Fit and Cool

Bullying In The Workplace

It is deplorable to partake in any type of bullying behaviour in Australia.  A substantial proportion workplace bullying goes unobserved although most organisations have policies and procedures to define, acknowledge and deal with bullying.  Furthermore it can be tricky for the victim to prove and therefore to defend against.  This is due to the fact that a lot of bullying is invisible.  As illustrated by Namie (2003, www.bullyinginstitute.org), bullying behaviour within the workplace may be defined and described as:

1)    Bullying is the repeated mistreatment of a person which has destructive effects on the person’s mental wellbeing

2)    Acts of commission and omission driven by the bully’s urge to control others

3)    The bully selects a victim and coerces others to participate in bullying behaviour

4)    Workplace bullying affects the victim’s work production, and therefore is unfavourable for the business or organisation

5)    Bullying can begin with individual
harassment and broaden to include a whole work unit, severely paralysing productivity.

Evidence of the following in the workplace can signify that bullying or similar behaviour is happening:

=>  Incidents where a person is seen to act out of character to another person

=>  The development of secret agendas which create confusion and disparity between management and staff

=>  The presence of cliques, struggles for power, collusion and manipulation within the workplace

=>  Aggression, violence, persecution, exclusion and underminings

There are various things in common between victims of workplace bullying.  Usually the victim is female and resilient, since she has put up with the bullying for at least two years, normally without even complaining.  The victim isn’t weak but is usually highly accomplished, independent, strong, proficient in their work and knowledgable. The personal qualities of the victim can threaten the bully.  Usually the bully has authority over the victim, and is able to recruit others to participate in bullying behaviour, sometimes without them being aware of what’s going on.

Verbal abuse, undermining, stand-over tactics, degredation, gossiping and false accusations are all common strategies employed by bullies.  Perhaps the most damaging and difficult to prove are the covert tactics, the nonverbal signals such as glaring, rolling the eyes (indicating contempt), giving the silent treatment, “accidentally” shutting the door in someone’s face, turning one’s back on the victim and speaking in a harsh, disdainful tone.  Victims, especially if not very articulate or attentive, perhaps may not be able to specifically pinpoint the bullying behaviours – instead they may have a “gut feeling” or a sense of low self-esteem.

The impact on the victim is profound and results in a large number of psychological and medical symptoms (In 1 000 victims, Namie identified 33 symptoms related to workplace bullying).  Psychological disorders associated with bullying are depression, anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Insomnia, weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, irritable bowel system and a decreased life expectancy are all likely medical symptoms of bullying over a considerable period of time.  Even after the victim finds a new job, these symptoms still persist.  Poor performance, lateness, absenteeism and handing in notice are sometimes the first visible signs of bullying.  A high staff turnover is common when a bully is causing dysfunctional interpersonal dynamics within a group.

Unfortunately, the organisation inadvertently penalises the victim and rewards the bully – most victims end up being fired, transferred or quitting whereas fewer than 13% of bullies lose their jobs or are transferred and less than 4% cease their bullying behaviour after punishment or sanctions.

Only a small portion of bullies are held responsible for their behaviour – nearly all are simply ignored or get rewarded in some way, sometimes even promoted.  More than 70% of victims of workplace bullying end up quitting, being transferred or fired – as a result, organisations with bullies continually lose valuable, skilled employees.

Established, effective psychological assessment techniques are required to recognise even the most subtle signs of psychological distress caused by bullying.  Additionally, skilled interventions that help diffuse tensions, mediate conflicts and establish a harmonious work environment, are vital for a deep and permanent transformation.

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