Become A Victim Of Bullying At Work, Overcome It With These Wise Tips

JAKARTA - Bullying can happen anywhere, including the workplace. Yes, bullying doesn't just happen to children, it can also happen to adults.

According to a Zogby International survey, about 35 percent of workers in America are exposed to the effects of workplace bullying. Worse, the perpetrators of bullying often deny and dismiss their behavior as an act of intimidation.

The rise of bullying cases in the workplace leads to a decrease in employee productivity, a spike in the number of resignations, to serious legal problems that afflict employees and the company. If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying at work, here VOI's sharing tips for dealing with bullying, adapted from Huffpost, Tuesday, February 8.

Recognize what forms of bullying are

In a professional setting, traits of bullying include repeated ill-treatment such as verbal insults, persistent and unwarranted criticism, isolation, and exclusion from social activities. The obvious signs are physical and verbal abuse, but more subtle signs include sabotage of someone's efforts to succeed.

Pay attention to the target of bullying behavior

Certain types of coworkers are more likely to become targets of bullying in the workplace. For example, employees who are highly skilled at work, managers' favorite people, those who are liked in the company, and those who are not too aggressive. Pay attention to those who seem to have a positive relationship and who don't seem to interact in the group.

Focus on job performance and avoid negative comments that are not related to the job or task at hand

Comments like "any idiot can do this job" can be considered bullying. Train your managers and supervisors on how to appropriately provide constructive criticism to workers without using name-calling or using negative personal comments.

Promote a positive work culture

Your leadership determines how employees are expected to treat one another. Explain in the company manual and with your actions what types of behavior are permitted and what behaviors are expressly prohibited. Provide clear directions for reporting allegations and prohibit retaliation against those who complain.

Investigate complaints immediately

Don't ignore direct complaints or rumors of bullying in your workplace. Take action immediately because the longer bullying is allowed to occur, the greater the harm to the victim and the potential liability to your company.

Provide training to supervisors and employees

Your policies won't mean much if your supervisor doesn't understand them and how to enforce them. Supervisors need to know how to identify bullying, investigate complaints fairly, maintain privacy, and properly discipline perpetrators. And, if employees are not made aware of their rights and responsibilities to report such behavior, they will continue to work on the assumption that the employer does not take bullying seriously.

No tolerance for bullies

In a survey, workers who were victims of negotiations were asked how their superiors handled the situation. Surprising answers came. In fact, around 72 percent of the negotiating actors are superiors or supervisors and these two parties have even rationalized or even encouraged a culture of bullying to occur. Not a few also deny their actions to their subordinates as an act of bullying.

In such cases, it is impossible for employees to feel secure or have the confidence and ability to be productive and happy in their work.

Don't be shy about mentioning bullying

Using bullying euphemisms in the workplace with several names such as rudeness, disrespect, personal conflict, or management style, is a big loss for those who are bullied victims. Not calling bullying “bullying”, to avoid offending people who may be bullies, can add to the hurt of individual victims of bullying whose jobs, careers, and health have been threatened as a result of bullying.