Page 26-27 - WINTER 2013
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WINTER 2013
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Working through it
Bullying in the workplace
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Bullying at work can take many forms –
some can be directed at you personally,
others relate to work activities. There is
no legal definition of workplace bullying.
However, experts believe that bullying
involves negative behaviour being targeted
at an individual, or individuals, repeatedly
and persistently over time.
Negative behaviour includes:
•
Ignoring or excluding you
•
Giving you unachievable tasks or
’setting you up to fail’
•
Spreading malicious rumours or gossip
•
Giving you meaningless tasks or unpleasant jobs
•
Making belittling remarks
•
Undermining your integrity
•
Withholding information deliberately
•
Making you look stupid in public
•
Undervaluing your contribution –not giving
credit where it is due
Harassment, can relate to unlawful discrimination,
which can be on the grounds of race, sex,
disability, age, religion or belief, or sexual
orientation. The Prevention of Harassment Act
(1997) covers harassment more generally.
Know your bully
Each bullying situation is unique, but there
are a few types of bully that keep recurring
time after time. Here are four types:
The Snake
On the outside, this sly
customer will appear to
be your friend but they’ll
happily stab you in the
back. Gossipy and liable to spread rumors,
they may use personal information against
you, make false allegations and work in
tandem with others to bully as a group.
You’re unlikely to catch The Snake in action,
but when you do hear about their activities,
try to nip them in the bud by publicly
revealing what you’ve heard – it could turn
the tables on them.
The Old-School Bully
They may not be as
common as they once
were, but it just takes one
stereotypical swaggering
bully to create a toxic
working environment.
Dominant and aggressive, they may be prone
to shouting and swearing as well as ridiculing
others and setting unreasonable tasks. There
may be clues to spot them, such as a high
turnover of staff in their
division. But be wary
of individuals who pick
on different people at
different times – they’re
much more aware
and may collect allies around them. Gather
evidence and your own support if you want
to take action. The Old-School Bully’s
behavior may be perfectly acceptable in their
own mind. Because they don’t have ordinary
relationships at work, they might simply not
know how to conduct themselves.
The Underminer
Dealing with this
power bully is a tricky
business and ultimately
it’s a battle you may
well lose. Usually in a
more senior position,
their underhand tactics can involve making
people work below their level of competence,
removing areas of responsibility and freezing
people out of the communication loop. Try
to deal with them in public and they could
counter with doubts about your capability.
The reality is that these people may want you
to leave. It may be possible to confront them
if you have enough evidence and it’s certainly
worth talking to a manager.
The Critic
Resistant to change,
prone to highlighting
others’ errors and
constantly focusing
on the negative, The
Critic can wear you down. Tackling them
may involve roping in management, but
alternatively you could try buddying up and
letting them see the impact of their actions
“from a position of closeness”.
Bullying can impact on your health:
•
It can result in psychological health
problems such as depression, anxiety or low
self-esteem
•
It can result in physical health problems
such as stomach problems, or sleep
difficulties
•
If you’ve witnessed the bullying of a
colleague, this can also be very upsetting
and can impact on your health.
•
Your performance at work can be affected.
What can I do?
It can be extremely upsetting to be on the
receiving end of what you perceive to be
harassing or bullying behaviour, or to witness
it. You may feel you are being overly sensitive
or it may lower your self-esteem. If you are not
sure how to tackle this very awkward subject
there are a number of things you can do and
many sources of support and information.
•
Consult your organisation’s bullying and
harassment policy
•
Speak to someone you feel comfortable
talking to about your concerns.
•
Resolve the issue informally.
•
Mediation
•
If informal resolution has not worked,
follow a formal complaints procedure.
Legal action
Taking legal action is a complex process. Both
you and your employer should take expert
advice and legal representation.
