To understand its consequences, it is very crucial to understand what bullying is? And what is workplace bullying? Workplace Bullying Bullying is defined as unwanted, unwelcome, and hostile behavior among people in situations where there is a significant imbalance of power, such as between men and women, school-aged students, or others. This type of behavior is harmful to the individual, and if it occurs at work, it is referred to as workplace bullying. This type of bullying can be directed at a single person or a group of people. Following acts can be included in Workplace bullying
Using harassing remarks or physical jokes Giving ambiguous and incorrect directions Endangering and humiliating Abuse of the tongue Criticism that is excessively rude and humiliating
It is very important to understand that criticism doesn’t always come under bullying as constructive criticism and is associated with the employee’s behavior and performance; however, if the criticism is humiliating or intimidating that it will be considered bullying. Who becomes a victim of bullying? It could be anyone … anyone could be a bully or anyone can be bullied. As per the research conducted, more than 70 percent of the bullies are male, and only 30 percent of them are female. In both the cases of men and women, women are likely to fall victim to workplace bullying. Another research conducted showed that 61 percent of the bullying comes from the people in power or authority such as bosses and managers. 34 percent comes from colleagues and 5 percent comes from the lower level of employment. How can it be avoided? Following steps can be taken into account to avoid and report bullying at the workplace.
Maintaining a proper record of the day and time of the moment you felt you have been bullied. It is also crucial to pen down the details of the event and mention all the relevant specifics that can be used for later reporting.
Mention details such as who has treated you badly, what were the exact words used, the place of happening, and the other people that were in your surrounding. It is equally important to write down how you felt at that moment and how it affected you
Referring to the workplace policies to see how they cope with such consequences Taking respective Human Resources Department into the confidence of the on-going activities is a must. If you are not comfortable confronting the situation on your own then it is very important to have a chat with the manager for cooperation. Involving the authorities is your last resort when you have given it all. It becomes necessary to make things official by submitting an anti-bullying application.
Conclusion: Workplace bullying can be a devastating experience for the employee as it affects the effectiveness and efficiency of an employee; therefore, relevant policies in organizations are to be implemented to provide a safe and sound environment for the employees.
Δ