Tyranny at Work

We have all been there, a boss not only does not appreciate the work that you do, and they are just downright miserable people to work for. This is an all-too-common scenario that people face everyday of their lives. Leading to a level of unhappiness in the workplace brought about by employers' attitudes which is staggering.

Many people talk a big game, claiming that they are going to contact the labour board, and that they are attempting to address the way in which their employer is treating them. At the end of the day it is simply talk and they are too afraid to do act upon it because they are fearful of losing their job and disrupt their financial security. Everyone knows that the way they are treated is inappropriate and inhumane, regardless like many throughout history, they are frozen in fear, unable to stand up for their basic human rights.

No one should wake up on a Monday morning feeling like (or actually) vomiting because they are so anxious about going to work. Nor should they be cowering at the thought of checking their emails because they are worried that they are going to be harassed during their time of rest. It is a sad state in our society when someone cannot even run home and escape, their sanctuary is no longer a safe haven for those who seek refuge.

It is demoralising, disgusting, and illegal to treat your employees in such a manner. Employers who deploy this type of dictator like strategies to suppress their staff need to be held accountable for their actions. Whether it be paying a monetary fee or being subject to ridicule on a public platform.

I once worked for a someone (who I will not mention their name) they gave me a my first break in aviation and for that I will always be thankful. However to this day I still remember the things that they said to me and the way that I was mistreated. Working for weeks on end and void of pay. I was too afraid to say something because I was just a kid and did not want to lose my job. I was trying to pay my way through college and desperate for money. The manner to which I was reprimanded in front of customers, as if I was a child and did not have the mental capacity to understand that I made a mistake. Furthermore the way they would put me down daily, making comments like I "should never touch an aircraft", and I "will never amount to anything", and that I "should be thankful" that they were paying my way through college. I still get a lump in my throat thinking about it to this day. No amount of blogs or articles on the subject could get across the viciousness and the extent of what I was the subject to. I hope my child never goes through that same experience as I did. That individual no longer has their business and unfortunately it is not because I went to the labour board, it's because of poor business practice. In the fact they were cheating everybody who gave them money, so I guess karma is real.

If people reading this article take anything away from what I am preaching, it is that your value is not only what you are compensated. Your value is also who you are as a person, the personality and individuality you offer. You deserve to be treated like a person, and not someone's door mat. Do not be afraid to demand equal treatment and be afraid to stand up for what is just. There will always be other jobs and if there's anything that I have learned is that you cannot put a price on your happiness, and that no dollar amount is worth it. Consequently, if you are unhappy at work, when you come home that negative energy is going to translate into unhappiness in your life. One cannot be their best self and be the best for their family in that state of mind.

I do not want people to get me wrong, I do not believe that some sort of Utopian work space exists. People get angry, tempers do flare up, it is human nature. This generation in the workforce cannot take criticism or handle getting flack for legitimate reasons need to learn how to handle it. What I am talking about is the relentless bullying that employers can do with employees, specifically newer less experienced staff. What I am talking about is disregard for employees to the point of senseless nervousness, where they get sick at the thought of working with you and go home part way through the day.

People need to learn the difference between paying their dues and being mistreated. There is no place in any industry for bullying and it starts from the time you are young and unfortunately for some people it never relents. I was always taught growing up the best way to deal with a bully is to confront them, and unfortunately in my life I have not had the backbone to stand up for myself enough. I hope that this article does not fall on deaf ears and that those of you who suffer from chronic persecution in your place of work find some solace in the fact that you are not alone, and find the strength that you need to face it head-on or escape it.