We have all heard or experienced some form of bullying on the playground at recess or in the hallways of our high school. We think maybe bullying and taunting will subside as we grow into adulthood, but bullies often follow us into the workforce.

The major difference between bullying in schools and the workplace is that in schools, it is more ingrained and put into legal policy and legislation than workplace bullying (Badzmierowski, 2015).

Schools typically have policies against bullying and will take action when offenses are made. Workplaces, however, may not do anything about bullying until Human Resources gets involved. It may go on for weeks or months and go under the radar without detection.

School bullying and work bullying are similar, but the outcome the bully wants is different. The school bully’s intent is to go for individuals with lower status or those who may be perceived as weaker. The workplace bully is looking for power, manipulation, and getting ahead in their career (Badzmierowski, 2015).

In School

In a BMC Psychology study, researchers found, “The consequences of childhood bullying victimization are serious. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have found that being a victim of bullying is associated with long-term psychological problems, including loneliness, general and social anxiety, diminished self-esteem, and increased depressive symptoms’’ (Andersen, Labriola, & Andersen, 2015).

In the Workplace

Sherri Gordon from Very Well Mind noted that workplace bullying can cause lack of sleep, slow performance, more PTO time being used, low productivity, and increased anxiety and depression (Gordon, 2020). It can severely impact the worker’s day-to-day life, both during work and after they clock out.

Bullying causes a form of trauma that affects how we perceive ourselves. When we feel disempowered and less-than, it can take a significant toll on how we see ourselves in the classroom and when we’re trying to advance in our careers. Bullies can try to take away our power by seeming bigger than us, but in reality, they are projecting their misperceptions on us as a coping mechanism (Gordon, 2020).

When you witness someone being teased or bullied in any way, please reach out for assistance. If you feel you have been bullied and need a safe place, please reach out to a trusted source in your local area or Human Resources department.

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References
Andersen, L., Labriola, M., and Andersen, J. “Bullied at school, bullied at work: a prospective study.” BMC Psychology. 2015. https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-015-0092-1#citeas
Badzmierowski, W. “The Difference Between School Bullying and Workplace Bullying.” Crisis Prevention. 2015. https://www.crisisprevention.com/Blog/School-Bullying-Workplace-Bullying
Gordon, S. (2020, March 10). “The Effects of Workplace Bullying.” Very Well Mind. March 10, 2020. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-the-effects-of-workplace-bullying-460628