A
study in the UK backs up recent local research from two groups that
suggests more and more bosses/managers in businesses and corporations
are giving their staff a serious dose of increased blood pressure and
work-related stress.
The British study, conducted by doctors from
the Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College and also a group of 28
female nursing assistants, coincides with reports by Health Works
Australia and the Australian Psychological Society, the latter of which
surveyed 100,000 public and private sector employees, suggesting that
many employees are suffering at the hands of bullying bosses.
The result of working with intimidating
bosses - or those who bully, insult and generally degrade staffers -
can lead to a number of disturbing scenarios, including stress,
anxiety, sleep disturbance, panic attacks, concentration difficulties,
depression and even raised blood pressure.
The Study
The UK-based study used a test group of
nurses who all worked in British hospitals and who agreed to have their
respective blood pressures monitored every 30 minutes.
The idea was to see if there was any change in their blood pressure
when they were working with or in the presence of a superior who they
deemed was "unfair or unreasonable".
Forming the first comparison group, half of
the nurses worked with two managers - one they liked, and one that they
didn't like.
The remaining nurses made up a comparison
group that worked a boss they either liked or disliked, but not both.
This group tested only a slight difference of three millimetres of
mercury (Hg) in their systolic pressure, and no difference in diastolic
pressure when working with one type of boss.
That said, the other group working with two
supervisors - one they liked, the other they disliked - registered
alarming results. Those nurses working with the nasty boss registered a
15mm Hg difference in their systolic blood pressure and a 7mm Hg
difference in diastolic pressure from normal.
While this may mean little to you, try
looking at in context: A 10mm HG rise in systolic blood pressure and a
5mm HG rise in diastolic blood pressure can lead to a 38 per cent
increase in the chances of the subject getting a stroke, and 16 per
cent increased risk of coronary heart disease.
So, the new research proves that nasty or
vindictive bosses, or those in power who bully and taunt have a massive
effect on the mental wellbeing of their subordinates.
Furthermore, to better clarify 'nasty'
bosses, or those who bully, here's a list of the most commonly
described behavioural traits:
Intimidation
Humiliation
Ridicule
Insults
Offensive language
Derogatory language
This behaviour on the part of the boss can
often lead staffers to feel stressed, anxious and panicked, and often
develop concentration difficulties, have trouble sleeping and even
become depressed.
In turn, such maladies almost always lead to employees taking sick or
annual leave, which increases costs and reduces productivity.
A
study in the UK backs up recent local research from two groups that
suggests more and more bosses/managers in businesses and corporations
are giving their staff a serious dose of increased blood pressure and
work-related stress.