Workplace mistreatment for US women: best practices for counselors

Abstract

Workplace mistreatment for women increases depression, anxiety, burnout, low self-esteem, low life satisfaction, and psychological distress, and decreases work productivity. Additionally, victims and bystanders of workplace mistreatment are likely to leave an organization. To fulfill the objective of documenting the current best practices that could assist counselors working with and advocating for US women experiencing workplace mistreatment, a systematic literature review (SLR) of materials published in the past 15 years was conducted. The 21 articles found resulted in two major themes. The first theme, Addressing Female Mistreatment in the Workplace, had three sub-themes. Four materials discussed Workplace Interventions, eight discussed Workplace Training, and three discussed the Reporting of Workplace Mistreatment. The second theme, Counseling Women Experiencing Workplace Mistreatment, was supported by 11 articles. When working with employers, counselors can encourage year-round improvements in workplace recruitment, orientation, and inclusion of culturally diverse employees; offer bystander training; and create a comprehensive program to report and resolve workplace mistreatment concerns. Counselors working directly with women experiencing workplace mistreatment will want to help the client focus on productive cognitive processes, obtain social support, directly confront the workplace mistreatment, and negotiate the unfortunate realities of workplace mistreatment.