When you think of the word “bullying” what image does it conjure up in your mind? For many, it takes us back to the school playground, where comments were made about our hair, our weight, our clothes, or our lisp, to name a few. But, bullying isn’t as black and white as the snide comments we received in our childhood and adolescent years. It can be as insidious as being overlooked in a meeting, or being excluded from a secret “team” WhatsApp group.
Workplace bullying may be a thing of the past for many organisations, but remote working and technology has brought in new ways for toxicity to seep in.
Stonewall produced an anti-bullying guide which highlighted how prevalent workplace bullying still is, stating “research from the Department of Health indicates that stress-related sickness absence costs more than £5 billion a year, and Amicus suggests that bullying, a major cause of stress, costs the UK economy £1.3 billion a year.”
So, how can we look out for bullying in the workplace, and when is it time to intervene?
CPD produced a comprehensive guide on the types of bullying that can occur in the workplace, with the most common being:
- Constant put-downs/remarks about your work.
- Personal insults, for example about your appearance, weight, clothes, accent etc.
- Racist/homophobic language.
- Unwanted sexual advances/sexual harassment or misconduct.
- Unreasonable requests.
- Attempts to shame you in front of colleagues.
- Threats or intimidation tactics.
- Attempts to turn other colleagues against you.
- Spreading lies/rumours about you.
If you are, or know someone who is experiencing any of the above, it’s crucial to report it so a formal investigation can be carried out to mitigate the situation. These are very clear examples of workplace bullying which should never be tolerated, so as the first port of call, these points can be used.
However, there is the opportunity for certain situations to enter “grey areas” which can be harder to spot.
The “tough love” approach
Management styles come in different shapes and sizes, and a common management technique can be using tough love to get the most out of an employee or team member.
Although this management style can work really well on certain personality types who are receptive to this approach, it can also fall into the realm of bullying if it has a negative impact on the individual receiving tough love. It’s important that if you can notice someone receiving this type of management technique, that you console with their manager (and them in private) to check that this is having the desired effect. If not, it’s probably time to change tactics.
It’s just banter!
Sure, jokes, fun and games are all necessary to build an engaging culture. But, “banter” can be a great cover-up for bullying to manifest. Now, it isn’t all doom and gloom! Banter and jokes are important and can provide great comic relief on the bad days, but is it a shared experience among everybody, or is someone the butt of the jokes time and time again?
If you’re concerned that banter may be manifesting itself as something more sinister, make notes when it’s continuously directed at one person, and more importantly, how they’re reacting to it. Some individuals are indifferent to banter and enjoy the back and forth (even if they’re the centre of the joke) whereas others could take this to heart, and also allow it to impact their self-worth and work.
Is it out of character?
To be a bully in the workplace, unfortunately, is part of someone’s character and needs to be coached out - or have them removed from the business. But, what if someone suddenly is a lot more snappy or frosty than usual?
What if their jokes are no longer funny, but instead laced with subtle malice? This doesn’t necessarily mean that this individual has turned into a workplace bully overnight. Instead, it may indicate that they’re struggling with something in their personal, or work life, and they’re projecting this unhappiness onto others.
In summary, there’s no “checklist” to mitigating bullying in the workplace. However, you must look at situations and individuals on a case by case basis for “grey areas” - but also act urgently on clear examples of workplace bullying that deserve no place in your organisation.
Failure to act can do irreversible damage in some cases to people and teams, so make sure that mitigating workplace bullying is at the top of your priorities.
For more information on handling issues relating to D&I, check out our free D&I in the Workplace handbook, available to download now.
