THE BULLY AT WORK Growing Push to Halt Workplace Bullying
Cyberbullying - Not Just for Teenagers By Gail Pursell Elliott
When we hear the word cyber- bullying we usually think of young
people. This technology based form of psychological and emotional abuse has been blamed for numerous students taking their own lives over the past few years. But cyberbul- lying, is not just for students. We have seen embarrassing and accusatory tweets; cell phone videos and social networking posts go viral involving adults in all sorts of work settings. No one is immune.
This type of communication has become more common and when utilized by a bully can be engineered to plant seeds of ridicule, discrediting, mistrust or doubt. For as long as we’ve had electronic mail options and other technological advances we’ve had miscommunications, misunderstand- ings, and messages going astray either intentionally or unintentionally. As I write this article, the Indiana State Senate, among other states, is preparing to vote on adding cyberbullying to their legal definition of bullying. Although this legislation is geared toward students, the language itself is derived from workplace harassment laws differentiating between teasing and actions that create a hostile environ- ment.
A recent study by the University of Sheffield and Nottingham University revealed that 8 out of 10 people had experienced cyberbullying in the workplace within the past 6 months. Fourteen to twenty percent had experienced this behavior at least once a week. What is more disturbing is the lessening of impact on the observers of this form of abuse, perhaps due to the increased disassociation and dehumanization of the target. The impulse to intervene is less imperative and sometimes the impulse to join in may be heightened, especially in social networking venues. Empathy and discretion seem to dissolve in this type of environment.
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AUSTRALIA Big Rise in Work Mental Stress
According to Safe Work Australia mental stress is costing Australian businesses $10 billion a year in lost productivity and absences causing an increasing number of West Austra- lians to take weeks off under the workers compensation scheme. Work pressure and workplace violence were the biggest contributors to work-related mental stress. Earlier this year, ABS data showed the 28 per cent of men who were physically assaulted in 2011-12 were attacked in their workplace.
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On-the-job bullying can take many forms, from a supervisor's verbal abuse and threats to cruel comments or relentless teasing by a co-worker. And it could become the next major battleground in employment law as a growing number of states consider legislation that would let workers sue for harassment that causes physical or emotional harm. Many companies already recognize workplace bullying as a problem that can sap morale, lead to increased employee turnover and even affect the bottom line. Some employers have put into place anti-bullying policies, but advocacy groups want to go even further. They have been urging states to give legal rights to workers who do not already fit into a protected class based on race, gender or national origin. More than a dozen states have considered anti-bullying laws in the past year that would allow litigants to pursue lost wages, benefits and medical expenses and compel employers to prevent an "abusive work environ- ment." The economic downturn has made bullying even worse and it is argued that passage of the laws would give employers more incentive to crack down on bad behavior in the workplace. However, business groups have strongly opposed the measures, arguing they would open the floodgates to frivolous lawsuits.
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Workplace Bullying: How to Deal with Intimidation or Harass- ment at Work
Workplace bullying has become a hot-button topic over the past few years, with statistics suggesting that up to 35% of the work force have fallen victim to this alarming trend. Some suggest that bullying victims simply are people who “can’t take the pressure” at work. Not so, said Jeff Shane, vice president of Allison & Taylor Reference Checking.
“Bullying has become an unpleasant fact of life in too many workplace environments. What makes it especially insidious is that it often continues even after someone has left a job, with the bully continuing to make their life difficult by them a poor reference to a prospective employer,” said Shane. Workplace bullying tactics can range from derogatory comments to public humiliation or physical abuse, but they unquestionably lead to decreased workplace productivity. Victims may experience a loss of confidence, debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, clinical depression and even physical illnesses. Management or supervi- sors are the most common offenders, and their bullying actions leave the recipient in a difficult employment position. Since many bullies are operating in accordance with a company’s “standard practices,” victims often speculate that they may deserve the criticisms, or they are simply too embarrassed, reluctant or fearful to confront the harasser.
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