Are you being bullied by your boss?
Workplace bullying can be as obvious as being threatened with violence, or as subtle as not being given enough work to do. When surveys reveal that almost three quarters of workplace bullying in Australia is perpetrated by managers or supervisors, how do you ensure that your boss is treating you properly?
Photograph by Emiliano Spada.
Workplace Bullying Research
Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University, USA
In addition to causing unnecessary stress, research into workplace bullying has found that workers who are subjected to bullying are more likely to commit suicide than those who are only under normal work pressures.
Dr Pamela Lutgen Sandvik (now of the University of New Mexico), Dr Sarah Tracy, and Dr Jess Alberts of the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University have found that workplace bullying also negatively affects the victim's social life, and relationships with their partner and children, even if no one knows about the bullying.
"Research suggests that bullying can result in serious emotional and physical harm to the targets," says Lutgen-Sandvik, a doctoral candidate majoring in communication, "whether that be stress, burnout, gastrointestinal problems, reliance on anti-depressant medication, marital and family troubles, or suicidal tendencies."
The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication website
Dr Pamela Lutgen Sandvik (now of the University of New Mexico), Dr Sarah Tracy, and Dr Jess Alberts of the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University have found that workplace bullying also negatively affects the victim's social life, and relationships with their partner and children, even if no one knows about the bullying.
"Research suggests that bullying can result in serious emotional and physical harm to the targets," says Lutgen-Sandvik, a doctoral candidate majoring in communication, "whether that be stress, burnout, gastrointestinal problems, reliance on anti-depressant medication, marital and family troubles, or suicidal tendencies."
The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication website
Bullying Research papers
- Nightmares, Demons and Slaves: Exploring the Painful Metaphors of Workplace Bullying
- The research paper written by Drs Lutgen Sandvick, Tracy, and Alberts in 2006. PDF document.
- The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication website
- The main webpage for the The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication in Arizona.
The Subtle Tactics of Bullying
There are many subtle ways of bullying someone. We can all identify with situations where we heard the boss tell his secretary to go back and "make a proper cup of coffee", or humiliate a late-comer to a meeting by asking his opinion on what had been discussed in his absence.
According to the report produced for the Victorian Workcover Authority by Sweeney Market Research in Melbourne, Australia, almost a quarter of us know of a colleague who has been bullied.
And the research presented by Lutgen-Sandvik, Tracy, and Alberts, at a conference on workplace bullying and harassment in Norway in June 2005, revealed that bullying also affects the confidence and productivity of the victim's colleagues, even if they, themselves, are not subjected to any bullying.
Verbal threats are the most common form of bullying, followed by intimidation, either by making someone feel inferior, or by humiliating or manipulating them.
In some instances new managers can inadvertently use bullying tactics as a coping mechanism and a means of asserting their authority when they have not received adequate training in managing staff. All employees offered a chance to move into a management position have a right to request appropriate training.
According to the report produced for the Victorian Workcover Authority by Sweeney Market Research in Melbourne, Australia, almost a quarter of us know of a colleague who has been bullied.
And the research presented by Lutgen-Sandvik, Tracy, and Alberts, at a conference on workplace bullying and harassment in Norway in June 2005, revealed that bullying also affects the confidence and productivity of the victim's colleagues, even if they, themselves, are not subjected to any bullying.
Verbal threats are the most common form of bullying, followed by intimidation, either by making someone feel inferior, or by humiliating or manipulating them.
In some instances new managers can inadvertently use bullying tactics as a coping mechanism and a means of asserting their authority when they have not received adequate training in managing staff. All employees offered a chance to move into a management position have a right to request appropriate training.
Have you been bullied?
Or know someone who has?
Bullying affects everyone - the target, their family and friends, and also their colleagues.
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What Should Companies Do About Bullying?
Workers' Compensation and Occupational Health and Safety authorities in Australia consider bullying to be "unreasonable" and "repetitive" behaviour that poses a risk to someone's health or safety, or both.
"Bullying by a boss or senior manager can have more severe consequences than bullying by a peer or colleague," says Dr Tracy, who is an assistant professor at the Hugh Downs School.
Unfortunately, in most instances a case of bullying is only really recognised if it has been continuing for six months or longer, with an incident occurring almost daily. However, Tracy adds that "bullying is part of a pattern of negative activity, so even if others don't recognise a single act as bullying, the target's report of the pattern should be considered seriously.
"Furthermore, research suggests that the best chance the organisation has to stop bullying before it becomes entrenched, is to intervene at the very early stages, perhaps before it actually looks like bullying to outsiders."
"Bullying by a boss or senior manager can have more severe consequences than bullying by a peer or colleague," says Dr Tracy, who is an assistant professor at the Hugh Downs School.
Unfortunately, in most instances a case of bullying is only really recognised if it has been continuing for six months or longer, with an incident occurring almost daily. However, Tracy adds that "bullying is part of a pattern of negative activity, so even if others don't recognise a single act as bullying, the target's report of the pattern should be considered seriously.
"Furthermore, research suggests that the best chance the organisation has to stop bullying before it becomes entrenched, is to intervene at the very early stages, perhaps before it actually looks like bullying to outsiders."
What Can You Do If You're Being Bullied?
If you believe your boss or colleague is bullying you, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and put an end to the harrassment.
- If your employer allows you access to a confidential counselling service or Employee Assistance Program, start there. Your counsellor will help you determine whether you are being bullied, and advise you on the best way to deal with the situation.
- It will help to keep a journal for a period, with details of the situations where you have felt you were subjected to bullying. Record the date, time, people involved, and any witnesses.
- "As soon as targets begin to notice stigmatising treatment, they should consider seeking guidance from a union representative or human resources member," advises Dr Jess Alberts, a professor at the Hugh Downs School. "However, every context is different, and targets should be aware that any action on their part could potentially escalate the bullying."
- Depending on their level of training, your company's Health and Safety Representative may also able to intervene on your behalf, or you can contact an employment watchdog group or the Offices of Equal Employment Opportunity or Industrial Relations in your area for independent advice.
- Job Watch and WorkSafe advise recording when and to whom you reported the bullying behaviour. If nothing changes, put your complaint in writing to your employer and request that action is taken.
- Obtain advice from your union, solicitor, Job Watch, or Legal Aid if you feel you will be required to take any legal action against your employers, or if you decide to resign.
More Advice on Dealing with Bullying
Whether you're a target, a concerned friend, or a manager attempting to stamp out bullying - these books will help with advice and guidelines.
The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job by Gary Namie
A look at the reasons for bullying, and the type o more...0 points
The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't by Robert I. Sutton
Suggestions for handling workplace bullies - as bo more...0 points
When You Work for a Bully: Assessing Your Options and Taking Action by Susan Futterman
Outlines the options you have when confronted with more...0 points
Adult bullies begin their training in the schoolyard
Bullies and their victims learn their roles in childhood. Victims often become bullies themselves, picking on weaker targets than themselves - sometimes resorting to animal cruelty or harming infants if they cannot find an outlet for their fear and frustration.
Coral Milburn's lens on Preventing Bullying addresses bullying at school, and offers practical advice for teaching children to stand up for themselves and break the bullying cycle.
Coral Milburn's lens on Preventing Bullying addresses bullying at school, and offers practical advice for teaching children to stand up for themselves and break the bullying cycle.
Preventing Bullying
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How to Protect Your Child From Bullies
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Hi! I'm Coral. For 35 years I have taught kids in inner cities, African townships and rural England, have been the headteacher of three state primary schools in the UK, led the Department of Education Excellence Awards team and inspected schools for...
Don't Fall Into The Bully Trap!
When you're out of your depth, it's all too easy to resort to bullying tactics.
What if you're given a management opportunity? Managing other people is difficult. Sometimes it feels easier to beat people into submission than to earn their respect the hard way.
Use our tips to help you start out on the right foot.
Use our tips to help you start out on the right foot.
- Be fair, treat people equally, even the difficult team member who seems to bring the rest of the team down.
- Take complaints seriously. Address the issue immediately if you have the authority, or pass it on to the appropriate person, and keep your staff updated on progress.
- Understand what your team does and ask whether they are satisfied with the use of their skills. Give them access to support and training to develop their careers.
- Keep your team informed. This is not always possible with confidentiality issues, but if you have a reputation for being honest with your staff, it will be easier for them to trust you to update them when you can.
- If someone makes a mistake, be strong enough to bring it to their attention - but do it privately.
- Give credit where it's due. Never take credit for someone else's work.
- If you have to assign a task, ask - don't give orders or try to manipulate your staff.
- Remember, you have the right to request appropriate training if you are offered a chance to manage someone. As a manager, you will have responsibilities that you may not be aware of. Make sure your employer gives you the support you need.
Are you stressed at work?
- Handling Job Burnout
- Bullying can increase the stress of a job to unbearable degrees, but sometimes when the bullying is dealt with, the other causes of stress remain. This article looks at ways to prevent and recover from burnout.
Reader Feedback
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LeslieBrenner
Excellent lens and good advice. Posted April 15, 2008 |
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JohannTheDog
Great lens, very useful information! Woofs, Johann Posted March 24, 2008 |
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Oxford_Educademy
Brilliant lens, thank you and best wishes, Coral Posted July 31, 2007 |
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larrybla
Good lens on workplace bullying. Pretty comprehensive resource. 5 stars Posted July 16, 2007 |
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daoine
Thanks for your feedback Margaret - I really appreciate it. Posted April 04, 2007 |
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Margaret_Schaut
Another beautiful page, so useful for people in a bad situation! Welcome to the tough topics group. I look forward to more of your work on difficult issues! Posted April 04, 2007 |
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