Employees must be privileged to work in a safe, happy, and healthy workplace to be more productive and committed to work. Studies have shown that working in a healthy environment can have benefits, such as increased productivity, satisfaction, and retention. Despite being in a healthy environment, work can still be a pain for some at times- they can feel threatened, humiliated, or victimized, which are clear signs of bullying. If you are unsure of how to deal with bullies at work, there are preventive actions you can take to stop it.
Bullying Defined
It is defined as bullying when it is repeated health-harming, mistreatment, or abusive conduct that takes the form of verbal abuse or behaviors perceived as threatening, intimidating, or humiliating. In accordance with the Workplace Bullying Institute, 19% of adults in the U.S. are bullied at work, while 60.3 million workers are affected by workplace bullying.
How to Deal with Bullies
If you feel like you are being bullied, here are some steps you can take.
1. Keep a Private Record
Though it can be hard to remember certain circumstances exactly when you are in an adrenaline rush or panic attack, documenting every detail is essential for legal reference if you want to report it later.
2. Revisit Your Workplace Policy
Check whether your work has a bullying or harassment handbook. You might have been given a copy of this during your onboarding. It will give you an idea of who to contact, what processes you should follow, and the consequences of such actions.
3. Confront The Bully
Be upfront. Try talking to the person displaying the bullying behavior and explain that their acts are somewhat unfair or offensive. If you feel unsafe talking to this person, you could ask someone you trust to accompany you.
4. Talk to The Rightful Support
If you are uncomfortable talking to the person directly to stop the bullying, you can contact your immediate manager or supervisor to intervene.
If your higher-ups are involved with the bullying, you can go directly to the Human Resources Grievance Department to voice your concerns and be heard accordingly.
If talking to your manager or Human Resources (HR) is not even possible, or this does not stop the bullying behavior from happening to you, it might be time to take the issue further.
5. Take Legal Action
It is high time to report the abuse outside of your work when you think you have tried everything, but the bullying still won't let up. You can make things official by submitting an anti-bullying form through the Fair Work Commission. They can also give you information about their anti-bullying process and help you submit the form if you need support.
Being bullied can harm both your mental and your physical health with potential effects including significant stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, and more. To prevent yourself from this trauma, you must also protect yourself by mustering up the courage to speak up and fight for whatever you think is just right.
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