Workplace bullying is on the increase.
Bullying is unfair treatment or causing intentional harm to someone. It is demoralizing, threatening, and intimidating. In the United States, workplace bullying is rampant. A survey conducted in 2008 revealed that 75% of the people are affected by workplace bullying either directly or indirectly.
Women are more affected than men. Women bully fellow women more than men. Besides bosses and superiors, coworkers are also bullies. Bullying in workplaces is in the form of spreading malicious gossips, aggressive emails and yelling at others. Sometimes workplace bullying is unnoticeable as those who commit it are superiors who contribute vast sums of money to the company.
Bullying in workplaces leads to fear and intimidation among the victims. It also leads to low self-esteem, even among the most confident employees. Victims tend to take off at workplaces more frequently and be absent at work. They are anxious and depressed. Some have suicidal thoughts. Bullying affects the mental health of an individual, leading to low performance at work.
Those who witness bullying in workplaces are also affected. They get intimated and afraid as they are scared of being the next victim. That leads to low concentration and morale, leading to low productivity. In the United Kingdom, bullying costs the economy 18 billion Euros due to staff turnover and absenteeism.
Bullying affects victims physically, emotionally, and psychologically; it affects brain functioning and causes stress. It also has detrimental effects on the patient’s health. If you are experiencing bullying, the first thing you should do is acknowledge it. Approach the bully and tell them you are unhappy with their actions.
If it becomes persistent, start documenting it. Keep records of offensive emails. Then approach the boss. If it is the boss who is perpetrating it, contact the HR department. Having a record strengthens the case. If they don’t change the situation, consult your attorney on what you can do about it.
Although bullying is not illegal, some companies have policies that prohibit it. If you find the work environment hostile and no one is helping you sort out the problem even after speaking out. Look for another job in a more conducive environment. Organizations with bosses or employees that bully others rarely keep employees for a long time. Companies should put in place measures to tame bullying in the workplace. Failure will lead to a labor shortage as the business will be incapable of attracting and retaining workers.
References
Sansone, Randy A., and Lori A. Sansone. “Workplace bullying: a tale of adverse consequences.” Innovations in clinical neuroscience 12.1-2 (2015): 32.
Notelaers, Guy, Hans De Witte, and Stale Einarsen. “A job characteristics approach to explain workplace bullying.” European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 19.4 (2010): 487-504.
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