Abusive supervision

Abusive supervision involves the misuse of power by supervisors to manipulate and take advantage of their subordinates in an organization. It is a form of control that can cause distress and discomfort amongst employees.

A Scenario : Understanding Abusive supervision

Jane has been working as a sales manager at a large retail company for the past 5 years. She enjoys her job and is passionate about helping her team succeed. However, she has been struggling with her boss, Bob, who has been increasingly abusive towards her and her team.

Bob frequently criticizes Jane and her team’s work, publicly belittles them in front of their colleagues, and micromanages their every move. Despite Jane’s attempts to address the situation, Bob’s behavior continues to escalate.

Jane starts to notice the impact of Bob’s abusive supervision on her team’s morale and performance. Her team is demotivated and their sales are dropping. Some team members have even quit their jobs because of Bob’s behavior.

Jane decides to raise her concerns with HR, hoping that they will intervene and help resolve the situation. However, HR does not take her seriously and dismisses her concerns, saying that Bob is a good boss who is just demanding.

Frustrated and unable to handle the situation on her own, Jane decides to quit her job and look for a new opportunity. She realizes that working under Bob’s abusive supervision is not only affecting her performance but also her mental and physical health.

In this scenario, the impacts of abusive supervision are wide-ranging and have a negative effect on the well-being of employees. It is important for providers to recognize & address instances of misbehavior. By doing this, organizations can create a healthy work environment that supports all workers