In the last year through readings I have come to understand that there are quite a few people being bullied at work. They have expressed that in some cases that they love their job and the work they do and have tried to ignore the bullies. However, in some cases it’s not been that easy to overlook.
There are many forms of bullying which can involve picking arguments and pure rudeness, but it can be more subtle, for example the victim can be excluded and not recognised for their contributions. Also being overloaded with work, then criticised and possibly being blocked for any promotions.
These people who have been subjected to bullying expressed the way these bullies made them feel and that was being miserable, that they had lost faith in themselves. In some cases people became ill and depressed, feeling very demotivated. Also if they have had to take time off work it doesn’t look good for their personnel record.
Bullying happens to both weak and strong people – the weak find it hard to face confrontation, whereas the strong can make the bully feel threatened which triggers the bullies’ behaviour.
It was also voiced to me that the victim of bullying also had to deal with problems in their home life because their personality had changed and they were having mood swings, and the people they love would become their target. They may not always have been in a situation to explain to their partner, because they didn’t want to cause any turbulence or worry.
So how can you deal with this?
Well my advice would be to try and find an ally, and definitely do not blame yourself or be ashamed to tell others what is happening. Keep a diary (this is known as a Contemporaneous) and write down every incident date and time and try to find any witnesses that will support you. You may find that when you tell people what is going on, you will find it is also happening to others.
I would advise you to speak to an employee representative, for example human resources or a manager/supervisor. However if the bully is a manager/supervisor and they are abusing their position of power you may need to contact an outside agency, these could be:
Gov.uk: www.gov.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
ACAS: www.acas.org.uk
Bullying UK: www.bullying.co.uk
If nothing changes and you have followed your employer’s grievance procedure you may have to consider legal action as the next option.
Lastly, do not give in and do not give up, there is always a solution to any problem – it just depends on how you tackle the situation.
Good luck and stay strong and believe in who you are.
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