Bullying at Work

This is a problem that has existed in many work settings for a long time. However, it has only recently been getting some attention. It is defined as deliberate, often repeated, health-harming mistreatment of an employee by a supervisor or a co-worker or co-workers through direct and indirect means  It is more than just having a bad day at the office or having a conflict with your boss or with co-workers. It often takes the form of false accusations, yelling, shouting or screaming, hostile glares or other intimidating nonverbal behaviors, unreasonably heavy work demands designed to ensure failure, or a withholding of resources and information necessary to do your job, and sometimes downright sabotage and defamation.

Women are more likely to be the targets than men, as are subordinates. The aggressors are more likely to be supervisors than peers or subordinates and are more likely to be men than women.

This behavior pattern certainly affects the individual being targeted and is harmful to the organization. A number of studies have shown that this creates lower morale and productivity and may contribute to higher absenteeism and attrition. Workers are harmed in a number of ways, including the development of stress disorders, depression and physical problems such as cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal problems.

So what’s to be done about this?  Unfortunately, there are no laws that provide adequate protection.  The laws that exist have proven inadequate as legal responses to workplace bullying. A bill entitled, “The Healthy Workplace” bill, has been introduced in 25 states, but has yet to be enacted in any state.

The answer at present: primarily training and education of the workforce, development and enforcement of employee policies that protect the employee, and counseling, coaching, disciplining and even dismissal of aggressors. Employers need to be aware of the signs of bullying in their companies. Decreases in productivity, increases in attrition and absenteeism may be signs that bullying is occurring. When companies downsize and merge, bullying is more likely to occur. And, in general, if there are heightened levels of aggression of all types occurring in the company, bullying is almost certain to be occurring.

Finally, it is important to be aware of the culture of your organization. Is it an organization that encourages communication, support and acceptance of differences? Do employees and management share common goals, or is it more a situation of surface civility, but underneath a dog-eat-dog type atmosphere?

I would like to credit Dr. David C. Yamada who has written a great deal in this area.  His writings include, “Workplace Bullying and Ethical Leadership,” published in the Journal of Values-Based Leadership in 2008, and most recently an article entitled, “Emerging American Legal Responses to Workplace Bullying” published in The Temple Political Rights Law Review in 2013. Dr. Yamada is a professor of law and a director of the New Workplace Institute at Suffolk University Law School in Boston.

Dr. Ron Breazeale