Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying refers to repeated, unfair actions of individuals (or a group) directed
towards an employee, which are intended to frighten, degrade, humiliate, or undermine an
employee.
Workplace bullying is often considered as an abuse or misuse of power.
Bullying behavior creates feelings of defenselessness and injustice in the target and undermines
an individual’s right to dignity at work. Which create a risk to the health or safety of the
employee.
The bullying can be verbal, psychological, physical, or online.
It can also include blacklisting from future employment opportunities. These high-stress
situations can have serious effects on an individual’s physical health, mental health, and
relationships
Example: Once there was an employee in an organization named Meena, She belonged to a poor
family, she was only bread-earner for her entire family. She had an excellent academic
background. Very talented and competent but she has confidence issues. Before entering into the
workplace she was very ambitious, passionate and committed. But after few months at the
workplace, This is what happened to her (presentation’s pics), Employees would bully her
(presentation Clip)
One of the employee came to rescue her. But, still they would not spare her even in corridor.
Meena has lost all her confidence and keeps forgetting about her ambition and passion. One day
she decided to talk to her fellow employees. They helped her, gave her a bit confidence but she
didn’t realize what was coming next (new policy chart). Meena’s fellow employees helped her
issue reached to the authority and she found solution to her problem.
Some statistics:

Some surveys relieve that bullying is the result of power discrimination and is comprised of
individuals who are not capable of self-defense.

This incident can be intensified when the victim’s manager lacks the managerial skills or
the victims are deprived of their colleagues or managers supports

Research shows that many people experience workplace bullying. Approximately 2 out
of every 5 people have been bullied at work. And almost half of those targeted at
work suffer stress related health problems

According to research more than half of those who experience bullying lose work time
worrying and avoiding the offender and report declines in performance and commitment
to the organization.

Close to half of those who experienced bullying reported intentionally decreasing work
effort, time spent at work, and, for a smaller number, quality of work.
How bullying affects people:
Targets of bullying experience significant physical
and mental health problems:
n Reduced
self-esteem
n Work
withdrawal and sickness absence
n Sleep
and digestive disturbances
n Increased
n Family
n High
depression/self-blame
tension and stress
stress, post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)
n Financial
problems due to absence
How bullying affects organizations:
Each of the individual consequences listed above
can be very costly for the organization. Costs of
bullying generally fall into three categories:
1. Replacing staff members that leave as a result of
being bullied, cost of training new employees.
2. Work effort being displaced as staff cope with
bullying incidents (i.e., effort being directed away
from work productivity and towards coping).
3. Costs associated with investigations of ill
treatment, potential legal action and loss of
company reputation.
Then Morale of the story:
1 We should never discourage people less than us
2 We should always be supportive and helpful.
3 Criticism should remain constructive
4 If we want we can make workplace easy for everyone.