Is your office full of mean girls? You’re not alone

Yes, I sooo agree with your terminology "mean GIRLS" Girls is what they are...never grew up...and yes their gossip and such caddiness in the workplace is disrupting to getting work done...I say though few people are able to let things roll off their backs and be fully productive workers on the job while undercurrents turn into large undertows that start taking people down under. When I was younger I never confronted anyone about bullying or gossiping about me.. NOW I AM OLDER AND WISER !!!  NOW I DO !!!.  and feel better when I do. 

The information you provided here are extremely precious. It proved this sort of pleasurable surprise to have that looking forward to me once i wakened today. They can be constantly to the point and straightforward to know. Thanks a bunch for the valuable ideas you’ve got shared the following.

I've been bullied by Operations Manager, reduced to filing, placed under my younger sisters authority, and then told by Ops Mgr that no one in the company wanted me. Imagine my horror. Went to HR, they worked with me for 5 mths trying to find out what I had done to turn everyone against me. After no warnings from HR, not in verbal or in writing, I was placed in another entry level position away from the bully. After 6 mths of uploading faxes into clients account, I walked out. it's been a month now, my company is paying me, and I've threatened a law suit against them. My lawyer said it's a very strong case, and that my company is huge. They will do what ever I ask to avoid an out right law suit. I called human rights comm of Canada, Labor Board of Ontario, they both said he's a bully get a lawyer. Best thing I ever did...If the company wants to stand by their manager, then make your governments laws stand by you...if we don't stand up to them, there will be no end to this childish behavior

Oh my, I have had so many. When I first started working at a large grocery chain in high school, I learned quick that women were evil. And I am a woman. But I was a cute 17 year old and they were 40's. These women were so freaken me to me. Not just to me most people that worked for them. Until one day the head office got too many notes and they took a couple awsy. But at this same time I had a gay boss, I did not care if he was gay. My brother is gay. This dick hated women! He would try to degrade us by yelling at us in front of customers to making us clean the floor on our knees

I used to work in an International Corporation my immediate boss was the Managing Director also the Chairman of the Group. I was SO HAPPY I had the coolest assignments and I was getting higher and higher and doing mighty well for a 25 year old. The unfortunate news was that it was after all a family-business and the Chairman's daughters were employed there as well, we were the same age; I was faced with all sort of sabotage and BS, they could not keep up so they used all kinds of dirty tricks even in my social life. The day I resigned the company offerd my a high position with a great package but I was so grosed out and I declined. Now I am working in a great place, still bunch of bullying but I am kinf of immuned now and keeping my distance..and guess what? just last night I received this killer offer from the 'MEAN GIRLS' to head the Strategic Planning Department in their Company...guess what? Still not interested,my mental well being is much more important to me. Good luck everyone :) and kick some A.S.S

My bully actually trumped up charges while I was on 6 weeks of medical leave for 2, yes 2, surgeries that I scheduled back to back so I would only have to take 1 six week leave. furthermore I was forbidden to speak to or about anyone who had reported to me or I to them or I would be fired for retaliation. I survived, but it took years off my life and attitude.

When I worked for Walmart a few years ago in DUMFRIES VA (yes! it's me and I am going to randomly complain again!) I had various negative experiences. One of my managers told me he needed to speak with me about my "three month review?" I think it was and I told him I already literally worked 2 hours and needed my legal 15 minute break. He said he was fine with it. So... I went to sit and have a snack. A random employee... a middle aged woman SLAMMED HER HAND on my table an inch or two away from my face and told me the same manager needed to talk to me. MY LEGAL 15 MINUTE BREAK literally just started but decided to see what was up. I asked him if anything was wrong and he said no (and he didn't seem upset whatsoever.) He just wanted to go over my review. The woman who slammed her hand on the table I was sitting near assaulted me. That IS a form of assault.

Here's another situation - there was this heavy looking 20 year old girl who worked in the ladies department. She always flat out IGNORED me when I politely said hello (and yes she heard me but ignored me many times when I was close by her, and the store wasn't busy or loud.) She would give me rude facial expressions, and once when someone blatently stole another's wallet in front of many cameras in the middle of the ladies department, she went up to me and asked if I stole it in a very mean way... HELLO MISSY, how can I steal someone's wallet in the middle of a store with hundreds of cameras around?? When the wallet was stolen, it was NOT stolen in a hidden area. It was stolen IN FRONT of many cameras! She is either dense as he!!, or she was desperate to get me fired because she hated me so much. I know people don't like this subject, but I think she was just racist because I was "different" from her and most of the people in the ladies department. Why else would she specifically be rude to me, ignore my attempts at kindness, and blame me for something I CLEARLY AND LITERALLY could not have pulled off?? This is why there will always be some form of "racial tension" because of ladies like her who are only friendly and helpful to people with a "similar background." And I'm not full of it. One of her friends who she and I worked with was the same background as herself, and this friend of hers told me on three seperate occasions that she didn't like my race SO I'M NOT ASSUMING it was about race. It literally was that way, especially when one of these ladies went on and ON about hating my background.

Just my experience with "mean girls."

our workplace just had a presentation on harassment training/office bullying. which the mean trio in our office continued to be mean. and when i reported them (following the chain of command) only to add to the complaints for the past 2 1/2 years about these same people. i was verbally berated and used as a whipping boy to management and HR stating that my complaint against them was inapproporiate behavior and i was a troublemaker. my only recourse was to transfer to a different office. amazing HuH?

I worked with a bunch of women that apparently missed being the "in-crowd" from high school, even though most of them were mid-aged, over-weight and lacked social skills. As my job phased into their department I was never included in personal items like baby showers, weddings, etc. There was only a handful of us not included and they made it obvious that we weren't included and when asked they lied. I was not told about meetings and my cube was kept away from them even though I was on the team. My performance was higher than anyone else there and they had records to prove it. I even caught them having a meeting about getting rid of me! Another girl and I were going through cancer treatments at the same time. She got flowers, cards, etc I got no acknowledgement and my surgeries were a "hassle" due to my time off. When I had scheduled my treatments, they scheduled meeting and then complained about how I screwed things up. It was the same time everyday!! We had a snow storm once and I was at treatment, they closed the office, no one bothered to call me after driving back in over a foot of snow! At the very end when I was going through cancer treatments, they had me send out bankruptcy notices to clients. It was a long 10 hours of stuffing envelopes. They waved and smiled as they left for the day and I was starving and needed to get home to my small children. They had another employee not show up for work for days and we would not get a call, she even came in drunk a few times. But when she resurfaced, they embraced her with open arms. She had been wrote up so many times too. But when layoffs happened, I was told I had less seniority and so I was being let go. When asked why a "less performing employee" was not considered they claimed that they had never seen her wrote up and her performance was amazing.

I worked at a well known food store named Basha's in North Phoenix. My manager took to making sexual comments to me and "accidently" rubbing against me from behind. I complained to corporate about it and when he was confronted about it, he completely denied it and said I was crazy. All of his underlings said the same thing. They were all afraid of losing their jobs. Then things really started to get bad. He started gossiping about me, put my photo online, said I was chasing him and said that I was trying to get him fired because he wasn't interested and black. Everywhere I went, people called me horrible filthy names. They took photos of me and called him. These "idiot strangers" actually believed all this crap and did whatever he said. Finally, I complained again and was told I could either transfer to a store that was 30 miles away or quit. He was a manager and I a mere woman worker. I was labeled a trouble maker and actually was asked about it at a Fry's store interview where I now work. It's just not "mean girls" you need to watch out for, it's the "mean boys" too.

Wow there are a lot of winners that are women for this post. Boo hoo. Ladies welcome to a "MAN'S WORLD". You say that you want to be equal with a man, that you want out of the kitchen and not be barefoot and pregnant.We men have be putting up with this crap a lot longer than you have. If you want to work in a "Man's World" and be equal to us men then do what we men have been doing for so long... Suck it up, shut it up and get back to work. Or get back to the kitchen and make sure my dinner is ready when I get home.

If yous workin for da brown, yous gowin down!
Nuffins mo fun den pushy lil missy whitie aroun!

I was bullied by people who just came in to my company, it was all aracial company they only honour one particular race of people because of the boss, I was paid the least . Everyone that works at my company was being paid $3:00-$4:00 per hour more than me,all because of my culture I was also doing two jobs, I was bullied by my coworker who just start working a few months in the company whereas I work for five years. She talk about me to her supervisor,that I hang up on customers, I put customers on hold, where as she was the one doing that.The new people that the boss hire, she gave them a title so they are being paid more than me.They paid by title, if you are not her culutre or her friend you are being paid a lower salary, this goes on year after years, all her friends are being promoted with higher salary.She treated you like a low class,just because you have anotherbackground.

I worked in an office with 8 other women. (It was an insurance agency.) From the moment I started, I could tell who the Queen Bees were.
One example -- being yelled at for asking a question of someone while they were on their lunch hour. (A client had come in and given us her name. After searching for information for 30 minutes, I decided to ask a "Queen Bee" who the woman was. The client finally told me that she was married and used her husband's name now.)
Another example -- being yelled at by the owner of the agency for trying to get help for a client.
This example is my favorite -- the boss took all of us out to dinner one night to blow off some steam. By the time we got to the restaurant, the boss had already polished off 4-5 beers. The waitress came around to ask for drink orders. Since I don't drink, I ordered a "Virgin Pina Colada". My co-worker heard the word "Virgin" and began to interrogate me very loudly in the middle of a crowded restaurant about how many men I slept with...all the time she was yelling about it. One of my bosses sat two chairs away from her and did nothing to stop it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have filed a sexual harrassment lawsuit, and I would have OWNED that company!

That was one of the worst jobs I ever had. If my boss wasn't so yucky, I would have kissed him on the lips for letting me go!

Ive experienced nasty bitchy women in offices, and my first action is to dismiss them. The female control freak is an immature, insecure, miserable blight on peace, productivity and retention of good employees who dont have to take her crap, they can go home and be abused. Number one is the Doctors wife who acts as office manager, HORRIBLE ! Second is the middle maager who thinks she is there to protect and "mother" the boss. Third is the tired sagging hag who cant deal with her own mortality and hates the younger, prettier and more active. Forth is the inept one who got where she is by kissing ass and taking names only to be found out by the up and coming newbies so pre-emptive strikes are needed. HAGS, take your hormones,and if you cant be nice, GET OUT.

I worked at a local University for over five years in Academic Counseling. My boss was a man (nicest guy around) and his assistant was a woman who was working on her PHD and was related to the wicked witch of the west. She would pat the day shift girls on the back for "good job done" but since I worked the 2-8pm shift every other day I did everything wrong or below her standard. Approximately 99% of the time the day shift played around and left the second shift to clean up their messes. My boss had surgery and he was out for about two months. During this time, it became a witch hunt. I did nothing right. Well one Saturday we all had to work for what is called open registration. All the second shift group shows up and out of 10 of the day shift, one person showed up. Well, in walks the assistant boss and she wanted to know where so and so was. One of the other woman spoke up and said they were not there and did not call in. Her response was "oh they may have overslept that's ok." The following week, I ran into the woman who ran payroll and told her about who didn't show up. She looked at me and said she had just received pay authorization slips from this assistant and all those folks who did not show up were "clocked in" and needless to say she was not happy. She was able to discredit the pay slips by asking for copies of audit sheets we had to sign. The assistant was embarrassed and said she thought she saw them. Shortly after that incident she left the school but before she did she gave me a bad personal rating (75 out of 100) but the HRM office threw it out. The funny thing is she was caught doing her dissertation on the clock at the school in her office by the HRM Director! Her 60 hr work weeks finally caught up with her!

I've been working for more than half of my life(I'm 42) and have come across the bullying behavior in more than 1 place. I've been targeted over really lame reasons(small mistakes) that were blown way out of proportion for no real good reason at all. I've been disliked by a few Supervisors/Managers throughout the years, but I could always hold my head up as I knew my job well, worked very hard and completed everything in a timely manner, and got along well with colleagues.
So, point being, never let anyone tell you who/what you are! If you know you did the best job you could do, then do not ever feel badly about somebody elses opinion.You cannot control such things, so best to ignore people of this nature or if cannot be tolerated anymore, move on. Life is too short and "deplorable characters" like these should have no place in your thoughts, let alone your life. Rid yourself of them and you'll be happy. My favorite part is after you move on and are successful elsewhere, sometimes former employers hear of it and cringe! Love it, be happy and it's the best revenge!

I have had two blatant issues of bully bosses or supervisors:

The first was during college when I worked part time as a video store. The atmosphere of the job was really laid back, we wrote in the hours that we wanted, and the 4 of us that worked there did a pretty fair job of splitting up the prime working hours (slow times when we could study or do homework).
The original manager quit suddenly and one of the workers, a recent college grad that only worked one or two shifts a week was promoted to manager. Within about 3 days, she had hired several of her friends and "gave" them all the hours that all the previous workers were signed up for. I just quit because it was obvious she was just trying to get rid of the people that weren't friends and it was the end of the semester anyway.

The second case occurred several years later when I was independently contracted to help do some landscaping with a small landscaping company. I was hired because I had almost 10 summers worth of landscaping experience. Early on the boss heaped praise on me for the excellent work I had done, but about halfway through the job one of the female workers was unofficially promoted to oversee and manage all of us peons, despite having no landscaping experience, no work ethic, and an uncanny ability to spend half the day driving around in the company truck "supervising" and coming back looking strung out (pretty sure she was a meth head).
Anyways, once she was 'promoted' for her tendency to wear skimpy clothes and kiss the bosses butt, she instantly turned into a micromanaging B that didn't know what she was talking about, would tell me I wasn't working fast enough (though I got more done than the rest).
After discussing it with the other workers, they all pretty much agreed that she was causing a lot of friction so I talked to the owner about it. A few days later I was given my last check and told that he wouldn't contract me again, because apparently the crew loyal to him turned their backs on me after basically making me their spokesperson for the complaint.

I am female, age 54 and sole support of my family. My husband is disabled and unemployable and my sister has been out of work for a year, living in our home. Just lost my job after 5 years of employment because of constant bullying by my supervisor, co-workers and other employees. My employer agreed not to deny unemployment benefits, but the money I will receive won't be sufficient to cover my mortgage payments, so I will undoubtledly lose my home to foreclosure. Bullying in the workplace should not be tolerated and it should be made illegal; otherwise an employee has absolutely no legal recourse against the perpetrators or employer.

I was persuaded, from a job at a hospital 30 miles away, to work only 5 miles from home in a retirement home as a nursing supervisor, treatment nurse, infection control nurse. I was repremanded repeatedly after a street smart CNA reported to the ADON that I was after her job. She told her peers she knew how to get rid of me, because I dared to tell her to get the piercings off her face while she was on the clock. I too am 56 years old. The ADON was her "friend" and I was told to back off on correcting the "good CNA's". After the ADON was convienced that I was after her job she would yell at me in front of co-workers, snip at me and not answer direct questions, make me write things over and over and over (taking up time I did not have) reprimanding me for over time, reprimanding me for clocking out and working overtime on my own, all the while under the nose of the Director - who stated "I can't do my job without her and her experience", and "I got your back-you ain't going anywhere". .. knowing that I was doomed to be fired from the nasty ADON.. I eventually planned my exit, and reluctantly turned in a two weeks notice - to be torn up by the CEO. The CEO quit two weeks later.. Then I was called into the DON's office again "DID you say you were after the ADON's job..No,I replied.. why are you going to fire me now?? No I just want this cleared up..(this is 6 months post 1st accusation, 5th time in the DON's office) The ADON sat with her arms crossed saying "where's there's smoke there is fire!" I had to laugh to keep from crying..I did not tell them I found an old sheet in my file with all the salaries on it..lol ADON made a dollar more than me..should I have told them to stop this madness?.no. I never said I wanted her job..so I felt that my word was enough) then I was told in front of my accuser and reprimand queen that I would not be fired that I was too valuable..I then Became "Employee of the month" that week. The next week..recieved a NEW CEO..and then I was called into her office and let go. (who got fired after firing me for not passing her CEO examination within a week)Another nurse got fired within two days for supposedly talking to me -which she hadn't. Employees are told I am filing a huge lawsuit and not to talk to me. I am receiving UI..what should I do. So many nurses, within 7 months of my employement, quit because of that nasty woman, fearing retaliation from the ADON, an LPN. She yells at everyone except her four favorite employees, they go out together, they laugh with each other with that all knowing bound that rules don't apply to them. If you go along with them you are safe, if not, you will go. Turnover is very high, call ins are more than 30 per month. Employees 60. I tried to bow out, got talked back into staying, then fired when the DON was sick and there wasn't anyone to stop the evil ADON from completing her goal of getting rid of me. Yes she was bred that way..remarks made to me "she looks like a million bucks on a daily basis", "I don't know why everyone loves her", "I don't know why she is so cheerful all the time" "I don't do perky""I'm busy can't help ya-(fake smile)" She would volunteer me for any new jobs, she even wrote me up for parking my med cart at a fire door. She is very insecure in an empires new clothes world. I never did anything "right" in her eyes. She got into her position by telling lies to corporate about the ADON before her constantly so I was told. She is walking toxic. Making anyone cry is her power. Why a corporation leaves this mean spirited uneducated LPN to run the show and shoot stress levels through the roof is beyond me. Its a small community and her reputation as a "B" word is everywhere. Its her last job if corporate will ever wake up and see her damage they will let her go. Lawsuits? Anyone win one? I have a dairy from the first day, some of the last months I omitted because I thought well I am leaving this mess and did not want to dwell on it. But as someone mentioned its hard to explain as to why you don't work somewhere anymore, what is something I could say .."change of management?" lol The nurse still call me and its been months..they beg for me to call corporate and get rid of the ADON and DON. I sigh..

Glad I'm not alone but sad that I am in this situation. NOT in a job I chose but as a result of workplace negligence. Then a car accident pretty much did me in as far as doing what I love to do and that is caring for patients at the bedside. I've been employed by this institution for 30 yrs and in a small office. There is one person who is the "teacher's pet" and her best friend who get away with everything but I am singled out. I am single and need my benefits to survive and a paycheck to prevent homelessness. What does someone in my position do? I have stood up to these people more than once and it has done no good.

Need to remove my name from comment. thank you

I have worked for a business for several years. Things used to be good. Then we got a new bank president. Had to hire friends with no expereince and put them into management positions. Older workers are treated like a piece of shit. Careless with money and lazy. Can't complain because then you are a bad worker. Also have fat over weight people you lie steal and cheat from the company. Terrible place to be.

My ex-boss was mean to many colleagues. Even people whom have higher career than her.

You are all lucky you work in the USA. I worked for 10 years on a "soveregin nation Indian reservation" in Minnnesota. Most of us women were/are harassed and bullied daily, but because they are not requiered to obey the laws of the USA, they can get away with it. I was finally fired after a customer wanted to sleep with me, and I wouldn't accumadate him-he was a big spender, and the Shift manager fired me on the spot. Actually made me sick to my stomach to go into work, but needed to support the family. Thankfully got a better job. But I know this kind of stuff is all too alive and well even today. Sad.

51yo female as seems to be a running theme here. Worked for same co for 11 yrs and just quit because of female crap. Still shake some because of consatnt lies, and petty stuff like theft and destuction of personal property.
HR? Really?!? Does anyone still believe HR departments actually do anything for the employee? Naw, they're just there to help legal keep you from filing charges or claims.Good Luck to all (of us) highly motivated women still looking out there.

Just resigned from a very difficult situation. Library, unranked vocational, quite horrible middle-school quality teasing from circulation staff in the wake of a relationship with one of their staffers that went nowhere. Another librarian pursued same staffer, whereas some limited perception B.S. had all equate my discomfort to an interpersonal zero-sum game where both elements of this couple felt exhalted it did seem; i.e. one felt desired X2, the other, validated for his presumably fine choice.

It does provide this poster some satisfaction that these 'star-crossed lovers' will no longer be able to blame interpersonal dysfunction upon the presumed corrosive influence of quite terrible me, that they will be forced to sober up, and that the tepid choice they've likely both made will in time be revealed as plain.

Libraries can be sad social laboratories housing interpersonally inexperienced men and women both, or rather should I say boys and girls. Both fitfully try to catch up in the maturity sweepstakes, and mix in experiences not had in high school, a certain desperation, too much unstructured time, the low socioeconomic status of all players, and matters get ugly. I don't exempt myself from that which I've stated, but please understand that I at least did all I might to cease contact and expand social relations outside of the building.

After-hours teasing, wide staff participation, HR denial that it all could be anything more than 'what was in my head', etc. ensued and would not stop. A new semester would bring new work studies on board and renewal of corrosive chatter - for wasn't it all terrific fun to bring new hires up to speed. Detailed record keeping penned as incident reports did me little, and as terrible behavior continued and more chose to participate, I declined to play and was eventually deemed incapable of performing an essential aspect of work; i.e. relating easily to people.

Such people, and such a vile network of cruel and unprofessional sorts who deserve no better than to have such behaviors visited upon them in their personal lives at some time, in some place. How could they behave so and imagine in some casual way that to give vent to such behavior didn't reflect upon their own character, and that skills developed so will eventually be turned upon those they presumably love?

Bullies breed bullies I do believe, whereas utterly fatigued I was and remain for they would not let it go. I'd forget for days - and then there would be further evidence right before me, confirming without a doubt that the 'perceptual zero-sum game' others were deeply invested in required that I play my role. Giggling, laughter, recce runs to gather information, further chatter, bonds expanded upon amongst female staff for excited chatter - all without my participation. The permission needed to engage in such behavior they simply took without asking, whereas no matriarchal Judi Densch would ever set down from above to afford the sort of engaged parenting too may over-aged part-time library clerks with patently too little to do so obviously required. Such excitement!

Titles speaking of teen girl culture having to do with matters described as Alternate Aggression, Relational Aggression, and Behavioral Aggression help, as do materials for myself that relate to a certain vulnerability I carried in having to do with a legacy of emotional deprivation. HR yawned, older staffers pulled back and were appalled though they could not say, mean girls culture held total sway.

May all who avidly participated experience these as the greatest days of their lives, that their total experience of life effectiveness not transcend the sordid social environment they gleefully cultivated, and that may life pass them by.

I'll remember an environment of my increasingly difficult social situation being played for a laugh, one where poking me with a stick validated the social worth of someone who in a reasoned and adult environment, in a professional environment, would not have a role. Thanks for your kind attention. Everyone be well...

I too have been through hell more than once at work. From being fired for not sleeping with the boss's son to having to constantly kiss the you know what of an owner's horrifically spoiled, ridiculous and psychotic daughter who was placed in a position of great authority....I have been there. As a single mother; I was preyed upon because a boss can smell your desperation to keep a job and feed your children from a mile away. I worked constant unpaid overtime and developed a very painful ulcer. I was fired by the insane daughter manager for supposedly being nasty to a new 20 something moron who had just been hired and had managed to completely ingraciate herself with the daughter by lying and pretending to like her. I felt like I was in high school all over again only x 1,000. People are just viscious and will stop at nothing to elevate themselves; even if that means destroying someone else. I now work in guidance at a high school and manage to get by on the very low salary compared to what I used to make. There are still issues but luckily I am too busy with students to get involved. I focus on them. I did work for a very successful attorney once who did not have any problems with his all female staff. BS was never tolerated and in spite of it being a very high pressured job; it was a pleasure to not have to worry. He would fire anyone who came in and created personal problems. Too bad I had to move. I have rambled but I enjoy seeing that I have not been alone.

what happens when you work for a family owned company and the owners wife is THE HR DEPT?

she ignores all legitimate complaints. she knows there is an office affair going on but does not stop it between those two doing it!

what do you do when the company is family owned, it is a toxic work environment, and you have been passed over for advancement because you filed a complaint against a co-worker which was ignored.

I am over 50 and spent 3 years in "hell" working with three girls in their 20's. When I was hired, the manager stressed to me he wanted me to set a professional example as the young ladies in the office needed some guidance in that area. They spend the day talking. laughing, and talking on the phone. I was forced to help them with their assignments as they never got anything done. The more I did the more was expected of me. Not a day went by that I did not endure smart remarks about my age, my dress (I was asked to wear suits) and my family. Finally I had enough and quit. My family needed my income is the only reason I lasted as long as I did.

Scott S., you are full of crap. You are probably one of the biggest bullies out there and I wish we could meet face to face. You would not last dude.

As a small business owner/manager, one thing I have learned: fire the a_______ ! I've had to work with some over the years that were amazingly nasty, unproductive and demoralizing to the rest of the staff. They generally kept their positions because they were "protected workers" (minority, etc), until the situation reached a breaking point and they were terminated anyway. Document everything to the last little detail, fight their claim for UC (you will win with proper documentation), and try your best to avoid hiring errors. But if you find that you have made a mistake in hiring, terminate that person immediately - it's vital for the survival of your business, and for a productive, efficient workplace. I learned this the hard way (personal experience); check references thoroughly and take your time in hiring.

Funny, but not a single poster here named the company/companies at which they were bullied. Why not? Are you still afraid of retaliation? I don't doubt for a moment that these stories are true, but it'd be nice to know which companies to avoid.

One of the best ways to exact a little vengeance of your own is to let others know about workplace cultures. It also gives talented, well-adjusted productive workers who don't need this bullshit in their lives an opportunity to avoid bad employers and focus what they have to offer on employers who truly value it.

I was bullied so many times during the first 10 years of working . That I finally decided to work the graveyard shift and not have to deal with so many hateful people in the world. Something about my nice personality makes people think I'm timid and weak. Their are some people in this world that are just mean and want to rip you apart. They dont care if you have families to take care of or not. They treat the workplace as if its recess at a elementary school. Now I work by myself and I dont have the stress I use to have.

After being fired from a job in the mortgage industry for refusing to work for "Chinese Overtime" (I swear, that's what the HR person called it), I took a "temp" job for $10/hr at the place where my neighbor is the office manager. Things went swimmingly for 4 months until the owners of the company promoted me to a permanent position and gave me a raise - which is only a little less than the office manager makes. I had been offered a different position at another company, and the co-owners decided they wanted to match the offer I was given, in order to keep me. It has been two weeks - and I suffer bullying, insinuation and passive-aggressive behaviors daily from my neighbor/office manager. When I spoke to the owner about it, he said, "Well, you're a woman . . .". His excuse for the bad behavior and a less than subtle suggestion that I just take it. The office manager and I are the only women who work for the company, and she has run off every other woman who has worked for her. At 56 years old I can't just leave this job until I have another - but I SO wish I had taken the other offer. I knew before I was offered this position that the office manager complains daily about her health, her family life, her boyfriend, etc. ad nauseum. She averages actually working about 5 hours a day - between running "errands" and talking on her cell phone to her boyfriend. She has screaming profane fights with her son, who is also a manager at the company, in front of customers and the entire staff. And the owners do nothing - its like they are afraid of her. I just never thought she would turn her considerable wrath toward me. I should have known that when I was in a stable position and my work was being appreciated by the owners - I would become an enemy in her eyes.

I read the comments and agree most of those things had been done to me by one woman. There seems to always be that one employee and if you become the target my only suggestion is to leave as soon as you can because you will never be respected once that one person is done spreading rumors about you. No matter how hard you work, meetings, showing proof they are lies it still sits in the back of the mind of your boss everytime they are considering someone for a promotion. Especially when they are friends with the bully. My only satisfaction was being called several times for months following being terminated asking me to return and the joy it gave me to say NO every time.

It is curious, but many women, including my wife, have told me about female bullies they've known in the workplace. I don't know many women who actually want to work for women. I don't know why that is.

I work in Flint, Mi for a homehealth care company-the nations largest as a matter of fact. It's a known fact that my boss is a bully, and I am just one of two office girls. I have worked here for so long, that my boss has influenced me and the other girl and so the four of us together (two managers, and two office girls) bully all of our clinicians. We are encouraged to do it everyday, we are encouraged to constantly text and call them while they are driving to go see patients. We love to threaten the employees that they won't get paid if they don't make corrections to paperwork. But we are passive-aggressive, too!! So, we love to wait until the last possible minute to call them about this, so that they can't possibly make it in on time to correct, soo we don't pay them!!!! Isn't that a hoot? lol I make such a pittance, and I am so jealous of all the nurses and therapists, (not that butt-ugly social worker though), that I love to give them hell. Everyday, I wake up at 5:30 to care for my husband, who is dying because of the stress I have put him through (te-he), then I go to work and take it out on everyone. This is not a joke, I really do this!!! I hope no one from work reads this, but I just had to write this from a bully's point of view!! I am dumb, uneducated, and very unhappy in life, so I have to make others miserable. It's what keeps me going, and one of the only reasons I enjoy going to work! Oh, I want to ad this! Ha ha! Any new "account execs" (nice sounding name for lowly salesman) we try to influence them, and get them into our web of lies and deceit and turn them against all clinicians as fast as possible!!! It works everytime!! Everyone is unhappy, miserable, and stressed out, JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT!!

I am so glad that bullying in the workplace is now being discussed --- i've been bullied, too, from my earliest memories but also at work from "adults", to the extent that i developed post-truamatic stress disorder and attempted suicide ---- even some of my managers. Professionally, the problem was that it SEVERELY effected my ablility to do my job ... and, thus, my work reputation ... and thus my ability to find work and support myself. Eventually, my company (who i'd been with for over 20 years despite the harrassment/bullying) did begin to address the problem, but that was after i'd been with them for 13 yrs. and the damage was done. ~~~~~~~~~ As a side-note, i believe that all the workplace and school violence/shootings are actually victims of bullying finally not being able to take the bullying/hate any more; i think if we can eliminate the emotional violence, we will eliminate the resulting voilent reaction (which includes suicide ---- the anger and hate against the bullied person vented back on his/her ownself .... and the hopeless and the helplessness to protect his/her self from the perpetrators). (By the way, you never see the bullies held accountable for what they did to the person who finally reacted; they should be.)