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What is it called when you are being mistreated at work?

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It is called workplace bullying, but it can also be sexual harassment, discrimination, modern day slavery, exploitation, racism, chauvinism, bigotry, or harassment. Each term paints a vivid picture of the myriad ways some individuals find to make the workplace unbearable for their colleagues. Let's unpack these terms with the seriousness they demand and explore the avenues for redress.


Workplace Bullying isn't just about the occasional rude email - it's the relentless undermining of someone’s professional existence. Sexual Harassment goes beyond unwelcome comments; it's an abuse of power that can scar its victims. Discrimination can sneak into every hiring decision or promotion, rooted in biases against age, sex, race, or disability. Modern Day Slavery and Exploitation might sound like hyperbole until you see workers stripped of their rights and dignity. Racism, Chauvinism, and Bigotry aren't just bad attitudes; they are poison, corroding team cohesion and morale.


Organisations love to tout their open-door policies. Yet, when it comes down to brass tacks, speaking up via HR departments or to a supervisor often feels like shouting into a void. Knowing these channels exist is one thing; having the courage to use them is another.


Support might be available, from counselling services to legal aid, but let’s be real, these are often mere band aids on deeper institutional failings. True support means not just offering help after the fact but actively working to prevent these issues in the first place.


Employers can parade their anti-harassment training and policies all they want, but the real test is in their enforcement. Without a genuine culture of respect and inclusivity, these measures are just tick-box exercises designed to placate rather than protect. Too often, those found guilty of workplace misconduct face slaps on the wrist, when what they deserve is a firm boot out the door. Serious enforcement of serious consequences would go a long way in cleaning up our workplaces.


Understanding and confronting the full scope of inappropriate behaviour at work is essential if we are ever to cleanse our professional spaces of these toxic elements. Education, awareness, and, most importantly, enforcement are the tools we need to dismantle the structures that permit such behaviours to flourish. While it is true this behaviour is deeply rooted in New Zealand's culture from primary school, it is equally true it can be corrected at these early stages, rather than enforced.


A child who is a bully needs to be reprimanded, parents need to be summoned and if the behaviour continues the bully needs to leave, not the bullied kid, as it is often the case. Behaviours, after all, are learned and enforced if they serve a purpose. If a bully gets away with bullying, he will keep repeating the bad trait into adulthood. If he doesn't, he will correct it or face being kicked out from school or work. Yes, it IS that simple.


For real change to take root, the entire organisational culture needs a seismic shift. The lip service paid to diversity and equality needs to evolve into authentic, actionable strategies that go beyond annual training sessions or perfunctory HR guidelines. It's about transforming everyday interactions, recalibrating management attitudes, and holding everyone from the C-suite to entry-level accountable in a tangible, visible manner. It's easy to pin blame on isolated incidents or bad apples, but the truth often points to systemic failures that demand comprehensive reform, not just convenient scapegoats.


Those suffering in silence need more than just sympathetic nods, they need platforms that amplify their voices and mechanisms that empower them to step forward without fear of retaliation. www.FinalPayNZ.com is such a platform that creates an environment where employees feel safe to voice concerns and confident that their grievances won’t lead to any negative consequences for themselves or their co-workers.

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