Bullying in the Workplace

 

Dr. Pat Ferris says:

For the past fifteen years, my practice has focused on seeing people about workplace concerns. This came about after a personal experience with severe workplace bullying. I wanted to understand my reactions and began to research what happens to people when they are mistreated at work. I soon discovered information on a concept called ‘bullying.’ It was a surprise to me how common such experiences were; bullying is at least three times more common than sexual harassment at work. I could relate to the tremendous impact these experiences have on those who experiencing bullying at work. Since that time, I have conducted research on workplace bullying, presented at international conferences on workplace bullying, and have seen many people across North America who have experienced bullying at work.

Workplace bullying is a topic of interest across the world. There has been an international call for laws similar to non-harassment laws to address workplace bullying but few countries have passed such laws. In Canada, the province of Quebec passed legislation that allows those who believe they have been bullied at work to launch a complaint. This law uses the term ‘psychological harassment’ to describe a set of behaviors known to be harmful to people at work.  An excellent overview of workplace bullying from the Canadian perspective may be found on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website.

This first step, determining whether bullying is or has occurred, is important.  Anyone can have a bad day and treat a colleague, subordinate, or superior with some disrespect. I doubt any of us could say we have never intentionally said something mean to someone at work or could say we have never behaved in anger or with disrespect. A manager being tough with expectations is also not bullying. So what is workplace bullying? Bullying is verbal behavior known to be harmful or the active cutting off of communication toward an individual. There are two broad factors when considering whether workplace bullying has occurred: a) the behavior must be repeated or there must be a number of bullying behaviors and b) intent. To be considered bullying a person must be repeatedly targeted with a negative behavior and the behavior of the person in question must at least have the appearance of intent. When a number of people target an individual, it is referred to as ‘mobbing.’ The strictest definition of bullying/mobbing says that behaviors must be experienced at least weekly for a period of six months. When I see someone who believes he/she has been bullied, I first assess what behaviors and how frequently these were experienced. Below are some behaviors that are commonly considered to be workplace bullying/mobbing:

• Being singled out for different and irrational treatment from others at your workplace
• Continual criticisms and attempts to undermine you and your achievements
• Being isolated from colleagues and information needed to do your job
• Being humiliated in front of others
• Having work duties suddenly changed with no reason given - either to menial tasks under your position or to being overloaded with work - usually with less authority and more responsibility
• Being set up to fail - as when someone in authority rearranges your schedule and how you do your work and then gives you a bad review due to how they have rearranged it
• Gossip, complaints and slander about you being spread to other staff or to management - without your being able to respond to such complaints nor told even what they are
• Having vacations, sick days and - compassionate leave refused or held up unnecessarily or longer than other staff
• Being subjected to disciplinary procedures without prior verbal or written warnings for trivial or fabricated reasons and without proper investigation
• Being coerced into leaving through no fault of your own - as in constructive dismissal, medical leave, etc.

Remember, there needs to be more than one instance of a behavior.
There are many other sites that will help you determine if what you are experiencing is workplace bullying. Some of the best sites are listed below. The first three are excellent Canadian resources:

http://www.nobullyforme.org
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/bullying.html
http://members.shaw.ca/mobbing/mobbingCA/index.htm
http://www.bullyoffline.org/
http://www.bullybusters.org/
http://www.bullyoffline.org/workbully/amibeing.htm
http://www.jfo.org.uk/
http://www.peerabuse.info/
www.kickbullying.com 
http://www.minkhollow.ca/bullying.html

Of all the workplace stressors that employees can encounter, it is my experience that workplace bullying has the most profound effect. We now know that bullying impacts people’s health: both physical and psychological. When bullying is first experienced, people often tell me they feel shocked or numb about behavior they have experienced. This often gives ways to feelings of depression, anger, and sometimes feeling suicidal. I often see people experiencing panic and anxiety about going to work. It is also typical that people are unable to sleep or eat as they normally would. Many people tell me that they experience stomach and headaches, as well as loss of confidence and self esteem. Most people develop a sense of vulnerability. When people experience these symptoms, family and personal relationships often become strained.
Bullying has been associated with the development of major depressive disorders,  high blood pressures and reduced immune system functioning. I find that once someone experiences a number of these symptoms, especially over a period of time, morale and job performance go down. At this point, many people find themselves in a performance management process, often with negative outcomes. In my experience it is the brightest and the best, the hard workers, or people who speak up to make things better that become the target of bullying.
Deciding what to do if you have been bullied takes careful consideration. A whole area of research, starting with my own observations indicates that those in organizations who should help i.e., Human Resources and supervisors, often don’t.
Consider how intentional the bullying is; you may be able to assertively confront the bully if they seem unaware of the impact of their behavior. If your organization has an anti-bullying policy or statement about bullying in their non-harassment policy, you may have some recourse to talk to HR and ask for an investigation. You could also use silence. Tim Field calls this ‘calculated silence’ although this is not always effective, safe or appropriate. Unions and associations may be able to help. They may be able to have an informal chat with a perpetrator or may be able to help deal with other organizational representatives. I have found occupational health staff invaluable in validating people’s experiences, providing support and referral, and assisting with identifying organizational supports. If several people feel bullied by the same person, a group complaint may be effective in getting help.

If you have been terminated from your job and you believe that workplace bullying was a contributor to this event, you may be able to sue your employer in civil court for constructive dismissal. You will need a lawyer who is familiar with bullying case law. Again, ask questions about familiarity with workplace bullying of any lawyer you are thinking of engaging. Document, document, document: behavior, times, person, impact.

I often see people who get caught up in their search for justice over workplace bullying. Taking legal action is a long process and can take years. Establishing that workplace bullying has occurred in a legal context is difficult and takes much scrutiny about the target’s work history and behavior. Such processes can result in further extensive damage to you. If you do decide to take this option, I advise that you focus on the process of standing up for your rights, rather than the outcome; have an on-going relationship with a counselor, and be in a sound financial position. Ultimately, you may need to make the decision to quit a job. And sometimes, if you cannot quit your job or get a transfer, although it is not fair, you may need to become more assertive or passively accept the situation until something changes. The ultimate goal is to keep your mental and physical health.

The first step in recovering from bullying is to empower yourself with knowledge: know your rights and understand what has happened to you. A list of books discussing bullying, including recovery may be found at http://www.bullyonline.org/resources/books.htm.

Many people feel they are weak or ‘insane’ because they have symptoms as a result of experiencing bullying. Bullying is an extreme stressor and any extreme stressor will produce the symptoms discussed above, even in the most functional and healthy people. Get support and validation. I find that most people are reluctant to share their experience with others. Bullying and its impact are hard to describe. Nevertheless, as you start to talk about what happened you also start to feel validated. Support groups are held in some cities but support can be gained online at most bullying websites. A knowledgeable counselor can be invaluable in defining what has happened and providing validation. See your doctor if symptoms are severe. People having experiencing prolonged and severe bullying often develop the same symptoms of PTSD that those who have been physically assaulted do. Read Tim Field’s book “Bully in sight: How to predict, resist, challenge and combat workplace bullying: Overcoming the silence and denial by which abuse thrives.” If you are experiencing guilt, embarrassment or shame, this book will help you let go of these negative and inappropriate emotions.

Get help from a counseling professional who understands what bullying is and how it impacts someone. Ask questions of your counselor such as “Are you familiar with the concept of workplace bullying,” “Have you seen employees who have experienced workplace bullying?” Your counselor will help you decide on a course of action to take and will help you recover from the impact of your experiences. Ask your counselor to administer a measure of psychological distress and to carefully note the behaviors you have experienced (I use an inventory of negative workplace behaviors I have access to from a workplace bullying researcher). These become important evidence to your organization if you are in an absence or disability management process and are also good legal documents if you take the legal route.
In addition to being familiar with bullying research and treatment, a good counselor for someone who has experienced bullying has the following characteristics:

• Shares power, does not need to be in a dominant role
• Listens well and can accurately summarize what you say
• Has a genuine interest in you and your concern
• Will further their learning in bulling
• Will stick with you and not suddenly cut off services. If there is need to transition,  a good counselor will facilitate a transfer to another support person
• States limits and expectations of you
• May advocate for you to your work organization

If you hear a counselor say any of the following, it is likely the counselor does not fully understand the concept or impact of bullying:

• Your symptoms are as result of a pre-existing disorder such as depression or anxiety
• You were not assertive enough
• You are in the wrong job
• You must be exaggerating

When I see bullied employees I start by understanding all that has happened and provide validation that this is indeed a serious issue. I work with my clients to let go of guilt, embarrassment, and shame by helping them understand that they have experienced a systematic and targeted form of aggression. I also work on managing anger and a sense of injustice constructively – these can be crippling to people if they become deeply embedded. I help my clients decide what actions to take and will advocate for them with their workplaces. I teach stress management techniques and work on maintaining self esteem. Homework is often provided. I generally see people weekly until distress is minimized, then see people as needed. Finally, I help people integrate their experiences into the fabric of their life and move toward experiencing contentment and safety. I work with physicians if medication for depression or anxiety is indicated. I will also work with spouses and family members to help them understand the serious experience a person has had and to provide education on to support the person recovering from bullying.