We all desire a peaceful and happy environment wherever we go, but unfortunately, luck doesn’t always favor us. This applies to work environments as well, where we aspire to have an office where everyone is respected, welcomed, and treated appropriately, without any discrimination. However, it’s disheartening that there are individuals within organizations whom we can classify as workplace bullies. The incidents of bullying have severe detrimental effects on the victims and negatively impact the overall working environment and that is why organizations should have strict work ethics.
Unfortunately, it is a sad reality that many organizations often fail to address workplace bullying effectively. As a result, this harmful issue continues to exist without being properly acknowledged or resolved.
At times, this bullying is so subtle that other coworkers fail to recognize the suffering of their colleagues. Speaking out against workplace bullying is crucial for fostering a healthy and productive working environment, where every employee can work without any tension related to bullying. In this blog, we will learn how to identify workplace bullying.
What is Workplace Bullying?
Workplace bullying differs but shares similarities with school bullying. In typical school bullying, a strong and big boy bullies a weaker one, whereas, in the workplace, higher-level employees often bully those in lower positions. In workplace bullying, the bully, who is usually a powerful employee, engages in repetitive harmful actions towards their target, which can be an individual or a group of employees. These harmful actions have mental, emotional, and performance-related impacts on the target(s). Bullying can occur for various reasons, oftentimes these reasons are personal or peculiar. Workplace bullying can take various forms, such as public humiliation, verbal abuse, excessive pressure to complete specific tasks, spreading rumors, sabotaging work, or removing from a project.
Signs to Identify Workplace Bullying
1. Unjustified criticism: In certain situations, a top-level employee unjustly criticizes a specific employee, making them the victim of unwarranted criticism. Despite the fact that this criticism holds no truth or validity, its impact is amplified by the authority of the top-level employee. Consequently, others mistakenly perceive this criticism as accurate, leading to its perpetuation and resulting in detrimental effects on the individual’s confidence, self-esteem, and productivity. This persistent criticism persists as the bully employee or employer continues their relentless criticism attacks on the targeted employee.
2. Isolation of the employee: Sometimes, a top-level employee utilizes their authority to intentionally isolate a specific employee. This could occur due to personal dislike, bias, or other subjective reasons. The bully in question abuses their power by removing the targeted employee from certain projects or altering their workspace, placing them in an environment where they lack support or companionship. Consequently, the isolated employee experiences a negative impact on their mood, confidence, self-esteem, and productivity. Additionally, this isolation can subject the employee to mental torment and anguish.
3. Intimidation and threats: At times, top-level employees may employ aggressive methods, such as scolding, making threats, yelling, and other means, to assert their power or engage in bullying behavior. Witnessing such behavior from seniors leaves the target of bullying feeling insecure and threatened, ultimately impacting their mental health and performance within the office. This kind of aggressive behavior creates an atmosphere of fear and unease, which undermines the well-being and productivity of the individual being targeted.
4. Attacks that are direct and personal: In some instances, workplace bullies go beyond their actions and personally insult the employee who is their target. They resort to using foul language, derogatory remarks, and offensive language to intentionally insult and inflict mental harm on the individual. These insults may be based on the target’s race, religion, ethnicity, weight, skin tone, or other personal characteristics. Such behavior is aimed at demeaning and hurting the individual emotionally, creating a hostile and toxic work environment so that this employee can’t work productively.
5. Not sharing proper information: The sole objective of workplace bullies targeting individuals is to impede their success within the office. Consequently, these bullies intentionally conceal valuable information from their targets, preventing them from accessing necessary knowledge and resources. Without sufficient or proper information to carry out their tasks, the targets inevitably face failure. Subsequently, they are subjected to scolding from other top-level management employees or their bosses. This outcome causes significant mental harm to the targets of the bullying.
Conclusion
Identifying workplace bullying is essential for creating a harmonious and supportive work environment. The signs of workplace bullying encompass various behaviors, such as unjustified criticism, isolation of employees, intimidation and threats, personal attacks, withholding of information, excessive micromanagement, and physical or mental harassment. Workplace bullying can manifest itself in various other forms as well. It is important to note that these signs may also be exhibited by abrasive leaders, who create a toxic atmosphere through their aggressive behavior. By recognizing these signs and taking action, whether it is reporting the situation or seeking support, we can put an end to workplace bullying and contribute to fostering a healthy and respectful workplace for all. Together, we can strive towards a work environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and safe from the detrimental effects of bullying.
