What is bullying? Is it simple banter? Is it harmless? Does it happen a lot in the workplace – nursery, pre school, Montessori and the like?
Recently there has been a lot written in the press especially about Azeem Rafiq who suffered racial harassment and bullying but no one was punished.
Does speaking out to Management or HR work? Could it lead to more bullying and isolation? Could it make the situation worse?
Bullying used to be thought about being a thing that happens at schools but not anymore as more and more people speak out.
Bullying can be physical, emotional, causing isolation by turning work colleagues against you, even cyber.
When reporting you maybe told it is a clash of personalities – this is no excuse bullying is bullying. You may even be told what is happening to you will make you stronger – again no excuse. A Manager who is over bearing or dominant may say that the way they are treating you is their style of management – not good enough this is bullying. You may even be told it is your fault that you are causing this kind of behaviour – this is never the victims fault and an awful excuse.
What to do if you are being bullied
If you feel able to you can speak to them telling them how you feel and ask for it to stop. You may not be able to do so and instead you can report to either Management or HR.
If you are not satisfied that the harassment has stopped, or if it is not taken seriously, or if the problem gets worse, you should seek to make an official complaint via the usual grievance procedures. The company has a legal obligation to follow up any formal grievance and deal with bullies firmly and fairly up to and including dismissal. If you are being bullied at work, there are several things you can do to maximise your chances of succeeding.
- Read the company’s policy on bullying and make sure that it is being followed correctly.
- Document any incident of harassment in detail: this includes the date, times, place, who was involved, what happened, and the names of any witnesses.
- Log what occurred but also how it made you feel.
- Talk to someone it could be another colleague, a friend, or even your family.
What can an employer do to prevent workplace bullying?
Like any workplace issue, fostering a culture that is free of bullying needs to come from the top down. Always be proactive; firstly you need to have a bullying and harassment policy in place, making it clear that this type of behaviour is considered a gross misconduct and those found guilty will be dismissed.
Train managers so they understand what is bullying and harassing behaviour. It is important that examples of bullying are laid out in a policy so that all staff are aware of their own behaviour and can take responsibility for it.
It is important to make clear to employees that all allegations of harassment or bullying will be taken seriously, confidentially and that grievances or complaints of harassment will not be ignored or treated lightly.
All employees should be told of the policies and procedures so they understand how to make a formal grievance, who the employee needs to speak to (normally the manager) and what will happen after the incident has been reported. It will also help employees to realise that bullying will not be tolerated and the consequences of what happens if you bully.
Anti-Bullying Week is taking place from 15 to 19 November 2021 and it has the theme One Kind Word.