Workers see companies tolerate abuse from bosses who deliver results

Workers see companies tolerate abuse from bosses who deliver results Pexels The boss shouts, exposes employees, makes excessive demands and creates a climate of fear in the team. Even so, he continues to be praised by the company because he delivers results. This is a perception shared by many Brazilian workers. A survey by the consultancy CLA Brasil, released exclusively to g1, shows that 72.7% of professionals believe that leaders adopt inappropriate behaviors under the justification of high performance. Another 71.8% say that abuse is treated as normal in the face of pressure for results. The numbers suggest that, for many workers, performance still weighs more than how people are treated. The study interviewed 303 professionals through spontaneous participation. "There is a cultural problem when the organization begins to see the result as a kind of safe-conduct for behavior. It is the logic that 'it may be difficult, but it delivers'. The problem is that the result does not neutralize inappropriate conduct", says Mariana Rodrigues, specialist in behavioral corporate investigations. How mental illness is identified at work According to her, in some companies, managers who achieve goals end up gaining influence and become seen as professionals who are difficult to replace. "For some people, the rule is more flexible. Even though it's not written anywhere, employees notice this difference in treatment," he says. When abuse becomes part of the culture Shouting, public humiliation, frequent irony, exposing mistakes in front of the team and exaggerated demands are among the behaviors that can end up being tolerated when the manager is seen as a successful professional. For Mariana, the problem is not always just with a specific boss. She explains that, in some companies, excessive pressure comes from the highest levels and ends up being reproduced throughout the leadership chain. "Those who don't adapt to this model often leave. Those who stay end up understanding that this is how they lead and pass this behavior on to their own team", he states. The price of high performance Although the results appear in the short term, the cost usually arrives later. The survey shows that 87.8% of respondents believe that people resign or leave teams because they cannot stand the way they are treated by managers. According to Mariana, abusive leadership can generate good numbers initially, but it demands a high price later on. "Abusive leadership may even produce results in the short term, but it tends to generate costs in the medium and long term, such as loss of engagement, increased turnover, absences and decreased productivity", he states. It also highlights a less visible effect. "There is also a less visible cost: the loss of trust. When employees no longer feel safe to disagree, ask for help or point out problems, the company loses important information. Therefore, a leadership that delivers results by destroying the surrounding environment may be creating false efficiency." The study also shows another phenomenon: 94.5% of those interviewed believe that there is a fear of retaliation when reporting situations of harassment. For almost half, this fear is relevant. The survey shows that 71.8% know how to report a case, but this does not mean that they feel safe to do so. Only 52.9% say that they would trust making a report currently. Another 29.4% responded "maybe" and 17.6% said they wouldn't trust. For Mariana, the question that goes through the mind of anyone thinking about reporting is simple: what will happen to me afterwards? "The employee wants to know, before saying: 'What will happen to me afterwards?'. If he believes that he may lose opportunities, be isolated, be harmed in his career or come to be seen as a problematic person, the existence of the channel will not be enough to generate trust." This perception can be even stronger when the complaint involves someone considered important to the business. "When professionals observe that a powerful leader is reported and nothing happens, or that the consequence for those who report is greater than for those who are accused, the organization teaches, in practice, that reporting can represent a risk." Therefore, the CLA indicates that the main difference is not in the existence of a reporting channel, but with the confidence that the company will do something. Among professionals who believe that the company handles reports appropriately, 87.5% say they would report a situation of harassment. Among those who do not trust the organization's response, this percentage drops to 12.9%. For the expert, it is precisely in these moments that employees discover whether the rules really apply to everyone. It's in the way it reacts when the complaint involves someone important to the business", he says. The survey shows that most companies already have tools to deal with the problem. According to those interviewed, 81.4% work in places that have policies on harassment and conduct, and 74.6% say they know these rules well. There has also been progress in training: 67.5% say that their companies promote training on the subject. Still, the survey shows that the main challenge is not creating new rules, but getting employees believe that they will really be applied, even when they involve the bosses who deliver the most results.