An Interview with Janice Gilligan White
I was very pleased to be given the opportunity to interview Janice Gilligan White about the topic of workplace bullying. Janice holds a BA in psychology from Montclair State University and is affiliated with both The Workplace Bullying Institute and End Workplace Abuse. She is currently a blogger for targets of workplace abuse and is committed to spreading awareness, knowledge and the resources available so others can be spared the shock and damage of this growing epidemic. She is also committed to supporting efforts to pass The Healthy Workplace Bill. You can connect with her via her website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn. I hope you enjoy our interview.
DS: Janice, can you please give us a brief background about your personal experience with workplace bullying and how this led you to your current advocacy in this area?
JGW: Almost two years ago, I lost my 16-year aviation career to workplace abuse. Prior to my experience, I enjoyed the benefits of working in a healthy work environment and thrived in my role, spearheading many new initiatives and winning multiple awards, including an employee of the year award.
At the time, I was unaware of the term workplace bullying and it would seem unfathomable that I would become one of the millions of dedicated, loyal, ethical, well-liked employees this abuse most often targets. I found myself completely unprepared for what I was about to face.
As with many others, my ordeal started with a change of management. I would find myself working for a boss that took credit for other’s work, did not operate in transparency, and put others down, behind closed doors, in order to make himself look better. And while this certainly made for a less than pleasant working environment, I truly believed that with the amount of years of experience I had and the reputation I’d built, his actions would have very little do with me professionally.
But I would come to discover just how dangerous toxic leadership can be. It would be about a year later, when a new regional manager would be added to the mix, that things would go from toxic to abusive.
I would soon be answering to multiple false accusations over the course of just a couple of months. I would then be placed on a 60-day Performance Improvement Plan, without prior performance issues, with years of stellar performance reviews, and just 5 days after meeting with the CEO for recognition.
The shock and injustice of these actions would activate my survival instincts and my body would be thrust into fight or flight response. My natural inclination was to fight back. I began to speak up, putting faith in the company’s stated values, believing policies in place would protect me, and relying on the leaders of the company I’d trusted and respected to make things right.
What I found, was that the aggression only increased. I had become a “problem” and needed to be eliminated from the workplace. The covert actions I’d now face would ultimately lead to additional stress causing concerning health issues, including memory loss. Within only 6 months, I would make the very difficult decision to leave my profession and the company I’d devoted myself to for 12 years in order to survive.
It would be a couple of months later that I’d discover what happened to me had a name. That this abuse was well researched, predictable, and had devastated so many others. The debilitating mental and physical repercussions to follow were so overwhelming that once I began to heal, I was left with a sense of social responsibility. I had to educate others on the existence of this growing epidemic and share the resources that are available. I felt that if I could eliminate the shock for just one person or have someone seek help sooner than later, my experience would have a purpose.
I decided to start The Empowered Employee in October 2018, a blog for targets of workplace abuse, exactly one year to the date of losing my career. Ironically, October was National Anti-Bullying Month
DS: How common is bullying in the workplace?
JGW: According to The Workplace Bullying Institute’s US National 2017 survey, approximately 60 million workers are affected by workplace abuse, that’s 1 in 3. And for those targeted at work, the research shows that 77.7% of them lose their job because of it.
Statistics show that most bullies are bosses (61%) and are male (70%), while the majority of targets tend to be women (65%). Another statistic I found interesting was that for 33% of us, our workplace mistreatment will be our very first experience with abuse, making it often difficult to accept and understand the behavior for what it truly is. Abuse.
But no matter what the statistics are, it’s so important to remember that workplace abuse does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone.
DS: What are some of the negative physical and emotional effects someone may experience as a result of workplace bullying?
JGW: The stress associated with this abuse is the main factor in the decline in someone’s health. Especially when the stress becomes distress, as it often does when one’s employment, sense of self, and their reputation is threatened.
While being bullied, some physical, cognitive and emotional indicators to look out for are a rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, nausea, drastic weight changes, poor concentration, memory problems, trouble sleeping, anxiety, grief, feeling shocked, shame and anger.
About 40% of workplace abuse targets will end up suffering from stress related illnesses after their experience. These include sleep disorders, cardiovascular issues, migraines, anxiety (anxiety attacks), clinical depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and suicidal thoughts (just to name a few).
DS: How should a person respond if they believe they are being bullied in the workplace? Any do’s or don’ts?
JGW: Every situation is different and each person will have much to consider when deciding what to do about their current situation. But I can offer some personal Do’s and Don’ts based on my own experience:
Do:
- Pay attention to your health. Our bodies often tells us something is wrong long before our minds can process what is happening.
- Research workplace bullying and become familiar with your options (there are quite a few!) and best health practices during stress (meditation, exercise, finding a new interest to explore).
- Document each event and keep all copies of what you’ve collected at home.
- Before taking action, seek outside counsel from an employment lawyer and/or workplace bullying expert.
- Have an exit plan in place if the aggression escalates (as it often does).
Don’t:
- Talk about your work situation with co-workers.
- React emotionally to events (easier said than done, but so crucial).
- Use your work computer to research, document or email others about the mistreatment. Your employer is most likely watching.
- Handle workplace abuse on your own. No matter how strong, reputable, and justified you feel you are, you will need a support system and you will need to practice lots of self-care.
DS: Where can readers go to learn more about this topic or to access other helpful resources?
JGW: There are so many great resources out there! And many are available for free.
To start where I did, people can visit the Workplace Bullying Institute.
David Yamada, an expert in the field, has a blog Minding the Workplace, which provides a wealth of knowledge and validation on the topic.
Deb Falzoi has been a champion of change and you can find tons of support at Dignity Together: End Workplace Abuse Now on Facebook.
I also highly recommend the book, The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD and the free e-book, Reject Revolution: Simple Steps For Getting Through Career Rejection and on to Your Best Life by Ree Jackson
All of these resources, and many more, can be found by visiting my website.
DS: Is there anything you would like to say to encourage someone who is dealing with bullying in the workplace?
JGW: I have three main messages for targets:
1) You are not alone. This abuse is well understood and there is help available right now.
2) There is no shame in what you’ve experienced. No one deserves abusive treatment and you are not to blame for what has taken place.
3) And finally, if you are still reeling from this abuse, there is hope and recovery is possible. The months following workplace abuse can feel confusing, scary, lonely and hopeless. But you CAN feel better again. In my darkest hour, I needed to see light. I truly hope to be that light for others.
There is a whole community out there that understands what you’re going through. The sooner you reach out for help, the faster you will be on your way to your new life. And as I’ve found, that new life can be just as fulfilling and and even more beautiful than the one you knew before…as unimaginable as it may seem at the moment.
Thanks so much to Janice for this very useful and inspiring information!
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