Although recent media movements have attempted to bring the issues of workplace harassment to the forefront, it seems as if employees continue to struggle with mistreatment on the job. This is not limited to those in the entertainment industry. In fact, a recent survey shows that even those who have prestigious careers may be victims of a hostile work environment.
The survey in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reveals that about half of cardiologists have been victims of harassment, discrimination and other mistreatment on the job. The worldwide survey questioned nearly 6,000 physicians, showing that highly educated and skilled professionals may also be vulnerable to sexual or emotional harassment and discrimination. The study drew the following conclusions:
- More women cardiologists than men felt victimized on the job.
- More than half of the women cardiologists also reported being victims of discrimination.
- About 43% of the female doctors suffered emotional harassment.
- Gender and age were the most common classes of harassment among cardiologists.
- Almost two-thirds of the respondents admitted that the hostile work environment affected the quality of their work, including their patient care.
The field of cardiology is not alone in being challenging and competitive, but having doctors who are stressed and distracted because of mistreatment on the job can be dangerous for patients. Those in other professions may also suffer the consequences of working in a hostile environment, leaving them frustrated and disillusioned about a career for which they may have spent many years preparing. No matter the setting, sexual harassment, discrimination and employee mistreatment are unacceptable elements in the workplace.