Workplace issues

Workplace Issues

A workplace that is unpleasant can be a source of dissatisfaction and stress for workers. The major source of stress which the worker feels on a weekend is that of the stress he might have to go through again when Monday comes. This does not allow the workers mind to be in peace even in holidays and as a result he ruins his time to relax. In order to make an effort to improve the work standard in workplaces, it is important the issues are seen first and an insight to them is given. Most of the issues that are faced by various individuals in work places include that appeal to the common sense of an individual and so the way to get rid of them is to use a logical approach to tackle such issues.

If your boss makes you cry in the bathroom it is more harmful to your health than you think. It is the opening line of a news story published in the Folha de São Paulo newspaper on November 25, 2000. It illustrates how one of the leading newspapers in Brazil approaches the issue of psychological harassment. Civil society, the academia, trade unions, the media and the judiciary, among other social actors, are also involved and have guided the debate on this issue. The discussions have primarily focused on workplace harassment.

Workplace harassment has recently gained visibility; however, it has been quite often questioned whether it is a new phenomenon. Workplace harassment is not new; what is new is that this issue is being addressed. In fact it is an old phenomenon and old elements are being reexamined using new productive and aesthetic languages.

Historically, "The harassed worker" by Carroll Brodsky was published in the United States in 1976, and was the first book to address workplace harassment. In Brazil, workplace harassment has gained in relevance in 2000 although studies in other countries show the 1990s as a starting point for addressing this issue.

Violence at work refers to any unreasonable action, behavior or attitude directed towards an employee at the workplace or because of his/her work which is intended to intimidate, degrade, humiliate or undermine. This violence is expressed through psychological or sexual harassment, improper management strategies, discriminatory practices and other behaviors that undermine human dignity.

Workplace psychological harassment involves persecution attitudes intended to harming and forcing employees in their workplace so that they will be dismissed or removed. Sexual harassment is a criminal offense in Brazil, and is the use of a position of power to obtain non-consenting, unwanted sexual favors. Organizational violence involves management strategies rooted on insulting, intimidating, stressful, abusive behaviors, including disrespect, constant threats, conflicts and competition among workers and ethically inappropriate behaviors.

Leymann pioneered research on psychological harassment describing hostile situations at work. He introduced the concept of mobbing, which means to mistreat, to attack, to harass, to siege. At the same time, the concept of bullying, defined as lack of civility and rude treatment, was used mainly in ...