Opticians and Optometric Assistants and Workplace Bullying Part 1 | How to Rebuild Your Career

Image Credits to condo.ca

Imagine spending your entire career working hard as an employee for your employer, only to have them bully and harass you until they push you to quit?

It wasn't enough for them to turn your coworkers against you, fabricating endless lies, until you had no one in your corner. Now, you've observed this ongoing pattern with each new employee that gets hired on. Your employer, then decides they would rather hire someone else for a cheaper rate to learn everything they possibly can from you with the intent to kick you to the curb once that employee acquires all your knowledge. Then, on top of that, they don't want anyone else to have you, so they badmouth you to every vendor they have a relationship with, knowing those vendors will tell every Optometry office not to hire you. Sounds horrific, doesn't it?

This is what some Opticians and Optometric Assistants working in Private Practices face on an ongoing basis. They don't have a Corporate HR to protect them in this scenario.

Many are too afraid to speak up in fear of retaliation. Many don't speak up, and are retaliated against anyway.

Their reputation is damaged, and their career in the Optometric field is no longer an option. What do they do? They leave the field to pursue any other career as long as it's not related to Optometry. The damage incurred while employed was detrimental enough to their health. Many leave their employers with depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). This is a real thing. I've observed it, and I've lived it.

This isn't just about the Optometry field, this is about every field.

This is the untold story of many who feel they don't have a voice.

I feared having a voice once upon a time. Now, I fear the future of healthcare if I don't speak up. Why do we end up having individuals who don't care about patient care working in the field? There's a high demand for Opticians and Optometric Assistants, due to high turnovers. Many who worked in the field are choosing to leave their profession behind. Why? Because they're tired of being mistreated, bullied, abused, and harassed at work. They leave in hopes of starting a new career, a new life, a new beginning, a new hope.

You made sure to part ways respectfully, but that wasn't enough.

Days after leaving your employer, you want nothing more than to be issued your paycheck so that you can move forward with your life. You make sure to part ways respectfully, providing your employer all their property, ensuring they understood what issues are unresolved, where to find assistance when needed. You made sure to leave all documents on your desk, labelled. You made sure to teach your coworkers what you knew so they wouldn't suffer upon your departure. You even had to remind your employer to remove you off as their security system contact person. You followed up with your employer to make sure they received everything, and your employer sends you a final separation letter, thanking you for your service and wishing you the best. Sounds like there were no issues, right?

They told everyone they appreciated your work ethic, but what came after was opposite of that statement.

Now that you've left your employer, your coworkers contact you telling you how much they miss you, and how your employer even stated they recognized how hard you worked, and should've appreciated you more. Around this time, you finally receive your final paycheck, only to find out you were compensated incorrectly, again. You contact your employer and you even compromised. You were willing to leave well enough alone after months of being paid incorrectly. Now, your coworkers are contacting you, telling you that your employer has shared personal information with them, even though, there was no reason to do so. Many shared their discomfort in being involved. Many feared this employer will do the same to them. Your employer understood they have gotten into trouble over sharing personal information with staff before, causing many to walk out because their privacy was compromised. Your employer has decided that they don't want to compensate you for what was agreed upon, and now that their feelings are hurt, they are focused on ruining your career. Phone calls were made, emails sent, evidence tampered with. Your ex employer was set on a path of destruction. You start receiving calls from concerned coworkers and vendors, voicing concerns about how this employer was purposely sabotaging you, forcing them to find a way to make you appear guilty.

Stay tuned for more...