What is workplace bullying and how to deal with it

 

What is workplace bullying and who is affected?

Workplace bullying refers to repeated, unreasonable actions of individuals (or a group) directed towards an employee (or a group of employees), which are intended to intimidate, degrade, humiliate, or undermine; or which create a risk to the health or safety of the employee(s).
Workplace bullying often involves an abuse or misuse of power. Bullying behavior creates feelings of defenselessness and injustice in the target and undermines an individual’s right to dignity at work.

Bullying is different from aggression. Whereas aggression may involve a single act, bullying involves repeated attacks against the target, creating an on-going pattern of behavior. “Tough” or “demanding” bosses are not necessarily bullies as long as they are respectful and fair and their primary motivation is to obtain the best performance by setting high yet reasonable expectations for working safely.

Workplace bullying can be instigated by coworkers, supervisors, contract workers, or labor representatives. Some bullying situations involve employees bullying their peers, rather than a supervisor bullying an employee. The term mobbing refers to a group of coworkers targeting another worker.Supervisors should intervene immediately to address and stop mobbing behaviors.

Many people are unaware that workplace bullying occurs, and chances are if you are being bullied at work you have no idea how to handle it. It can be hard to deal with workplace bullying because it is not widely known or understood. Often times the bully is a person of authority, making it even harder to deal with workplace bullying. There are no set rules for dealing with workplace bullying, so stopping it can be challenging. If you or someone you know needs help dealing with an adult bully, these tips can help.

The first thing you should do to deal with workplace bullying is to keep a detailed written account of each instance of bullying. Being able to prove that you are constantly singled out for no reason and are the target of frequent attacks will go a long way to deal with an adult bully. Keep your records in a safe place, not at work where the bully can find them. You should also keep copies of all written interactions from the bully including memos, notes, and emails that prove you are being treated unfairly. Make a list of every instance of unfair treatment by the bully.

 

If you are criticized or accused of wrongdoing by a workplace bully and the claims are not true, ask for substantiated evidence of these claims and record in writing what the bully says. Many times the bully will not have a response or have evidence that is untrue. Their lack of answer or untrue answer will further prove your case and help to deal with an adult bully. You can even point out to the bully that making false accusations is a form of harassment and that you will seek out the proper recourse.

 

 

If you are not the only one being bullied, find other employees that have the same experiences and see if they want to pursue the bully together. Sometimes other employees that are having similar problems will be unwilling to cooperate, but sometimes they will be grateful for the help. More than one employee who have the same experiences with a bully will have better chances of dealing with an workplace bully together. It will help that you are not the only one experiencing the problem and give validation to your claims.

 

If your occupation has a union or other professional organization, contact them about your bullying problem. Not all unions or organizations will help employees deal with an workplace bully but many will or will have information you can use. You can also take your bullying problems to your manager or supervisor, unless they are the one doing the bullying. It is not usually a good idea to skip the proper chain of command, but if a supervisor of manager is the one bullying you, it may be a good idea to speak with their higher-up. If you are the victim of workplace bullying you should get a copy of your company's harassment and bullying policies so you knew what your rights are within the company.

Here is a brief list of Workplace bullying behaviors to look out for:

• Social isolation (silent treatment)

• Rumors

• Personal attacks of a person’s private life and or personal attributes

 

• Excessive or unjustified criticism

• Over-monitoring of work

• Verbal aggression

• Trivial fault finding

• Replacing proper work with demeaning jobs

• Setting unrealistic goals or deadlines

 

 

To learn more about what you can do to prevent workplace bullying or if you have any questions, visit us online at www.vennmedia.org or email us at info@vennmedia.org.

 

 

About Vennmedia: ANME 

Vennmedia: ANME is an organization that supports the mission and programs of economic, educational and community development through career training, continuing education, internships, youth programs, fundraising initiatives, and community outreach efforts, helping raise the community resources it needs to make a difference for the most vulnerable members of our communities.