Bullying is a serious workplace issue.
Workplace bullying generally involves repeated incidents intended to “intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people.” Studies note that although a fine line exists between strong management and constructive criticism and bullying, workplace bullying exists and can lead to a number of issues.
A number of examples of workplace bullying. Those include:
- Spreading malicious, untrue rumors
- Socially isolating someone
- Purposefully hindering someone’s work
- Physically injuring someone or threatening abuse
- Taking away a worker’s responsibility without justification
- Yelling or swearing
- Not assigning enough work or assigning an unreasonable amount of work
- Setting impossible-to-meet deadlines in an effort to make the worker fail
- Blocking a worker’s request for leave, training or a promotion
Bullying can have serious repercussions. Victims of bullying may feel angry or helpless and experience a loss of confidence. Additionally, bullying can cause physical side effects, including an inability to sleep, loss of appetite, headaches, or panic attacks. According to experts, organizations with a culture of bullying may experience many unfavorable side effects, including increased turnover and absenteeism, increased stress among workers, and decreased morale.
The most important thing management can do to express a commitment to preventing workplace bullying is to have a comprehensive written policy which is part of our Employee Policy Manual.
If you feel you have witnessed or have been subjected to bullying in the workplace, report it at once to your supervisor or HR.