5TH JULY is National Stand Up to Bullying Day. This short presentation aims to raise awareness of the impact of bullying behaviours in the workplace, to empower those affected by bullying and to encourage all organisations and leaders to promote zero tolerance of bullying.

1. STAND UP TO BULLYING
5TH
JULY 2016
WHEREVER YOU ARE, WHATEVER
YOUR AGE

2. Effects of Workplace Bullying
• A very high personal price if we stay silent
to bullying.
• Companies pay a very high price, too:
lower productivity, higher staff turnover.
• Negative effects on concentration,
decision making and may reduce work
standards.
• This in turns creates further stress to any
dedicated employee.

3. What is workplace bullying?
• Bullying can involve arguments and rudeness, shouting, throwing things
about,
• BUT …..it is often more subtle, less overt, less public:
• Excluding and ignoring people, professionally and socially.
• Ignoring emails/phone calls/blocking requests for discussion.
• Not valuing skills and work.
• Treating an individual differently to others eg: training and
development .
• Unfounded criticisms, undermining remarks, `throw away comments’
• Overloading people with work: unachievable work expectations.
• Insufficient or ambiguous information .
• Untimely notifications or meetings/appointments, denying preparation
time.
• Setting someone up to fail.
• Gossiping and cyber gossiping.

4. STANDING UP
• Here are five steps to take when speaking up to a workplace bully:
• Choose your moment.
• Be calm, clear, and direct.
• Get the person alone.
• Prepare and practice what you are going to say.
• Have specific examples prepared. “I want to speak with you about what
happened in the meeting on ….. We need to work with each other
respectfully, so let’s talk about how we can improve our communication
with one another.”
• Speaking up lets bullies know that they are being held accountable.
• At the very least, it changes the dynamic and may break the
pattern.
• You gain self-respect and increased confidence, even though it may
be emotionally very difficult…. But, especially if it works, even just
a little.
• That’s big and a great start.

5. WHAT NEXT?
• KEEP a diary: note the event, what was said, how it was said. How you
felt. What was the outcome?
• Keep a record of every communication.
• Get professional advice and support: either legal, or your trade union
and be completely honest and open at all times with them.
• Seek counselling : it will help you to restore self worth and self esteem.
• See your GP and Occupational Health .
• Don’t gossip but do share with carefully selected confidantes,
preferably outside the work sphere: sharing and talking things through
does help.
• Use workplace support if you can, such as ,line manager, Antibullying
Advisors, HR, colleague. You may find others are also experiencing this.
• If these avenues are unavailable or others are too intimidated to stand
up: remember you can only fight your corner, so seek external support
and advice.
• Find something outside work which will help with motivation and
relaxation.

6. What effects can it have?
• Bullying can make working life miserable.
You lose all faith in yourself, you can feel
ill and depressed, anxious, panicky, and
find it hard to motivate yourself to work. It
can affect mental well being in many
ways.
• The psycho emotional effects can lead to
physical symptoms: insomnia, headaches,
IBS, frequent minor infections, weight loss,
loss of concentration.

7. Why do some people bully?
• Personality issues
• `Tribal instincts’: Picking on the weak
• Jealousy/feeling threatened by someone’s
strengths.
• Being bullied themselves: learned behaviour
, cycle of bullying.
• Bully has been unable to stand up to own
bullies, so feels threatened by professional
challenge and responds by mirroring
treatment they have themselves received.
• Learned behaviour: due to poor
mentoring/example.
• Weak/frail ego.
• Inadequately trained and supported.
Workplace policies not robustly enforced.

8. BELIEVE
• In yourself….
• It can be a lonely place standing up….because
even if others have been bullied they may be too
afraid to stand up. They may support you
personally but don’t feel able to speak out. Don’t
blame them. They are a product of the existing
workplace culture. But, don’t rely on their voice.
STAND UP, SPEAK OUT with the right support
you will become stronger and hopefully your
actions will help to stamp out the bullying
behaviours.

9. What about legal action?
Sometimes the problem continues even
after you've followed your employer's
grievance procedure.
If nothing is done to put things right,
you can consider legal action, which may
mean going to an employment tribunal.
Get professional advice before taking
this step. For more information about
taking legal action, visit your nearest
Citizens Advice Bureau.
It's not possible to go to an employment
tribunal directly over bullying.
Complaints can be made under laws
covering discrimination and harassment.
Find out more about the law covering
workplace bullying from GOV.UK

10. BE STRONG
• Recognise that criticism or
personal remarks are not
connected to your abilities.
• They reflect the bully's
own weaknesses, and are
meant to intimidate and
control you.
• Stay calm, and don’t be
tempted to explain your
behaviour.
• Ask them to explain theirs.

11. • REMEMBER:
• THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE
WORLD WHERE BULLYING
IS AN ACCEPTABLE WAY TO
TREAT OTHERS.

12. • BULLYING IS ALWAYS WRONG

13. REFERENCES
• http://www.standuptobullying.co.uk/
• Bullying and harassment at work:www.acas.org.uk
• https://www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment
• http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Pages/Bullyingatwork.
• http://www.bullying.co.uk/bullying-at-work
• http://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/employees.htm
• https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/knowledge/discrimination/bullying-and-
harassment
• https://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/health-and-safety/bullying/bullied-
work-dont-suffer-silence
• http://www.rcn.org.uk/get-help/rcn-advice/bullying-and-harassment
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-33364037