Tag: bullying in the workplace

Is Workplace Bullying An Issue?

Basically, bullying constitutes physical or verbal acts which could mentally offend or isolate a person. There are also times that bullying in the workplace constitutes acts that ought to be done where in fact not done, such as releasing of wages or approval of compensation with personal motive at hand. Moreover, it involves repeated incidents or interpersonal behavior patterns which intend to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a person.

Bullying and harassment at work is an issue. Unfortunately, such acts may be hard to quantify so as to be proven in harassment claims. With it, extensive research and studies were done just to draw a fine line between a strong management and a bullying boss. Furthermore, targets of bullying at work may be hard to identify as anyone may fall victim to it: the employee, the employer, the client, and even third persons at work.

Furthermore, dealing with bullies at work may yield different kinds of effects such as shock, anger, frustration, helplessness, vulnerability, loss of confidence, panic, anxiety, tension, stress, and low morale and productivity. Furthermore, it may also cause physical symptoms like sleeplessness and loss of appetite, and even psychosomatic symptoms such as stomach pains and headaches.

Workplace bullying in general affects the overall ?health? of the organization and poses a potential threat to issues like absenteeism, turnover, EAP costs, recruitment, workers? compensation claims, or decreased productivity.

To learn more, click here for full article.

Dolphin Management Style Approach to Workplace Bullying

School-based bullying attracts more attention over the years but adults also bully and get bullied all the time in surprising places. Universities, hospitals, schools, corporations, and even the police stations are all settings where the real, common, and shockingly workplace bullying happens. A new study conducted by the Conference Board of Canada called: “Workplace Bullying Primer: What It Is and How to Deal With” clearly describes the rapidly increasing problem of workplace bullying. “Top Down” bullying is the most common form of workplace bullying in which a superior bullies his subordinates. Other forms include what we call “Lateral” or peer to peer and “Bottom Up” or employee bullies superior can also occur regularly. It was found out that email is the major method of workplace bullying. Email is considered as ubiquitous but it can be a feeding ground for nastiness around the workplace. Office rumors and innuendo can spread like wildfire in an instant behind the anonymity of a computer screen. When it comes to forms of bullying, women more often report about bullying from men in the workplace. Men on the other hand, direct their bullying behavior towards the work of victims. According to Shimi Kang, M.D., as a psychiatrist and addiction specialist, she can see the adverse effects of all kinds of workplace bullying on all types of people in her practice. Notable common effects experienced of workplace bullying includes symptoms of stress, mental health issues, disability leave, frequent absences, employee turnover, less productivity, lower job satisfaction, and increased legal fees for the company. How to solve workplace bullying? The problem is definitely real and there is a corresponding solution. The most effective leadership approach to workplace bullying is the Dolphin Management Style. You can read more of Shimi Kang, M.D.’s article as published in Psychology Today.

South Africa teachers experienced the most bullying among professional groups

A study conducted by North-West University academics indicated that South Africa teachers are one of the professional groups in the country that experienced the most bullying in the workplace. The research completed by the School of Education Studies titled “The Nature Of Workplace Bullying Experienced By Teachers and the Biopsychosocial Health Effects,” cited that the bullies that teachers encountered were mostly male school principals.

What’s alarming is that the research also indicated that principals looked for reasons to threaten or file grievances against bullied victims. One can only imagine how scary these teacher’s working environment can be.  It also suggests that organization’s culture is not a healthy and positive one, which would have given the victim’s the courage to speak up without fear of retaliation or further harassment.

The experience definitely has a negative effect on individuals who were bullied at work.  Not only does it affect a victim’s mental and emotional health, it also manifests into various physical sickness and conditions.  Bullying can also sometimes lead to depression and thoughts of suicide.

To learn more about the study and the devastating effect of bullying on teachers, click here.

How do I deal with a boss who’s a bully?

Bullying in the workplace can happen in many ways.  It can also come from different people, and at times, it can also be your boss.  Some bully bosses may be seen as a tyrant, a control freak or a manipulator.  These characteristics and behaviors sometimes confuses employees into thinking that the boss is a tough one, when in fact, he or she may already be acting like a bully.

Even if you try to avoid becoming a target of the bully boss’ attention and striving hard to do a great job, nothing seems to work.  You’re working life has now become very stressful, to the point that it may be unbearable at times.  So what do you do?  How do you deal with the situation?

Faith Wood, a Conflict Coach, author and professional speaker, suggested six strategies that a bullying victim can do in order to make their working environment more livable.  Most of Wood’s suggestions has already been mentioned by other experts on the field of workplace bullying.  However, some of her tips provided a slightly different approach on how to handle being bullied at work such as learning to say no in a professional manner.

To read more about the six strategies in dealing with a bully boss, click here.

Upcoming Human Resources Training Series to Tackle Bullying and Other Workplace Regulations

A human resources consulting firm based in Vancouver, Canada will be conducting a three day human resources training this October that will tackle various workplace issues including bullying and harassment.  The informative training series will also touch on the effect of social media in the work place, as well as provide sessions on leadership, effective communications and workplace culture change.

The first day session will also cover the human rights of employees in the workplace and will incorporate topics such as dealing with discrimination, harassment, workplace bullying, along with abusive and disrespectful behaviors.  The training series is a timely session given the rising instances of bullying in the workplace.  Learning about work place bullies and how employees and employers can deal with it is very important for any organization.

Typically these information sessions also provide updates about legislations and rulings that would govern workplace bullying or harassment.  It would help also if the three day training will provide benchmark data and best practices that will aid organizations and human resource professionals in promoting and keeping a positive work environment.

For this three day learning session, Cruise HR Solutions will provide the essential skills and information about workplace issues.  The human resources training series will run on October 6, 13 and 20.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming seminar.