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Bullying doesn’t stop with graduation |
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Workplace Bullying Ross Arrowsmith No Comments »
By Dr. Joyce Brothers, Syndicated Columnist, (SeattlePI.com)
Everyone is aware of bullies on the playground, but often the perpetrator continues on to make even more trouble at work after he gets a job. Instead of outgrowing taunts, dirty tricks, name-calling and rumor mongering, he retools them for use at his desk in corporate America. What do you know about this unfortunate phenomenon and how to overcome it? Take this quiz and find out.
1. Bullying is a much smaller problem in the workplace than sexual harassment.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
2. A “tough” boss who yells at employees to turn in their reports on time and an angry colleague shoving his way into the cafeteria line at work after a tough morning both are examples of bullying.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
3. Bullying in the workplace can cause mental and physical issues as serious as suicidal thoughts.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
4. Bullies almost always are the boss or someone to whom the victim is a subordinate.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
5. The best thing to do in the face of health issues brought on by bullying is quit the job.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
6. Confronting the bully is just a waste of time.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
7. It may be better for your mental health not to leave quietly.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )
ANSWERS:
1. FALSE. While sexual harassment actually could be considered a form of bullying, it is not as widespread, because bullying can be done by either sex against anyone in the workplace. Studies show that nonviolent bullying is rarely encoded in company policies or against the law, so cases of sexual harassment are likely to be easier to address in an official capacity and for the company to extend support to the individual who has been harassed. Those who are bullied may even be reluctant to report it just because there are no official channels or remedies at the end of the line, so the problems are less likely to be addressed.
2. FALSE. One of the key indications that an activity is bullying is that it is repeated behavior. The upset colleague might never have shoved anyone before, and might never do it again; he certainly doesn’t mean to direct his anger at anyone in line. Similarly, motivation counts. The unpleasant or tough boss who acts in an intimidating way may be doing so in order to motivate employees to have better productivity.
3. TRUE. The employee who is routinely bullied can have many different emotional and physical problems, ranging from headaches and stomachaches to depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Those who are singled out rather than bullied as part of a group or department seem to be more deeply affected, due to their feelings of isolation and victimization.
4. TRUE. An institute researching workplace bullying cited victims as being outranked by perpetrators more than 70 percent of the time — but that doesn’t mean one or more of your peers cannot be bullies, too. In fact, sometimes entire groups get together to try to intimidate or pressure a single worker into leaving. When the problem isn’t the boss, it is easier to cope with, in that the boss or other executives in charge of human resources can be brought into the situation.
5. TRUE. If you can’t be transferred far away from the offender, it’s often best to just take yourself out of the situation before you are fired. Any kind of retaliation from the former employer can be avoided by a decision not to bad-mouth them when you are seeking a new job.
6. FALSE. Often a bully will crumble when his “helpless” victim stands up to him face to face with a demand to stop. Threatening to go to management can have the same result, as long as you are able and willing to follow up on it. You may face renewed efforts to discredit you. But fighting back usually is good for self-esteem.
7. TRUE. Even if you feel like you have been forced out by deciding to quit your job, your mental health is likely to be better if you tell someone in power why you’re leaving. This will help you to get some closure; those who just slip away sometimes have unresolved feelings of depression and anxiety long after leaving the bullying situation.
If you were able to answer five of these seven questions correctly, you are equipped to meet workplace bullying head-on.
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the first Day of Unity observed in October, 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The intent was to connect battered women’s advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became a special week when a range of activities were conducted at the local, state, and national levels. Read more...
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Blog: Criminal Justice Online Domestic Violence Training for School Officials |
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This story entitled: Initiating a Training Program is available from Human Resource Executive magazine online.
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According to the World Health Organization and the United Nations, 48 percent of the global population living with HIV and AIDS are women.
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