Yesterday’s Advisor explained why training against workplace bullies is a necessity for your organization; today, we provide some tips on identifying these aggressive personalities so you’ll know when to take action.
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Remember: Even though bullying may not technically be illegal, it can destroy morale, have a negative effect on the bottom line, and possibly result in serious worker safety issues. It’s good practice to have antibullying policies at your company—and any reports of bullying should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.
Identifying Workplace Bullies
While the school yard bully may use physical tactics to intimidate, few workplace bullies find it necessary to sit on their victims and twist their arms. Workplace bullying, which is a form of workplace violence, is a little different, although it may resemble other forms of abuse, including domestic violence.
Workplace violence can take many forms and has numerous causes. Keep alert to signs of potential violence and take immediate action when you recognize them. TrainingToday Preventing Workplace Violence: What Employees Need to Know
Have you been targeted by the office bully? Maybe so if any of the behaviors below sound uncomfortably familiar to you:
- Verbal abuse. Bullies may scream or swear, call their victims names, or constantly criticize or threaten them.
- Hostility. Bullies may use threatening, intimidating, or cruel behaviors toward victims. They may give their victims dangerous work assignments, steal from their victims, or even plant evidence of crime (such as illegal drugs) in the victim’s desk or car.
- Deliberate humiliation. Bullies may set their victims up for public humiliation—for example, by calling their victim into a meeting and then doing something that embarrasses the victim.
- Malicious actions. More than 70 percent of bullies are bosses. They may use their position to give victims an undeserved poor performance review; deny them advancement, benefits, or perquisites; or steal credit for their work.
This Preventing Workplace Violence presentation will help you to identify the causes of workplace violence, spot the signs of potential violence, follow required security procedures, and respond effectively to violent acts. Get the details.
- Interference. Bullies may sabotage their victims by destroying or damaging their work—for example, by deleting important computer files or reports or not providing information that their victims need to do their jobs.
- Isolation tactics. Like domestic abusers, bullies may isolate their victims from others—for example, by excluding victims from important meetings or social networking opportunities or by spreading damaging rumors and then recruiting gullible coworkers to give their victims “the silent treatment” or otherwise ostracize their victim.
Bullying is a form of workplace violence and should not be tolerated. Once you recognize a bully, take appropriate action so the workplace will be less toxic for everyone.