If your boss yells and humiliates you at work: what to do and how to behave in a conflict?

Some citizens face bullying at work every day. But not everyone knows what to do if a manager insults and humiliates an employee.

Does a boss have the right to yell at a subordinate? The article of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, dedicated to disciplinary sanctions, states that management can use only those types of sanctions that are provided for by law and internal regulations. Insults and swearing do not apply to them.

There are many situations in which a boss can insult a subordinate; we’ll tell you what to do in this case in our material.

Why do managers humiliate subordinates?

Agree, everything happens for a reason. Your boss takes his anger out on his subordinates for a reason. However, do not rush to blame yourself.

Probably yours the director was captured by his own image. For some reason, it seems to some people that a real leader must be domineering, tough, and ignorant of politeness and compassion.
By raising his voice to a subordinate, the boss feels like he’s in charge and makes it clear “who’s boss.”
The next reason is banal lack of self-confidence . Ironically, timid people sometimes hide their true selves so carefully that they make others think they are incredibly strong and brave. The created mask allows them to achieve success in social life: they are influential and occupy leadership positions. However, they are constantly haunted by an obsessive thought: what if someone finds out that they can give in?
The boss is losing his nerve . A tense period for the company, stress, problems in your personal life - all this one way or another leaves an imprint on behavior. Another question is that this is not very professional. This syndrome is called emotional fatigue, overwork.
There is a version that your boss is no stranger to sadism . Especially if he doesn’t disdain swear words and likes to practice on his subordinates. There is a common phrase that “There is no worse master than a former slave” - in this case it is one hundred percent true. Self-affirmation through humiliation of others is disgusting, yes, but it exists.

Evidence material

Any accusation requires objective confirmation, which may include:

Eyewitness testimony.
Data from CCTV cameras.
Recording from a voice recorder turned on during the incident. Depending on the sound quality, you may be able to attach a transcript.

The investigation period should not exceed 1 month. 2 months are allotted for the consideration of the case. The court decision can be appealed within 10 days after the decision is issued.

Any questions you may have can be asked in the comments to the article.

Does he have the right to shout?

Unfortunately, thousands of people have no idea how to really communicate within a work team. They are also not familiar with the concept of etiquette. Of course, superiors do not have the right to yell and humiliate subordinates.

IMPORTANT ! There are many methods of influencing a negligent employee - a reprimand, a fine, deprivation of bonuses, dismissal, in the end.

Constant scandals in the workplace indicate that “the fish rots from the head”: the boss fails to cope with the responsibilities assigned to him and is unable to regulate the activities of the employees who are subordinate to him.

Don’t forget that we are all human: everyone has a bad streak. If the director shouted a couple of times due to temporary difficulties, this can be forgiven. But regular humiliation and insults must be stopped.

If your boss humiliated you in the presence of your colleagues or offended you in front of everyone, then it makes no sense to endure it in silence. This is harmful to both your health and the microclimate at work.

By the way, did you know that employees who are yelled at by their boss are more prone to heart attacks than those who work in a calm, adequate environment?

There are often cases when the boss is an ordinary tyrant and does not see his own shortcomings. It is useless to argue with him or respond to aggression with aggression - in any case, he will be confident that he is right.

In this case, you need to develop a plan for further action and a line of behavior with an unbalanced boss. Whatever the reason for the screaming, you can’t react to problems like that.

Harassment in the workplace - article

Since 2012, only administrative liability has been provided for this offense. For this purpose Art. 5.61 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The basis for punishing the guilty person is the citizen’s appeal to law enforcement agencies, and the decision to prescribe preventive measures is made by the court. If several employees were insulted, an independent administrative case will be initiated in relation to each fact of humiliation.

When contacting the police, you must submit a written statement. Its content must include:

name of the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to which the appeal is submitted;
information about the applicant, as well as about the potential offender;
the circumstances of the relationship between the employee and the manager - labor relations or a civil contract;
a statement of each case of insult at work - the date, time and place of unlawful behavior, information about possible witnesses, the reasons for obscene claims on the part of the manager;
the nature of the expressions in which the boss humiliates the applicant;
method of insult (for example, if an employee is publicly humiliated, the punishment for the official will be significantly more severe);
requirement for administrative liability.

Proving these facts is quite difficult, since often the humiliation of the honor and dignity of a subordinate occurs in private. If indecent treatment of an employee took place at collective events (meetings, conferences), the court will hear testimony from witnesses. The indecency of the form of address to the employee is also checked.

What to do - advice from a psychologist

Let's talk about how to behave in a conflict with a manager when he unfairly accuses you or raises his voice.

Conduct yourself with dignity . Don’t gossip, don’t inform your boss about your colleagues, don’t get involved in dubious stories - in a word, take care of your reputation so that during the next scandal it will be difficult to reproach you for something specific.
Take a closer look at your behavior . The boss’s cry is not always an empty sound. If you are regularly late, do not comply with the dress code, or do not meet deadlines, then it is time to reconsider your habits and correct your mistakes.
Remember that you have rights . If necessary, you should remind the aggressive director: you can easily sue him, you just need to provide evidence. Perhaps this will pacify the law-abiding boss a little. By the way, this actually works, but filing a lawsuit is not an easy process.
Try talking to the director alone . He/she may feel a personal dislike towards you, and if this is true, it is worth finding out the real reason: if only for the sake of a productive work process. Just be sure to do this one-on-one - the boss will not show off in front of his colleagues, will not be able to avoid an important conversation and will be forced to focus on your problem.
Respect yourself . Trying to smooth out rough edges during a conflict, you risk finding yourself in a dependent position. You need to know where your professional responsibilities end and the whims of your boss begin.

Remember

You often have to look for ways to interact with your boss, because a lot depends on relationships, even a successful career.
According to labor market research, the majority of Russian workers treat managers with respect. Moreover, the longer they worked together, the more it increased. But the feeling of hatred has no connection with the duration of joint work.
Tyrants are often called leaders who always make unilateral decisions and unexpectedly change them, as well as those who aggressively communicate with subordinates.
If you have to work with a tyrant boss, take nine tips: be prepared for provocations; be able to show the results of your work; keep calm; defend your position; be ready for dialogue; record the agreements reached; Meet with your manager more often to discuss important issues; do not flatter your superiors; develop your emotional intelligence.
Remain professional with a clear line of behavior, maintain a constructive dialogue and remember: you and your boss are on the same side, because you are partners, not opponents.

Author: Elizaveta Efremova

Source: media portal of the Russian School of Management

How not to behave in a conflict?

Now let's discuss what is prohibited to do when the boss is rude and humiliating at work.

Under no circumstances should you ingratiate yourself with the director in order to gain his precious trust. Moreover, all kinds of small gifts are prohibited. Not everyone will appreciate your initiative. In addition, the method is very unreliable and does not provide any guarantee that the boss will calm down and begin to behave acceptably.
You cannot follow his example - never, under any circumstances. You will only demonstrate imbalance and bad manners to your colleagues.
You should not discuss the director with other employees behind his back . Gossip has never led to anything good. And human decency is a very relative thing: today you are discussing an evil boss with a co-worker, and tomorrow a colleague is sitting in the boss’s office and telling you that you do not comply with corporate ethics.
There is no need to dwell on this problem . If you can’t change your job, then just ignore the negativity. Find yourself a new hobby, spend more time with your family. Get plenty of rest.

How to prove the fact of insult

One of the key circumstances when writing an appeal is the evidence base. To prove insult and humiliation, an employee must provide :

audio recordings;
video recordings;
written documents;
witness's testimonies.

If there is a fact of written insult, these letters and notes should be attached. As a rule, insults are accompanied by the uttering of words that humiliate the honor and dignity of a person. Repeated accompanying humiliations should be recorded on a tape recorder or indicated in a witness statement.

The application must include the information of the applicant, contact information, a description of the conflict situation, evidence of insult and humiliation, and contact information of the boss.

We also recommend reading the articles:
The procedure and timing for consideration of the application by the prosecutor's office.
How to write and submit a police report.

Procedure for dealing with insults from your boss

You should start by collecting evidence.

If the rudeness of the management is directed not only at a specific employee and is of a public nature, then witnesses should be attracted - work colleagues who will act as witnesses.

When communicating individually, you can use a recording device, but you should warn your boss about this. Evidence must be obtained legally. A recording made in secret may be considered inadmissible by the court as evidence. Sometimes such actions are enough to convince the boss to control himself.

In addition, all documents on unfounded disciplinary action and monetary penalties will be evidence.

If the boss wants to survive an unwanted employee through rudeness, then the victim should contact the labor inspectorate. The statement states:

date and number of the employment contract or employment order;
cases of boorish behavior of the boss;
what is the manifestation of coercion to dismiss;
witnesses.

It is advisable to complete the application in two copies. For personal delivery, ask to register the application and affix a registration note or stamp on the second copy.

The application is submitted electronically through the portal “Online Inspectorate .rf”, or through the “Public Reception” of Rostrud.

Audio, video recordings and copies of documents are attached to the application.

In case of insult, you should contact the prosecutor's office in the same manner. The electronic appeal is sent through the Internet reception of the official website of the prosecutor's office.

Based on the employee’s application, the government agency conducts an inspection, and both the applicant and his boss are interviewed. If the content of the application is confirmed, then an official of the prosecutor's office or labor inspectorate draws up a protocol on the administrative offense and sends it to the court, along with the inspection materials.

If the labor inspectorate or the prosecutor's office refuses to initiate a case of an administrative offense, then a complaint against their inaction is filed with a higher authority or court.

Causes of breakdowns

The boss is easily provoked into conflict by his subordinates who know him little. They are unfamiliar with the peculiarities of his character and temperament. It is possible that your boss is a choleric person who constantly needs to scream as an active manifestation of emotions.

The main reasons for bosses to show disrespect for employees:

Bad mood. Your boss is also a person who, in addition to work, has a personal life, where things may not be so smooth. Poor health can affect subordinates.
Bad news. This could be a drop in sales or company ratings.
There is a syndrome that is characterized by emotional fatigue. It may be caused by the fact that your boss is tired and urgently needs rest, which he cannot afford due to the blockages at work. Loss of interest in activities and complete trust in subordinates, which they may not justify. Unjustified trust will cause mental disorders in the boss.
Low profit. There are no bosses who would be satisfied with low profits. To improve it, he prepares to find fault with all sorts of little things.
Violation of discipline. Remember - you cannot be late, wear a dirty uniform, or engage in any extraneous activities during the working day.

Consultation with a lawyer

If a citizen independently analyzes his situation, he must remember the following key points:

Each case is unique, therefore it is considered and dealt with by the authorized bodies in a special manner;
It is advisable to understand the basic legislation in this area, but this is not a guarantee of success;
A positive outcome depends on many factors.

Advice!
It is quite difficult for a beginner to understand all these nuances on his own, so experts recommend seeking advice from a lawyer. Video about responsibility for insult