By Terrence Bishundayal
Bullies pick on people who they deem as powerless. Workplace bullying is frequently overlooked, ignored and silenced. People with disabilities could be objects of bullying, as they are seen as easier targets.
A major change with workplace bullying is the expansion of the internet and the growth of social media.
According to Statistics Canada, negative life events is a contributing factor towards bullying and leads to a mental health condition diagnosis. Cyberstalking, physical/sexual assault, and experiences of discrimination are considered to be the three major factors.
20 per cent experiencing one of three factors are diagnosed. 38 per cent are diagnosed, for people reporting childhood incidents. 47 per cent are diagnosed, for people who experienced all three factors and they could also be diagnosed with an emotional or psychological condition.
While these statistics represent a whole, they may not relate to everyone’s individual case.
Now that we looked at the mental health effects of bullying, let’s discuss what happens in the workplace and what leads to it.
Radio Canada International’s (RCI) poll reported harassment eventually turns into bullying. The targeted person typically has a sense of powerlessness and they are unable to defend themselves.
My experiences with bullying happened in elementary school, and I was defenceless. The bully continued to be demanding until I handled the situation.
The similarity between elementary school and the workplace is the victim will feel powerless, which I did experience. However, work tends to be more stressful, making someone feel insecure.
Stress is another bullying factor, which is the second highest factor reported in RCI’s poll. Having a job with lots of conflict, overload and insecurity, people do not always have a sense of control over their own work, leading to higher chances of mistreatment.
The fear of being discredited or retaliation are reasons why these incidents are not reported, and with the internet, the bullying seems endless.
Humber College’s Web Development student Paul Ooi agrees people mistreating others is an expanding issue.
“If you’re the bully then stopping is a great idea, as it’s unacceptable and not professional, especially as it affects young adults trying to build a career,” he said.
Everyone has free speech but hurting others can be avoided by appropriately saying your message, Ooi said.
How can you handle your bullying situation?
In an article by Forbes, five tips are suggested. Two of the five tips I would suggest to others. Practising scenarios give you the opportunity to evaluate how you would handle the situation.
Point out the facts and write down the details. If your practising with another person gives them an opportunity to speak as if you were talking to the bully.
When the confrontation really happens, have a backup plan, in case the conversation becomes heated or the bully is unwilling to listen.
Write a rough script, if it’s helpful, and practice how you will guide the discussion. You can’t make the bully change and it’s not your job either.
Incorporate the following options in your script. Establish a candid context. Describe the timely, objective and specific issue. Calmly offer a choice with a 24-hour option.
Here are some more tips from Forbes.
Get an idea of what tactics the bully uses. It will be tough to identify, but the idea is to evaluate who they are and how they conduct themselves. Should it become necessary to report the bully to a higher authority (such as the police), you will have some arguments to say.
Employees usually lack workplace knowledge when managers don’t review the rules and regulations. Which means if you’re a target of bullying and the rules were not reviewed, bring it to your manager’s attention.
If behaviours, regulations and rules need to be reviewed, then make sure appropriate training is scheduled and conducted. It builds a more positive environment, gives the courage to stand up for themselves, and employees will know what good or bad workplace behaviour is.
What did I learn from these experiences? I gained the confidence to stand up for myself. Sometimes with bad experiences, there is a shining light. The shining light is the experiences and the skills you attained, will help you to grow.
Web links:
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/11/20/canada-workplace-bully-depression-productivity-survey/
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/161219/dq161219a-eng.htm
