Moral Harassment
31 March 2006
Read by 2123 persons
Many people suffer from it but do not dare to talk about it for fear of losing their job. Moral harassment always has harmful effects, and not only on the employee.
An anecdote perfectly illustrates the phenomenon of moral harassment; it takes place in a renowned Moroccan company. An employer wants to get rid of one of his employees but does not want to pay him severance pay. He doesn't know how to do it and decides to push the employee out the door.
How? By suddenly installing another person in his position without warning him.
In this kind of situation, a somewhat proud employee will try to understand what happened. He will spontaneously resign or accept to endure what his employer will prepare for him as a consequence. And in this case, he will end up giving in. This kind of moral harassment is very widespread in Moroccan companies. But often, it is very rarely, if ever, reported because not only do employees fear for their jobs, and therefore their future, but they also have difficulty proving the persecution.
Beware of demotivation!
Some employers, who cannot establish professional misconduct that would justify dismissal, shamelessly take advantage of this situation. However, it is accepted that in certain particular situations, the two parties can find common ground after a constructive discussion. This is the case, for example, when harassment (temporary) results from a circumstantial error made by an agent. Otherwise, the situation is more difficult to resolve. If quick solutions are not found, the repercussions can be felt both by the victim and within the company.
The first may feel more and more stress, fear, and isolation, and may become aggressive. The company, for its part, risks suffering demotivation on the part of the employee, which would lead to a decrease in productivity and therefore an increase in production and operating costs. In short, moral harassment benefits neither party. Everyone, in one way or another, loses out. Therefore, it would be better, if no agreement is found, to separate amicably.
In Morocco, moral harassment is not governed by any regulatory framework. Even the labor code does not contain clauses under which an employee could defend himself if he felt harassed by his work environment. But if no regulatory text provides special provisions in this matter, what about internal rights within the company itself? Again, in general, it is very difficult to protect oneself against the phenomenon because it is always difficult to prove.
CHALLENGE HEBDO N°90 From Saturday, March 18 to Friday, March 24, 2006
An anecdote perfectly illustrates the phenomenon of moral harassment; it takes place in a renowned Moroccan company. An employer wants to get rid of one of his employees but does not want to pay him severance pay. He doesn't know how to do it and decides to push the employee out the door.
How? By suddenly installing another person in his position without warning him.
In this kind of situation, a somewhat proud employee will try to understand what happened. He will spontaneously resign or accept to endure what his employer will prepare for him as a consequence. And in this case, he will end up giving in. This kind of moral harassment is very widespread in Moroccan companies. But often, it is very rarely, if ever, reported because not only do employees fear for their jobs, and therefore their future, but they also have difficulty proving the persecution.
Beware of demotivation!
Some employers, who cannot establish professional misconduct that would justify dismissal, shamelessly take advantage of this situation. However, it is accepted that in certain particular situations, the two parties can find common ground after a constructive discussion. This is the case, for example, when harassment (temporary) results from a circumstantial error made by an agent. Otherwise, the situation is more difficult to resolve. If quick solutions are not found, the repercussions can be felt both by the victim and within the company.
The first may feel more and more stress, fear, and isolation, and may become aggressive. The company, for its part, risks suffering demotivation on the part of the employee, which would lead to a decrease in productivity and therefore an increase in production and operating costs. In short, moral harassment benefits neither party. Everyone, in one way or another, loses out. Therefore, it would be better, if no agreement is found, to separate amicably.
In Morocco, moral harassment is not governed by any regulatory framework. Even the labor code does not contain clauses under which an employee could defend himself if he felt harassed by his work environment. But if no regulatory text provides special provisions in this matter, what about internal rights within the company itself? Again, in general, it is very difficult to protect oneself against the phenomenon because it is always difficult to prove.
CHALLENGE HEBDO N°90 From Saturday, March 18 to Friday, March 24, 2006
