How To Identify And Handle Workplace Bullying
by- Hannah Jagiri
Workplace Bullying is the repeated mistreatment of an employee in the workplace. Workplace Bullying can come in several different forms; it can be psychological, verbal, or physical.
According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, it is estimated that over 48.6 million people are being bullied at work (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2021). Sherri Gordon from Very Well Mind states that Workplace Bullying can cause a lack of sleep, slow performance, more PTO time being used, low productivity, and increased anxiety and depression (Gordon, 2020). Workplace Bullying can severely impact the worker’s day-to-day life, both during work and after they clock out.
How To Identify Workplace Bullying
Workplace Bullying can be subtle; you may not even know it is happening. One way to identify workplace bullying is to ask yourself how the actions make you feel. Some examples of Workplace Bullying include:
Verbal Abuse: Verbal Abuse can include dehumanizing jokes, humiliation, mockery, bringing down someone’s ideas and suggestions, continued denial of requests, yelling, name-calling, etc.
Sabotage: Sabotage can include physical harm to a person, undermining one’s work, and setting an employee up to fail.
Isolation And Exclusion: Isolation and exclusion occur when you are intentionally excluded from work-related activities or social events.
Anyone can be a Victim of Workplace Bullying; watch out for these additional signs:
• If it is repeated
• If it makes you feel bad
• If it is unfair
What To Do If You Are Dealing With Workplace Bullying
If you are being bullied in your workplace, here are a few ways you can handle it:
- Speak to Someone: You can speak to your friends and family about it or a senior colleague in your workplace about the situation. Talking about your experience can help you to make sense of it all.
- Keep Evidence: Make sure that you keep evidence of the abuse, so it will help you when you make a report.
- Confront The Bully: Most bullies can’t stand being confronted and will cower or play the Victim.
- Take Legal Action: Take legal action and submit all the evidence you’ve gathered, especially if your life or job is at stake.
We at Abuse Refuge.Org (ARO) are here to support you in your personal healing journey to complete well-being. We bring awareness and education to thirteen different types of abuse and help others to heal and find peace. If you would like to learn more and donate to help others find refuge, please visit GoARO.org.
References
2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey. Workplacebullying.org. (2021). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from ;
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
