When You are Bullied at Work

Did you know that when you are bullied at work, it might feel very much to you like the experience of a domestic violence victim? The bully (abuser) inflicts suffering and fear whenever he/she chooses.  This random targeting, keeps the victim off balance, creating a coping mechanism of hyper vigilance accompanied by fear. The bully carries out this workplace violence on a whim, at times appearing to offer support and safety.  The target (victim) of the bullying is by nature of the relationship, forced to remain close – boss to subordinate, co-worker to co-worker.

 
This repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators may take on one or more of the following forms:

• Verbal abuse

• Offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating

• Work interference — sabotage — which prevents work from getting done

“Bullying” has also been defined as repeated behavior from superiors, subordinates or peers that is intended to demean, humiliate or intimidate an individual. It is a way to make the workplace so intolerable that it may force an employee to quit. 

If the bullying is done by a group, it is called “Mobbing.” According to studies by The Workplace Bullying Institute, an estimated 53.5 million employees, or approximately 35% of the U.S. workforce, have experienced bullying. A different study released by the Employment Law Alliance and recently reported in the Wall Street Journal found that 45% of respondents had been bullied at the office (examples consisted of verbal abuse, job sabotage, misuse of authority, and deliberate destruction of relationships.)
 

The consequences of bullying are far-reaching. Although it occurs four times more often than illegal discrimination, workers are often too afraid to report the incidents. 

•  If you are the victim, you may suffer from depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, post-traumatic stress syndrome and loss of productivity.

• The responsible organization, management and supervisors experience a decrease in staff morale, profits, quality of work, and reputation.

• The responsible organization may also experience an increase in employee turnover, absenteeism, and increased workers compensation claims, including claims for stress-related disability.

What can you do if you are a victim of bullying?  Here are 5 things you can do, based on experts recommendations: 

- Document what happens to you, and when. It is important to know who has witnessed these events. Keep this journal at home, and not on work equipment or premises.

- Seek legal counsel to see if the mental or verbal harassment is actionable under the law, even if it may not constitute illegal discrimination under Title VII. Get a strategic plan in place with your attorney and put it into action;

- Consider using your company’s internal grievance system, anti-violence policy, code of conduct or ethics hotline; if you are a union member, seek out support from your union representative. 

- Get psychological counseling to help you with coping strategies and possible medical treatments and time off/leave to fortify you against the abuse; and
- Realize that you have done nothing to justify this type of abuse

And what are some of the first things you can do, if you find yourself a victim of workplace bullying?  Learn about workplace bullying, get help identifying the triggers that contribute to your stress, and find ways to feel empowered, not victimized. If the bullying is keeping you from enjoying your work, your relationships and your life, get psychological help to get you back on track.  Here are some links to websites that might help.

http://www.workplacebullying.org/2013/02/07/consequences/
http://www.bgsu.edu/downloads/hr/file50881.pdf
http://www.apaexcellence.org/resources/goodcompany/newsletter/article/311
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/225955.php