How to Deal With an Office Bully
Being bullied at work?
Stress in the workplace can be caused by many things: urgent deadlines, a fear of public speaking or workload pressures – but perhaps the most painful stress of all is that caused by bullies in the workplace.
Being bullied at work can stem from the behaviour of an individual or individuals or it can be embedded in the culture of a workplace.
Bullying can take the form of verbal harassment, intimidation or even physical threat or attack. Whatever form it takes, bullying can gradually lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, shame and despair. It can wear you down and erode your self- confidence until you feel worthless both at work and as a person.
Are you being bullied?
The Andrea Adams Consultancy (www.andreaadamsconsultancy.com) which works against workplace bullying, defines it as:
- Unnecessary, offensive, humiliating behaviour towards an individual or groups of employees.
- Persistent, negative malicious attacks on personal or professional performance, often unpredictable and unfair or irrational.
- An abuse of power or position that can cause anxiety and distress, or physical ill health.
What it Can Mean for your Health
The American publication Live Science recently reported on a study published in the International Journal of Stress Management which investigated employees who work with abusive bosses. The study found that that employees: ‘often deal with the situation in ways that inadvertently make them feel worse’.
Live Science says: ‘That’s bad news, as research suggests that workplace abuse is linked to stress — and stress is linked to a laundry list of mental and physical ailments, including higher body weight and heart disease.’
Source: Article: Work Bully Victims Struggle with Dangerous Stress courtesy of www.livescience.com
This ‘laundry list’ also includes: sleeplessness, nausea, headaches, palpitations, digestive and stomach problems, loss of appetite and lethargy.
Emotionally you might feel: isolated, extremely anxious, depressed, angry, lacking in confidence and self-esteem and possibly even suicidal.
What can you do?
- Talk – If you are being bullied then finding someone to talk to about it is one of the first steps you can take to find support. It could be a partner, family member, friend or colleague or it could be someone in a managerial or supervisory role. If the bullying is affecting your health you can talk to your doctor or a therapist.
- Try to keep calm and stand firm in the face of the bullying. Look at ways to improve your self-esteem and self-confidence
- Keep a diary– Make a record of every instance of bullying. This way you have evidence of events should you need them.
- If the situation cannot be resolved informally then you can follow your employer’s grievance procedure or seek help from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau or from www.direct.gov.uk.
Remember – it is not your fault.