Abusive Details

Someone is abusive when they are violent or cruel towards other people. You can be abusive in several ways, and most times, abusive behavior is habitual. This means that if you become abusive, you'll behave in such a manner every time you get a chance. Frequently, abusiveness makes the person or people at the receiving end feel less of themselves and gives the abuser some sense of negative superiority. The effect of abuse on a victim is either short-term or long-term, and recovery sometimes requires therapy.

Though this may seem more like a personal or domestic problem, abusive people are frequently found in the workplace. Bosses can become aggressive towards their staff and make them feel uncomfortable at work. Such injustice towards staff members can lead to voluntary resignation or make some staff less productive and depressed. You can also be abusive towards colleagues, so abusiveness isn't specific to hierarchy in business or the workplace.

Abusiveness is not only cruel behavior towards humans. Improper treatment or property usage also counts as abuse. This means you can be guilty of being abusive towards office property when you do not take care of it or use it for personal purposes. Being abusive works mainly to the advantage of the abuser as their actions offer them unfair advantage or control.

Abusive Example

Abusive conduct consists of harmful behavior towards people or things for personal gains. An example of abuse in the workplace could involve sexual harassment. If a male or female staff member makes a sexual remark or touches another employee indecently without consent, the victim has every right to raise a sexual harassment claim. Such uncomfortable behavior towards other people in a working environment can negatively affect productivity and make the victim feel less enthusiastic about work. Another instance of abuse in the workplace involves using racial slurs when referring to colleagues or staff of a different race. Victims of racial discrimination can report such behavior as it affects self-esteem and weakens social interaction in the workplace.

If you are at the receiving end of any abuse in the workplace, you can raise a complaint with HR and see that you get justice. In any reputable working environment, HR takes complaints of abuse very seriously and investigates every report thoroughly. Once the investigation is complete, HR can make the necessary move to punish guilty members of staff. The weight of the consequence that a guilty person attracts after investigation ranges from suspension to job termination.

It is good to note that investigating workplace abuse cases can take anywhere from a few days to weeks. HR will need enough time to gather evidence and get the right information before deciding an outcome for your complaint. Thus, you must be patient enough and avoid taking drastic measures that may affect the investigation process. Apart from punishing the culprit, you may get some form of compensation from your company.