Don't be a bully!

 

One definition of workplace bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment by one or more employees of an employee; abusive conduct that is either verbal abuse; or behaviors which are threatening, intimidating, or humiliating; or work sabotage, in some combination (https://workplacebullying.org). Bullying can be physical as well as verbal. The bully could be your coworker or your supervisor. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, 30% of employees are bullied. Many employees who are bullied are either afraid to report it or unsure of how to really recognize that they are being bullied. Here are some ways to recognize bullying and a few ways to handle it.

Bullying is a repeat offense. Bullying is something done over time and seriously affects your workday. Bullying can take many forms. A tough boss may seem like bullying, but that is not necessarily true. It all depends on what is said and how it is said. Constructive criticism is a good thing. It is what is necessary for growth. Destructive criticism, though, is bullying. Name calling is bullying. Being screamed at, swore at, or humiliated are all forms of bullying. These forms of bullying are easy to see. Not all bullies are so obvious.

There is a bully who likes to hide behind the scenes. Their toxicity is harder to determine. These bullies start out being your friend. They share ideas with you and give you compliments about your work. Then, over time, these comments start being hurtful. They less share ideas as much as take yours. Maybe during a meeting, they point out all your mistakes, as a “friend.” Sometimes, they “accidentally” give you the wrong deadline. This is bullying just like the hurtful, hateful comments.

So, what can you do if you are being bullied? First, recognize that you are not at fault. You are not being bullied because of something you did, and you cannot change to stop the bullying. Second, try to avoid the bully, if possible. If you must interact with the bully, do it with a witness. That way, it is not your word against theirs. Also, report it to a supervisor. Even if your boss cannot really do anything about it, it can be a written record for future bullying.

 

 

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