing tasks; in the workplace. Employee Assistance Report as the source, and include the publisher’s phone using employee evaluations to docu- number, address, and subscription rate. ment alleged decreased quality of Sexual Harassment Yearly subscription rate is $229.00. work; purposely withholding perti- Sexual harassment involves Material accepted for publication is sub- nent information; and leaving unwelcome sexual advances, ject to such revision as is necessary in our employees out of email correspon- requests for sexual favors, and discretion to meet the requirements of the other verbal or physical harass- publication. The information presented in dence or meeting invitations. EAR is from many sources for which there ment of a sexual nature. can be no warranty or responsibility as to Discrimination accuracy, originality or completeness. The Discrimination occurs when an Harassment & Bullying: publication is sold with the understanding employee or manager treats one Similarities & Differences that the publisher is not engaged in render- The defining difference is that ing product endorsements or providing group of people less fairly than instructions as a substitute for appropriate other groups of people such as race, workplace bullying is legal in most training by qualified sources. Therefore, religion, gender, nationality, age, of the U.S., while discrimination and EAR and Impact Publications, Inc. will not disability, or another defining char- harassment are illegal. Harassment assume responsibility for any actions aris- acteristic. Examples include consis- refers to protected characteristics ing from any information published in such as race or gender, while work- EAR. We invite constructive criticism and tently giving bonuses to men welcome any report of inferior informa- because they are male, or to women place bullying does not. tion so that corrective action may be taken.
Table 1: Harassment Bullying Protected category Required Not required Repetition Not required Required, unless especially severe and blatant Usually included in academic definitions; Power imbalance Not required by law, although it often exists legal definitions allude to it Intent Not required Up for discussion Academic and legal definitions focus on Subjectivity Law does not focus on the harm caused the harm caused Perpetrator Can be anyone Can be anyone continued on Page 3
2 EA Report Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com April 2016 Bullying... cont’d from Page 2 However if someone is bullied Editor’s Notebook due to race, religion, gender, sex- ual orientation, disability, national- Employee in a perfect position to help … ity, or a host of other reasons, then assistance profes- and gaining a greater understand- the behavior is against the law sionals are accus- ing between bullying, harass- because it is considered harass- tomed to skating ment, and violence is a great step ment. In such cases the targets of an often thin line toward doing just that. the behavior have legal recourse. between balancing employers’ ***** If an individual is an equal needs with that of employees. While the bulk of the main con- opportunity offender and bullies a Likewise, the difference between cepts are explained in the cover variety of people from different workplace bullying and harass- story and this month’s Brown categories, then the behavior is not ment can appear to be subtle, but Bagger insert, Catherine (and co- considered harassment and is clearly there ARE differences that author E.G. Sebastian) present a therefore legal. are explained in this month’s wealth of additional, practical Despite their legal differences, cover story by Catherine Mattice, tools you can use to even better bullying and harassment often an expert on this topic who’s “understand, report, and effec- include relatively similar behav- appeared on FOX, NBC, ABC, tively end workplace bullying” in iors – and both are about power. and worked with clients such as their awesome book Back Off! (See also Table 1.) Chevron and Kaiser Permanente, Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending to name a few. Bullying at Work. It is available at What about Intention? And what about workplace the “Products” tab on her website, The issue of bullies’ intention is violence? Where does that fit in? www.civilitypartners.com. widely debated in academic cir- Catherine also explains this key cles. Some fervently believe that distinction. bullying is intentional while others Certainly these are often diffi- do not. cult problems that aren’t easily There are currently four states resolved (someone involved Mike Jacquart, Editor where workplace bullying is ille- might need to find another job), (715) 258-2448 gal. The laws all refer to it as abu- but it’s also clear that the EAP is [email protected] sive conduct, but it is the same thing as bullying. Two states (Utah and California) require intention, occur in workplaces every day. Bullying & Violence: Similarities one doesn’t mention it at all Here is a brief look at each: & Differences (Tennessee), while the fourth In reviewing these traits one can (Nevada) indicates that bullying is v Level 1 – Verbal aggression: see that bullying and violence can illegal regardless of whether it “is Constant refusal to cooperate, easily overlap. However, differences intended to cause or actually spreading rumors to harm others, do exist. Workplace violence is overt causes harm.” being aggressively argumentative, and physical, while bullying is insid- The gist of the issue is this: If or showing belligerent behavior ious and manipulative. Perpetrators the behavior is causing one or toward others. of workplace violence throw things, more people to feel uncomfortable, become visibly angry, and make unhappy, or stressed out, then it v Level 2 – Unreasonable clear threats of violence. Bullies, on should be stopped. behavior: Refusal to obey com- the other hand, use work flow and pany policies and procedures, sab- communication to bully, such as bot- Workplace Violence otaging equipment and/or stealing tlenecking information, overworking Workplace violence can involve property for revenge, or destroying the target, giving deadlines impossi- any act of aggression, physical property. ble to meet, and using evaluations to assault, or threatening behavior. document alleged poor performance. There are three main levels of v Level 3 – Physical acts: In rare cases bullying turns into workplace violence. While Level 3 Making suicidal threats, physical violence because the target “goes violence is the type that gets the fights, or committing arson, rape, media’s attention, Level 1 and 2 or murder. continued on Page 7
April 2016 Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com EA Report 3 Drug Trends What Happens when the Alternative Proves Addictive?
hree shaky months into as a botanic dietary supplement, the self ordering bottle after bottle. recovery from heroin addic- Food and Drug Administration can- When he tried to cut back, he Ttion, Dariya Pankova found not restrict its sale unless it is couldn’t, and eventually suffered something to ease her withdrawal. proved unsafe or producers claim from such withdrawals that he had A local nonalcoholic bar sold a that it treats a medical condition. to go to rehab for kratom three brewed beverage that soothed her (Some packages are coyly labeled times, most recently last spring. brain and body much as narcotics “not for human consumption” to Sitting in a coffee shop in Delray had. This seemed to be a perfect avoid tripping such alarms.) Beach, Waina said recently that he solution — until it backfired. The Drug Enforcement had stayed sober since then, avoid- Ms. Pankova grew addicted to Administration has listed kratom as ing kratom like any other drug. “If the beverage itself. She drank more a “drug of concern” but not a con- I’m taking it,” he said, “as far as and more, awakened her cravings trolled substance, which would I’m concerned, I’m not clean.” for the stronger high of heroin, and require proven health risks and relapsed. Only during another stay abuse potential. Indiana, Tennessee, Source: “The New York Times”. in rehab did Ms. Pankova learn that Vermont and Wyoming have the drink’s primary ingredient, a banned it on their own; several Southeast Asian leaf called kratom, other states, including Florida and affects the brain like an opiate and New Jersey, have set aside similar can also be addictive. bills until more is known about kra- Some users embrace kratom as a tom’s health risks. The Army has natural painkiller and benign substi- forbidden its use by soldiers. tute for more dangerous substances Robert Waina, a Florida resident, that, in most states, is legal. But its said he had abused dozens of differ- growing popularity and easy avail- ent drugs before discovering kratom ability are raising concerns among three years ago. He enjoyed the mild substance abuse experts and gov- high to the point that he found him- ernment officials who say it is being furtively marketed as a way out of addiction, even though it is Subscribe to EA Report Now! itself addictive. Worse, some of YES! Please start _____ or renew _____ my subscription to Employee those experts say, kratom can lead Assistance Report. If I’m not completely satisfied, I can cancel and receive a some addicts back to heroin, which refund for the remaining portion of the subscription. is cheaper and stronger. 3 years (36 issues)...... $687.00 All payments must be made in U.S. funds or Kratom is now available around 2 years (24 issues)...... $458.00 by check drawn on a U.S. bank. 1 year (12 issues)...... $229.00 the country. Powdered forms of the Method of Payment: leaf are sold at head shops and gas- ___ Extra copies per month at $2 each, $24 per Organization’s check year (e.g., 5 extra copies per month for 1 yr. = Personal check station convenience stores and on the $120 per year). Add to above rates. Purchase order Internet. Bars have recently opened Foreign orders please add $20 per year. Bill me Charge my: MC Visa Am. Express in Colorado, New York, North Name:...... Card #: Carolina and other states where cus- Title:...... Expiration Date: Organization:...... tomers nurse brewed varieties, vary- Signature: Address:...... ing in strength, from plastic bottles City:...... Credit card orders may call 715-258-2448. that resemble those for fruit juice. State or Province:...... Mail to: EA Report, PO Box 322, Kratom exists in a kind of legal Zip Code:...... Waupaca, WI 54981 Daytime Phone:...... purgatory. Because it is categorized
4 EA Report Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com April 2016 Quick Ideas Quick Ideas Smart Management Supervisors… Principles to
• Set clear expectations to employees. • Don’t wait to get professional help, such as from Consider … an EAP. • Don’t take matters personally. • Tell the truth. • Communicate with employees about their problems. • Prove it with actions. • Are willing to see a problem through to • Manage for tomorrow. resolution. • Conduct public relations as if the whole company depended on it. Sources: Bob Gilson, a retired government labor and employee relations director; FedSmith (www.fedsmith.com). Source: Arthur H. Page
On the Job De-stressing the Workplace: Part I
By Audrey McLaughlin will be addressed in part two of v Offer on-site resources for this two-part article. reducing stress. tress is an often-overused Stress and the physical symp- word that can incite a phys- v Establish flexible hours and toms that come with it are often Sical reaction simply by paid time off. ignored due to the time off it takes mentioning it. We are humans and humans get for appointments. Even the small- The American Psychological sick, as do their little humans. est employers can assist their Association says that routine stress Offering employees the ability to employees by providing resources from work—things like long come in a little early and stay a lit- on-site such as chair massages, hours, manual labor, low-reward tle late, not only earn but use paid minor medical screenings, and positions and projects—can con- time off, or telecommute occasion- over-the-counter medications such tribute to mental health issues and ally gives them the flexibility they as antacids and acetaminophen. even have physical impacts such need to have a life outside of the Additionally, providing a space as an increase in heart attacks. office. This works great for those for moving about on-site and other The good news is that employers times when an employee has an physical activity can reduce the can help to manage and even reduce urgent need, as well as for mater- overall stress of office life. The employee stress, which serves to nity and paternity leave. key to implementing on-site boost employees’ well-being. And Worried about people slacking resources lies in a little extra space when employees are happy and when working offsite? Don’t. for the taking and keeping a few know their employer cares about Studies show that employees supplies on hand such as a stow- them, they have improved work increase their productivity by 13% away massage chair. quality, productivity, lower absentee- when allowed to telecommute. ism, less turnover and better cus- The key to implementing this Audrey “Christie” McLaughlin is a tomer service ratings. benefit is by releasing the old registered nurse who writes for Quill. com about health and medical issues. There are five ideas for getting mindset that a job has to “look a For more about Audrey, visit physi- started. This article will take a certain way.” Choose flexibility cianspractice.com. Additional source: look at two of them. The others instead. www.business.com.
April 2016 Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com EA Report 5 Supporting Our Veterans Sleep Apnea Treatment Eases Nightmares
or returning service mem- The use of CPAP led to a sig- patients and can trigger their bers suffering from post- nificant reduction in the number of nightmares.” Ftraumatic stress disorder nightmares, which was most con- CPAP, which is a common and sleep apnea, treatment with nected to how well veterans com- treatment for sleep apnea, helps continuous positive airway plied with the treatment. keep the airway open by provid- pressure (CPAP) reduces their “One out of six veterans suf- ing a stream of air through a nightmares, according to a fers from PTSD, which affects mask that is worn during sleep. leading study. their personal, social and produc- PTSD symptoms such as night- Researchers reviewed the medi- tive life,” said Dr. Sadeka mares usually start soon after a cal records of U.S. veterans who Tamanna, medical director of the traumatic event but may not show had been treated in a VA medical sleep disorders laboratory at G.V. up until months or even years center sleep clinic over a two-year (Sonny) VA Medical Center in later, according to the National period. They looked at the average Jackson, Miss. Center for PTSD at the U.S. number of nightmares per week “Nightmares are one of the Department of Veterans Affairs. before treatment and up to six major symptoms that affect their months after CPAP was prescribed daily life, and prevalence of [sleep Additional source: HealthDay News. for the veterans. apnea] is also high among PTSD
Clinical Perspective
Is CBT as Effective as Clinicians Believe? or nearly 50 years, cogni- bona fides of CBT have been effective as CBT, or even better, tive behavioral therapy overstated. A 2013 meta-analysis but its supporters argue that F(CBT) has had more published in Clinical Psychology plenty of reasons to question research demonstrating its effec- Review comparing CBT to other those findings remain. Steve tiveness than any other therapeutic therapies reported that it had Hollon, a psychologist at method. Indeed: nearly 90% of the failed to “provide corroborative Vanderbilt University who spe- approaches deemed empirically evidence for the conjecture that cializes in treating depression, supported by the American CBT is superior to bona fide non- argues that, because conditions Psychological Association involve CBT treatments.” of replicated trials can be so cognitive behavioral treatments. Further, in November 2014, an wildly different from original Increasingly, that track record 8-week clinical study conducted ones, it’s unsurprising that of empirical evidence has been by Sweden’s Lund University con- results, too, can differ. acknowledged and even translated cluded that CBT was no more “It may be that the more recent into government funders and effective than mindfulness-based studies don’t have the same meth- insurance companies requiring therapy for those suffering from odological rigor,” Hollon says. “It therapists to use CBT if they want depression and anxiety. may be that we’re just seeing the to be reimbursed. Some critics of the method more variable results you’re going But recent developments have have jumped at the recent nega- to get in the real world.” raised questions about whether tive findings to argue that alter- the effectiveness and scientific native therapies are just as Source: “Psychotherapy Networker”.
6 EA Report Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com April 2016 On the Job Bullying... cont’d from Page 3 postal” and gains retribution against the bully through violence. Understanding the Most often, however, lost deep in their feelings of shame, helpless- Impact of Bullying ness, and depression, a target is more likely to commit violence. By Norbert “Bert” Alicea, cost a company tens of thousands In other instances the bully’s anger MA, CEAP of dollars each year. and frustration at the target get the Workplace bullying also gener- best of him and he lashes out. I was ccording to the Workplace ates extra costs due to turnover. an expert on a court case against a Bullying Survey, work- Eighty-two percent of employees large retailer where the bully punched Aplace bullying impacts targeted by bullies leave the orga- the target. The employer was sued 65.5 million employees across the nization as a result. If this hap- because the target called the retailer’s country. The pervasiveness of this pens, the company must now risk management team when he could issue makes it critical that employ- spend time and money to recruit see the bully’s behavior getting worse, ers take action to protect their and train a replacement. This does and risk management told the target to employees and put an end to not include lost revenue if that finish his shift and they would then workplace bullying. employee was responsible for spe- transfer him. Unfortunately during In this day and age, bullying cific clients or accounts that leave that time the bully’s behavior esca- does not even have to occur face- with them. And if the bully lated into violence. to-face. Cyber-bullying is preva- remains employed with the com- lent in the workplace and can pany while a high-performer Summary happen over e-mail, social media, leaves, it’s likely that the cycle In conclusion, negative behav- and other online platforms. While will continue repeating. ior at work should be thought of surveys vary on the prevalence of For organizations who work as being on a spectrum, with inci- cyber-bullying, one study indicates with an EAP, experts are often vility at one end, bullying some- that 14-20% of employees experi- available to offer insights on com- where in the middle, and violence ence it on a regular basis. pany policies, provide training to at the other extreme. Bullying in the workplace has a employees, and work with individ- tremendous impact on the work- uals who may be experiencing Catherine Mattice is the president of Civil- place. It causes stress-related challenges that could lead to ity Partners, LLC (www.civilitypartners. issues among employees, leading behaviors like bullying. com) a consulting firm that specializes in developing systemic solutions for negative to absenteeism, presenteeism, behaviors in the workplace. She is also reduced productivity, decreased Bert Alicea is the vice president of EAP+ the co-author of Back Off! Your Kick-Ass morale, and other factors than can Work/Life Services at Health Advocate. Guide to Ending Bullying at Work.
Something We Should Know About?
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Employee Assistance Report is published monthly. For subscription information contact: Employee Assistance Report, P.O. Box 322, Waupaca, WI 54981. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. (From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers.) Employee Assistance Report does not necessarily endorse any products or services mentioned. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review which must credit Employee Assistance Report as the source, and include the publisher’s phone number, address, and subscription rate.
April 2016 Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com EA Report 7 Quick Ideas Why Don’t More Employees Use EAP?
addressed competently by EA pro- work with the employee over the fessionals, who may have a list of phone if desired; or they can even resources where they can refer the meet the employee at the worksite. employee as well. v They don’t know it exists. v They think they need per- This one is the most puzzling, at mission from their boss or from least if the EAP has done an ade- HR. Just as use of the EAP is con- quate job marketing its services. Is fidential, there is no need for EAP mentioned in new employee employees to tell anyone, ask per- orientation sessions? Are there mission, or do anything other than posters and brochures in break call the EAP phone number and rooms? Forward-thinking EAP make an appointment. Many EAP providers come to organizations providers are quite flexible. They and lead lunchtime presentations t’s an idea that has gone round will work with some employees at to introduce themselves and offer and round for years: Why their therapist offices; they will help on a variety of topics. Idon’t more employees use EAP? The following are sugges- tions that Steve Albrecht, a EAP Study domestic violence investigator with the San Diego Police Department, presented in an ‘High Impact, Low Cost’ online EAP NewsBrief.
v They don’t think it’s confi- mployee assistance profes- provide it, and it is rated as the dential. Employers need to contin- sionals are always on the most effective aspect of an EAP. ually educate employees about Elookout for studies that The biggest change since how EAP works, starting with the verify the usefulness and effec- XpertHR’s previous EAP research fact that it is absolutely confiden- tiveness of EAPs. A leading study in 2009 was an increased use of tial. Moreover, EAP providers also conducted by XpertHR and pub- online resources – a feature of need to remind employees that no lished in Personnel Today does 79% of EAPs in 2014, compared reports come back to the organiza- just that. with 51% in 2009.` tion and that there is no external Employee assistance programs Asked to rate the cost-effec- record of their use of the EAP. are effective in helping staff mem- tiveness of their EAP, two thirds bers overcome challenges at work (66%) of employers said that it v They feel there is a stigma and home in a cost-effective man- involved in seeking help. It can- completely or partially justified not be overstated that it’s no sin to ner, the survey of 156 organiza- the cost. Not a single employer reach out for help when you’re tions finds. Two employers in stated that it did “not justify its struggling. Reiterate the many three (66%) provide access to an cost at all”. ways that EAP can help, including: EAP and an additional 17% are One employer’s verdict on financial problems, marital issues, considering doing so. EAPs was: “High impact, low stress, ailing parents, substance Face-to-face counseling can be cost. It would be remiss of abuse, depression, and others. the most expensive aspect of a organizations not to consider Each of these concerns can be program, but 82% of employers their use.
8 EA Report Visit EA Report’s website at www.impact-publications.com April 2016