T HE BULLY AT WORK


Incidents of Anarchy ©2014 Gail Pursell Elliott


Mobbing is an organizational dynamic which, when allowed to exist and persist, can spawn both arrogance and anarchy. Once mobbing is


successful, key players become convinced that they can do almost anything, regardless of the impact on others including the organization itself. While many believe that the targets of mobbing and bullying are at the mercy of decision makers, sometimes those in charge or in positions of responsibility are the targets.


This can occur on any level of an organization, from supervisors to middle managers to higher management, from caregivers to CEO‘s. I‘ve worked with individuals who have been undercut, thwarted, discredited and suffered from outright character assassination on the part of subordinates. If you have a department that seems to chew up and spit out managers one after the other, be assured that the department staff have covertly mutinied. The danger is that when this happens, other departments may begin to follow suit. Addressing this issue does not include sacrificing one manager after another. I strongly suggest to my consulting clients, breaking up the departmental team. This has worked in organizations as different as manufacturing and human services.


Case 1 - A manufacturing company had been experiencing unusual turnover and unpleasant employee interactions in one of the technical departments. Staff seemed reluctant to report any specific misconduct. Upon investigation, it was determined that an atmosphere of intimidation emanated from two long standing employees.


Consulting recommendations included an overview of mobbing in the workplace, an agreement to be signed by all department employees verifying that they understood that this was not tolerated and specific warnings of consequences. The opportunity for any employee to transfer to another department was offered with no loss of seniority. A surprising number of employees took advantage of the offer to transfer and expressed relief at being able to remove themselves from the negative, stress filled environment. The two intimidating employees quietly expressed concern that remaining staff might turn on them. After some time, the department has settled down and employee interactions have improved.


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From the Schoolyard to the Teachers' Lounge: Cracking Down on Adult Bullying


Recent headlines confirm that the schoolyard bullies of yesteryear are all grown up and have joined the workforce – many of them in schools. Rather than taking place in the schoolyard or cafeteria, adult bullying is occurring in the teachers‘ lounge and at faculty meetings. Reported cases of workplace bullying are increasing nationwide, grabbing the attention of the media and lawmakers. Being prepared to prevent, address and resolve bullying incidents among co- workers can help you avoid the hefty price tag that can result if you ignore bullies and do nothing.


Read more Banish the Workplace Bully


Businesses need to promote and maintain a healthy, productive workplace, which means being aware of anything jeopardizing the safety and morale of their employees—including bullying. Implementing organizational-wide systems to educate employees and management about how to spot and eliminate workplace bullying is crucial. Safe processes to report bullying also should be in place, and any concerns need to be documented and taken seriously. Time and funds allocated to address and prevent workplace bullying will always be well spent; your business will avoid potentially large losses and your workforce will feel protected and valued.


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Are You Optimistic or Pessimistic About The Trends In Workplace Violence Incidents?


It‘s a great question. I‘m pessimistic about the rising number of school and workplace violence shooting incidents, because according to recent FBI research, the trend line is moving up. The more media coverage these incidents get, the more it encourages certain disconnected, depressed, disaffected, or dangerous people to act out to get the revenge they desire or make the statement they think they need to make. I‘m optimistic about the prevention steps, awareness- building, and ever-evolving training programs we‘re using in our companies and schools. I‘m optimistic about the use of Threat Assessment Teams in workplaces and schools; better police tactics; and more humane, creative HR techniques to manage current or terminated problematic employees. We can‘t predict violence, but we can certainly assess dangerousness, and that can make all the difference in stopping a potential tragedy.‖


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