Jerks Don't Work In The Modern Workplace

The Decline of The Hobbesian Workplace

The last time many of us saw a bully in action was grade school. As we age and learn how to resolve conflict without the aid of swirlies and taunts, the bullies seem to phase out. Is bullying, then, the exclusive provenance of the K-12 set?

Sadly, no. There are an increasing number of instances that the rules of the playground are consistently finding their way into the surging startups' scene. If you've followed the stories and the recent debacle with Uber (or the past 7 months of leaks about their culture), you've also noticed a running theme in the media: there's a growing pervasiveness of Hobbesian environments in which workers are sometimes pitted against one another create cultures where a blind eye is turned to infractions from top performers.

Workplace bullying has become a silent epidemic in North America, one that has huge hidden costs in terms of employee well-being and productivity. Bullying at work grinds victims down and makes them an 'easy target' for further abuse according to increased research.

The study published in the journal, Anxiety, Stress & Coping: An International Journal, reveals a spiral of abuse in which the victims of bullying become anxious, leaving them less able to stand up for themselves and more vulnerable to further harassment. The research suggests that employers should not only crack down on workplace bullies but also help victims gain the skills to cope with difficult situations.

But while Uber's shadow is long, not every startup is like them. In fact, the most recent group of unicorn's all seem to embrace the same mentality, one that believes a company can achieve growth targets while also being human. In short, companies are waking up and asking "What effect is this jackass or schmuck having on our company, work, or product?"

Getting Beyond the Jerk Shortage

Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of jerks. These maddening creatures, including some with real talent, are everywhere. There are jerks in the corner office, jerks in middle management, jerks in computer support and jerks in the next cubicle. Jerks can be male or female, young or old. An education doesn’t inoculate one against jerkdom. The essence of a jerk is immutable, or so it seems, raising a basic question: What effect is this jackass or schmuck having on our company, work, or product?

In The No Asshole Rule, Robert I. Sutton explains how fostering an asshole in the workplace is infinitely toxic for your team and your business.

Studies show that people who suffer from workplace bullying have lower overall job satisfaction and are more likely to quit. If you’re in a leadership position, it should particularly alarm you that the best employees are first to go.

In a similar vein, assholes also up absenteeism in their fellow employees. Harboring an office asshole can wreak broader damage to a business, too. Another study showed that people with low job satisfaction are more likely to steal from their employers.

One of the trickiest aspects of dealing with assholes is that, frequently, they’re imbued with some sort of magic that got them hired in the first place, be it remarkable intelligence, experience, or creativity.

The Damage of the Asshole

Hmmm... sounds like bullying leads to an entire basket of undesirable effects, right? Sutton contends that whatever the asshole’s magical qualities, they’re not enough to offset the “total cost of asshole ownership” to an organization. Here’s an itemized rundown of expenses:

• Employees suffer lower productivity, higher anxiety, and low job satisfaction
• Management pays in time and effort spent on soothing the asshole’s victims and recruiting and training replacements
• The organization at large amasses a terrifying tab: stifled creativity, a high turnover rate, and an inability to retain high caliber employees

It seems pretty simple: if you want to have a business that succeeds, the asshole has to go. Your team will thank you for it.

What makes for your perfect team?

As a member of Relus' recruiting team, Brian Fink focuses on driving talent towards opportunity. Whether helping startups ascend or enterprises adapt to the unknown, Fink focuses on client development, candidate engagement, organizational transformation, and recruiter education. Follow him on Twitter.