Poland Syndrome a rare birth difference causes visual differences that are noticeable. This sometimes makes children easy targets to be be bullied at school. But what happens when we become adults? Does the bullying stop? Do parents get involved if the work environment presents an incident? What would you do?
We followed an interesting discussion on a forum recently. This is a short excerpt and opinion of one person. Details have been edited to protect those involved. We should also point out the language has been toned down to make it more appropriate to all readers.
My son was getting bullied by a guy at his new job. He was calling my son “small hand”. My son does have one hand smaller than the other, he was born that way. The guy kept swearing at my son, like what on earth are you thinking, why did you do it this way, that sort of thing.
Finally, my son had enough and called his boss and set up a meeting. Told him what was going on and that he couldn’t work with this guy anymore, he was degrading and my son wasn’t learning a thing from him. So, the boss switched my son to work with another guy.
I was really annoyed when I heard about it, yeah, but my son did take care of it himself, and I’m proud he did. The work place for an adult is a whole different ball game than a kid getting bullied at school.
At school mom and dad should intervene, but once they are adults in the workplace, they should be speaking up for themselves. I do have my son’s back, I’m just don’t intervene in his workplace dramas.
Disappointing a stronger case from a disciplinary point of view was made? Or do you think it’s better to deal with it in a quiet way and move on?
In the UK there are laws to prevent this kind of abuse at work or least to enforce where an employer is found to be negligent. But still it is disappointing that an intelligent educated workforce still finds it necessary to behave this way in the first place.
What’s your experience at work? Have you left a place of work due to how your colleagues treated you? Or do you have a great story to tell about a supportive network of colleagues? Either way we’d love to hear your story or your opinions on this one.