Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is a form of psychological violence. People often think of bullying as something physical, but the psychological impact of bullying can be immense. While bruises may heal, the mental impact of bullying may last for a long time. In schools, bullying often involves physical violence by children, but in workplaces, bullying is by adults and is generally not physical. It has been called psychological violence, psychological harassment and psychological abuse. In Germany the term used for bullying translates into English as “Psycho-terror.”
Research into workplace bullying indicates it affects about 20% of New Zealand and Australian workers. In some sectors such as health and education, bullying rates are much higher.
In workplaces, bullying can happen in three different directions. Most bullying occurs from a position above the person targeted (manager down). Bullying also happens horizontally between peers, (called horizontal violence in nursing), and some bullying is directed upwards from a team toward a team leader or manager.
Workplace bullying is a term that is often used indiscriminately. This creates confusion about what bullying is and is not. Some people claim they are being bullied when they are told to do their jobs, or when reprimanded for poor performance. However, “feeling bullied” may not actually equate to bullying. Bullying is not a feeling, it is repeated, unreasonable behaviour that is potentially harmful..
It is important to have a robust definition that helps employers distinguish between bullying and something else such as conflict, incivility or inappropriate behaviour. The definition of workplace bullying used by New Zealand and Australian Health and Safety organisations is:
“Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed toward a worker or a group of workers that can lead to physical or psychological harm.” WORKSAFE NZ/AU.
In this definition bullying is defined by four elements:.
It is a form of behaviour directed toward someone or a group
The behaviour itself is unreasonable
There is repetition of the behaviour
The behaviour is harmful.
Bullying is not reasonable managerial conduct or occasional incivility or conflict between people. Single instances of bullying behaviour do not amount to the definition of bullying. There must be more than one instance in order to reach the threshold of the definition.
Bullying involves a range of behaviour including forms of intimidation, humiliation, victimisation, undermining, exclusion or isolation and abuses of power. In a mild way a person may be bullied by being given the “silent treatment”, or being bad-mouthed behind their back. More serious bullying involves ongoing intimidation, public humiliation, and being set up to fail. Bullying may be intentional and unintentional. Sometimes people do not understand that their behaviour or tactics amount to bullying.
Bullying hurts people and it undermines professionalism and dignity at work. Bullying also affects the culture of the workplace, by creating fear, uncertainty, destabilisation and polarisation in groups. A workplace that has ongoing bullying becomes a toxic workplace and is costly to the employer.
Bullying at work can be described as overt or covert. Overt bullying is more easily observed in displays of anger, standing over someone, yelling, demeaning comments and actions, public humiliation and verbal abuse. Covert bullying is less obvious and may include tactics such as undermining someone through gossip or rumours, sabotaging work, isolating people, setting people up to fail and using unfair managerial processes to force someone to resign. Covert bullying is difficult to prove and has a greater negative impact on people.