Workplace Bullying Horror Stories: Share Your Experiences

One of my migraine workplace horror stories was during a really important meeting. I could feel a migraine coming on, the throbbing in my temples starting. But I had to present. As I started talking, the pain got worse. I struggled to focus on my slides, and I'm sure my presentation was a mess. My colleagues probably thought I was just unprepared.

One story I heard was about a student who was constantly taunted for his skin color. His classmates would make derogatory remarks about his race during recess. It made him feel so isolated and sad. He started to dread going to school every day.

I once worked in an office where my boss was a bully. He would shout at me in front of everyone for the tiniest mistakes. For example, if I misspelled a word in an email, he would make a huge scene. He also used to give me tasks that were way beyond my job description just to make my life difficult. It was a nightmare. I left that job as soon as I could find another opportunity.

One horror story I heard was about the overloading of work. A USPS employee had to sort thousands of mails in a very short time. There was no proper break, and the pressure was so high that the person was constantly on the verge of a breakdown. Just piles and piles of mails everywhere, and the management seemed to only care about getting the work done quickly rather than the well - being of the employees.

Victims can start by documenting everything. Keep records of the incidents, like emails or witness statements. This can be useful if they need to take formal action.

One common type is exclusion, like in the story where an employee was left out of meetings. Another is overloading with work, similar to the case of the new hire getting impossible tasks. Verbal abuse also occurs, as seen when the supervisor publicly berated the new employee.

One success story is about a woman who was constantly bullied by her male colleague. He took credit for her work and spread false rumors about her. She started documenting every instance. She then reported it to HR with evidence. As a result, the bully was given a warning and she finally got the recognition she deserved for her work.

One story could be about an employee in a Canadian office who was constantly left out of important meetings by a group of colleagues. They would also spread false rumors about this person's work ethic, which made it hard for the victim to get support from other departments. It really affected their mental health and job performance.

Talk to HR. In many workplace bullying stories, HR can play a crucial role. They are there to ensure a healthy work environment. But make sure you present your case clearly. You can say, like in a story I know where a person was bullied for being new, the new employee went to HR with a detailed account of how the older coworkers were treating him, and HR took action.

There was a boy who was into art. His classmates thought it was 'girly' and bullied him for it. They would steal his art supplies and scribble on his drawings. In the classroom, they would pass mean notes about him. This made him feel like he was a misfit. He lost his confidence in his art for a long time until he found a local art club outside of school where he was accepted and encouraged.