When you think of a bully, you probably picture some kid on a playground terrorizing his or her fellow classmates. But bullies aren’t just a problem in schools; in fact, 35% of American workers report having been bullied, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute. Furthermore, instances of bullying occur four times more often than those of sexual harassment.

However, many workplace experts say that there is a general lack of awareness about what constitutes bullying. As a result, people don’t even realize that one of their co-workers, or even their boss, is a bully until after the fact.

The problem with that, though, is that if you are the one being bullied, it can seriously impact your job happiness and productivity, as well as your overall quality of life. That’s why it’s so important to face the problem head on.

So what are some signs you’re being bullied in your Rancho Cordova job? Here’s a look.

1. You feel physically ill at the thought of going to work. Sunday nights are the worst; you dread the next day.

2. If you are frequently yelled at, or publicly insulted or embarrassed on a regular basis, then you are likely being bullied.

3. Rather than scream at you, a more covert bully will spread lies, half-truths and gossip about you – or your job performance.

4. A workplace bully might constantly criticizing everything you do. It seems like they are keeping a mental checklist of your mistakes that they bring up all the time, for no constructive purpose other than to embarrass you.

5. On your days off, you feel like you need to “recover” from work. You often spend this time feeling depressed and/or frustrated. You constantly obsess over work.

6. A workplace bully will purposely try to sabotage you. For instance, they always schedule meetings at a time when they know you have to leave early to pick up your kids or they change rules on the fly that apply to your work only.

If you are the victim of workplace bullying, then your best bet is to tell your boss or human resources. Before you do, though, make sure you can discuss the issue in a rational way with specific examples. It can be easy to get upset, so try to keep your emotions in check.

However, if you’re getting the sense that your company supports or doesn’t really care about this negative behavior, then it could be time to make a career move to a healthier environment.

If that’s the case, and you need some help finding possible new jobs in Rancho Cordova, let us know. As one of the leading employment firms in the area, we can give you access to a variety of opportunities with some of the top employers!

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