It is the one of the most severe psychosocial stressors at work. It can lead to suicidal ideation, anxiety, PTSD, sleep problems, physical problems
Several academic articles I looked at indicated that each year between 21 million and 28 million workers are being bullied on the job. One 2011 study estimated that workplace bullying has an economic cost of 250 million dollars per year.
It is a global issue. I research establishing that it is in Malaysia, Peru, Japan, Finland, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, The United Kingdom, The US, and Saudi Arabia. It was curious to me that in Malaysian culture, workplace bullying is expected by workers.
As I mentioned in my last episode workers at any organizational level can be bullied. Line workers to C-level executives, doctors, lawyers, social workers, and therapists can get bullied.
Before I get into more lists, let’s offer an imperfect definition: Abusive behavior carried out repeatedly over time that is sustained by a power imbalance that causes harm to the target.
I will say that for years there was a euphemism called “hostile workplaces.” Well, in my opinion, the term is a euphemism for bullying.
There is surprisingly a lot out there about it on the internet. I cannot cover it all.
When there is bullying the stress at work tends to be more from the bullying than from how difficult the actual work is. The behavior of your workplace bully or bullies are your stress. Is it easy to tease out whether you are bullied?
Not always. There are three categories of workplace bullying: work-related, person-related, and physical-intimidation.
With the work-related bullying, there is withholding information that affects your job performance. Your opinions are ignored. You are being given unmanageable workloads and unreasonable deadlines. You can be micromanaged with excessive monitoring of your work. You may be pressed not to claim something you are entitled. Bullying bosses can hide behind the work.
The person-related bullying is a little easier to see. You may be subject to humiliation and ridicule whether alone or in front of groups. You may be persistently criticized for errors or mistakes. Offensive or insulting comments may be made about your attitudes, beliefs, religion, your appearance, and habits.
The bully may make personal allegations made against you that are emotional and not factual in nature.
You can be subject to practical jokes from people you do not get along with. It can also be offensive joking: My “favorite to cite” is a joke a sexually harassing executive with a title called “Comptroller” told my (highly religious) mother back in 1983: “What’s the difference between a big mac and a blow job. I’ll take you to lunch tomorrow.” The biggest irony (and this was publicized) is that “Comptroller” had become the executive in charge of handling sexual harassment complaints for the company. (Isn’t irony a kick in the pants). But I digress.
Of course, there is physical intimidation. Being shouted at or being threatened physically. Maybe the bully has anger management issues with impulsive outbursts of anger that are directed at anyone who happens to be there.
Workplace bullying is under cover in many workplaces. It is an emotional artifact.
Let me turn a corner? Do you think you may be subject to workplace bullying?
When I was a therapist to teenagers, the main difference between a person trying to bully you and a merely annoying person was how much it was bothering you.
However, workplace bullying can be the real deal because it is about your livelihood and your sense of you are as a person. The bully can have seem to have power over your ability to pay your bills, keep a home, and your ability to work in the future.
When the workplace bully is in action, they are not going to stop.
Some of the material I looked at said that having the one conversation and speaking truth to power can stop bullying activity.
I thin