Workplace Bullying - What, Why, And How To Stop It!
Each year more and more people are filing reports against other employees citing workplace bullying as the reason for their problem. Thousands of people are being bullied at work. Some might not even realize that the other persons actions are a form of workplace bullying. While others are afraid to say anything because they don't want management to see them as weak for allowing a co-worker to bully them. Have no fear there are several ways you can stop work place bullying but first you need to know what exactly is considered bullying in the workplace.
What Is Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is defined as repeated hostility such as verbal abuse, physical abuse, sabotage, intimidating speech, overly aggressive behavior, and social ostracism. One or several of these acts repeated by a person or a group of people towards a single employee in an attempt to intimidate that person which could create risk to that person's safety or health. Health can be defined as mental as well as physical.
Examples Of Workplace Bullying
- Mean remarks about a persons clothes, lifestyle choices, weight or any other personal remarks meant to make the person feel bad about themselves.
- Purposely leaving a certain person out of office engagements.
- Name calling or racial remarks that are aimed at a person to single them out from the group.
- Touching someone in an inappropriate way that makes them feel uncomfortable.
How To Prevent Workplace bullying
Since there are several forms of workplace bullying there are also several ways to stop bullying in the workplace or to prevent it from ever beginning. No employee should have to put up with bullying. It creates a hostile environment and can be counter productive to a safe and effective business.
- Once you have realized that you are a victim of workplace bullying you need to know that it is not your fault. Some people are just cruel and you can't help that.
- Report all bullying to management. Most people think this is wrong and that management will think of them as weak. That is not true. Management must be told that this person is a bully. This way they can take of the situation before it escalates into workplace violence.
- Confront the person about their bullying and tell them you do not appreciate it and will go to management if they do not stop.
These are just a few tips on how to prevent and stop workplace bullying. It is up to every one to help prevent workplace bullying. You should talk about bullying in the workplace at one of your safety meetings. It might not seem like it but bullying is a safety issue that should be dealt with. All Employees should know there are consequences for workplace bullying.