About Workplace Bullying
Bullying is normally associated with school children. Unfortunately this is far from the truth as it can happen between adults in various situations too. A common variety is when a group of workers or an individual targets another worker to criticize, demean or frighten. This form of bullying is called workplace bullying and is quite widely prevalent. It takes many forms and the victim usually does not know what to do about it and just puts up with it.
The purpose of workplace bullying, like among children, is to cause some discomfort or pain to another person either physical or emotional, quite often, in the adult situation in work places, the latter. Such victims are subject to constant harassment for petty matters and their achievements are underplayed or ignored. Such victims eventually come under the total control of the bully, get undermined at every opportunity, get falsely blamed, and generally experience a harrowing time at work.
Another method followed by bullies is to exclude victims from all group activities and to deny important information. Victims are prevented from accessing resources and assignments. The bully uses this technique to enhance his own image at the cost of the victim. Victims are subject to much more vigorous checks and inspections and are expected to perform to higher than normal standards. It is expected that the victim will not succeed and seem inefficient.
Workplace bullies shout at, insult and demean the victim to ensure that the victim loses his self-confidence and performs badly. Workplace victims are given unrealistic targets and impossible timetables so that they will fail. They may even be told to put in unreasonable hours of work so that the bully can take it easy. The threat of dismissal is always held over the victim’s head to ensure compliance with the bully’s demands.
Workplace bullies will also take credit for work done by the victim and may even pass of the latter’s work as his own, to the head of the department. The victim will rarely have proof to offer to demonstrate this and thus suffer without any succor. Victims of workplace bullying are rarely given time off even when entitled to. They are forever held responsible for everything that goes wrong. On the other hand, the workplace bullies will do everything possible to eliminate any competition to their position.
For a victim of workplace bullying there is little that can be done other than to keep a log of all incidents of bullying and remaining calm, waiting for the right opportunity to present the problem to the appropriate authority, perhaps even by going over the head of his immediate superior. You do not have to put up with workplace bullying and you can put a stop to it. Just do it the proper way at an opportune time with sufficient and irrefutable proof.