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Workplace Bullying
The document discusses workplace bullying, defining it as a persistent pattern of behaviors that threaten and degrade employees, leading to significant emotional and psychological harm. It highlights statistics showing that a considerable portion of the workforce has experienced or witnessed bullying, its detrimental effects on health and workplace productivity, and the economic impact it has on organizations. Additionally, it outlines potential legal frameworks and organizational strategies, such as the Healthy Workplace Bill, to combat bullying in the workplace and emphasizes the need for cultural change to effectively address this issue.
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Workplace Bullying
- 1. WORKPLACE Bullying Dr. Paul Marciano& Darlene Rasmussen NJOD Annual Sharing Day 2012
- 3. 1,000,000+ Google Resultswhen searching for “Workplace Bullying”
- 4. What does bullyingmean to you? (Share examples)
- 5.
- 6. A persistent patternof behaviors that threaten, intimidate, degrade, undermine, embarrass, or humiliate another and have an adverse impact on another’s emotional and psychological well-being.
- 7. Sample Behaviors • Yelling •Insulting remarks • Ignoring/Excluding • Inappropriate non-verbal behavior, e.g., staring, pointing • Spreading malicious rumors or gossip • Applying different policies, procedures, or standards
- 8. Sample Behaviors • Imposingunreasonable or inappropriate work demands • Unduly criticizing work performance • Making false accusations • Stealing credit for another’s work • Denying training & resources for success • Uninvited invasion of office space & scrutiny of e-mails • Interfering with others’ work
- 9. Bullying is defineddifferently in different workplace environments
- 10.
- 11. Bullies Bulliesoften… …don’t know they bully.
- 12. Bullies Behavior oftenbased on prior role models
- 13. Bullies And lack ofeducation about how to “motivate” employees and deal with corrective action
- 14. Bullying is tolerated within the organization al culture
- 15. Bullies are negatively reinforced for their behavior
- 16.
- 17. 35% of the US workforce has e experienced bullying firsthand
- 18. 15% of the US workforce has witnessed someone being bullied
- 19. 50% 75million people have experienced or witnessed bullying
- 20. 1 out of3 women have been bullied
- 23. 29% of workers 55 years of age or older have been bullied
- 24. 4x Bullying is more prevalent than sexual harassment
- 25. bullied employees report… …more job stress, …less job commitment, …higher levels of anger …greater anxiety …than sexually harassed employees.
- 26. Why is workplacebullying more frequent and potentially damaging than sexual harassment?
- 27.
- 28. “There is nothing(really) wrong.” “I can handle this.” “It will be okay – the bully was nice to me today.” Denial “The bullying will stop.”
- 29. “No one will believe me.” “I’ll be ostracized.” “I will be humiliated.” “The bullying will get worse.” Fear “I might get fired.”
- 30. Psychological-Emotional Consequences • Stress & Anxiety • Depression • Reduced Internal Locus of Control • Lower Self-Esteem & Self-Efficacy • Shame & Guilt • Helplessness • Anger & Aggression • Suicidal Behavior
- 31.
- 32. Bullying activates thesympathetic nervous system that releases hormones that interfere with functioning of prefrontal cortex which is responsible for executive functioning.
- 33. Physical Health • Headaches • Nausea • Chest Pain • Cardiovascular Disease • Immune System Problems • High Blood Pressure • Diabetes • Weight Gain/Loss • Fatigue
- 34. Surveys suggest bullying is responsible for 30 to 50% of all stress related illnesses in the workplace.
- 35. Impact on TeamMembers (and witnesses)… …Shutdown in behavior …Social isolation …Align with the bully …Act aggressively toward targeted employee
- 36.
- 37. It is estimatedthat 18 million working days per year are lost through the effects of workplace bullying in the UK alone.
- 38. Employees who are bullied spend over 50% of their time at work
- 39. defending themselves, networking forsupport, thinking about the situation, and being demotivated and stressed
- 40. Economic Impact Decreased .. . • Productivity • Discretionary effort • Work quality • Safety Increased . . . • Turnover • Absenteeism • Disability claims
- 41. 18% of disability claims were based on psychological distress attributed to workplace bullying leading to…
- 42. an average of 159 missed days of work
- 43. Bullying costs organizations billionsof dollars a year in lost productivity, turnover, and litigation.
- 44. In 2001, juryawarded plaintiff $325,000 for emotional distress. In 2005, two employees shared $1.4 million settlement against CUNY.
- 47. Bullying Ban Canadian &European countries are much further ahead when it comes to anti-bullying laws.
- 48. Protection from HarassmentAct Majrowksi v Guy’s and St. Thomas’s NHS Trust (1996/2005) Britain’s highest court, the House of Lords, held that an employer is vicariously liable for one employee's harassment of another
- 49. “Where we arenow with workplace bullying is where we were with sexual harassment maybe 15 years ago before we had key court cases, before we had the major Anita Hill blow-up.” ~Suzy Fox, Loyola University
- 50. 21 states haveintroduced some version of anti-bullying legislation called The Healthy Workplace Bill.
- 52.
- 53. What the HWBDoes for Employers • Defines an “abusive work environment” • Sets a high standard for misconduct • Requires proof of health harm by licensed health or mental health professionals • Protects conscientious employers from vicarious liability risk when correction and prevention mechanisms are in effect • Gives employers the reason to terminate or sanction offenders
- 54. What the HWBDoes for Employers • Gives employers the reason to terminate or sanction offenders • Requires plaintiffs to use private attorneys • Plugs the gaps in current state and federal civil rights protections • Provides an avenue for legal redress for health harming cruelty at work • Allows you to sue the bully as an individual • Seeks restoration of lost wages and benefits
- 55. What the HWBDOES NOT DO for Employers • Involve state agencies to enforce any provisions of the law • Incur costs for adopting states • Require plaintiffs to be members of protected status groups (it is “status-blind”) • Use the term “workplace bullying”
- 56. Status of billin New Jersey Legislature Awaiting committee hearing • Jan. 10, 2012 - Senator Greenstein introduced the Healthy Workplace Bill in the NJ Senate as S 333. • Established as “The Healthy Workplace Act,” S 333 was referred to the Senate Labor Committee. • Committee members and chairpersons are not yet named for the new 2012-13 legislative session. • Note: New Jersey’s 2-year legislative calendar runs from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2013.
- 57.
- 58. Bullying has entered the digital age.
- 59. In the past, bullyingwould have been whispered, shouted or passed around.
- 60. Now, with theInternet a bully can share a photo, video or conversation with hundreds, even millions…
- 61. …with the clickof a button
- 62. CyberBullying Examples • Malicious/threatening emails/text • Emails that feature offensive images, jokes, comments, etc. • Emails correcting an individual that are copied to a group
- 63. ORGANIZATIONAL Culture Determines what attitudes and behaviors are tolerated and even encouraged.
- 64. Bank of NewYork Mellon Corp. “Through our code of conduct, we outline a work environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying of any kind, as those types of behavior are inconsistent with our values.” ~Carl Melella, head of employee relations
- 65. A fundamental shiftin culture has to happen in order to get companies to recognize that bullying is bad for business.
- 66.
- 67.
- 68. 1) Respect: Antidoteto Bullying Develop a clear statement of organization values including, most prominently, respect
- 69. 2) General Policy Establish and implement a zero-tolerance anti-bullying prevention policy
- 70. 3) Cyber Policy • Add a cyberbulling section to your company policy • Provide training for staff and management in dealing with cyberbulling • Give concrete examples of what constitutes cyberbullying • Emphasize that employees don’t write anything they wouldn’t say in person • Remind staff that anything posted on the internet is there forever • Consider blocking access to Social Networking sites at work
- 71. 4) Onboarding During onboarding, be clear about your company’s non-bullying culture and policies
- 72. 5) Training Add an anti-bullying component to existing discrimination and harassment training
- 73. 6) Educate Educate staff on how to identify the characteristics and behaviors of a bully
- 74. 7) Marketing Roll out an anti-bullying internal marketing campaign
- 75. 8) Leading Expect leaders to “walk the talk” and serve as positive role models
- 76. 9) Whistle blower Give employees a forum to speak freely and communicate a company-wide whistle blower policy
- 77. 10) Consequences Establish and communicate a clear disciplinary process
- 78. 11) Investigate Take grievances seriously and investigate them immediately
- 79. 12) Anonymous 360° Allows individuals to feel safe in reporting incidents and can help confirm behavior
- 81. What Can aVictim Do? • Admit that you are being bullied • Seek support from colleagues, friends and family members • Get professional help - legal representation and mental health professional • Keep a diary detailing the nature of the bullying and gather supporting evidence (paper trails, emails, voice mails, etc.) • Include a witness when meeting with a bully • Report aggressive behavior to HR • Follow policy and procedure but know when it’s time to move on
- 82.
- 83. Contact: Dr.Paul Marciano paul@paulmarciano.com www.paulmarciano.com
Editor's Notes
- #3 Bullying in the News/Books on Amazon (over 100)
- #7 Bullying is all over the news…
- #11 http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
- #21 http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2011/04/20/workplace-bullying-and-your-employees-what-can-you-do/
- #22 Bullying is all over the news…
- #24 http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2011/04/20/workplace-bullying-and-your-employees-what-can-you-do/
- #27 Underreporting One example of how bullying was not considered as a risk issue in the CIT case involved how an employee appeared to be “paid to withdraw a complaint”. An employee who had complained about bullying was given a termination package, which was conditional the complaint being dropped.
- #28 http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
- #29 http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
- #30 http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
- #32 In the summer of 2010, University of Virginia employee, Kevin Morrissy committed suicide due, in part, to repeated bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways, editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review.Family members and people close to the review say Mr. Morrissey complained repeatedly to university administrators about workplace bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways. But, they contend, the institution did virtually nothing to help. "Kevin had been to the university as recently as the Monday before the Friday he died," says a person who worked for the review. "The university had tools to step in and mediate, and they didn't." According to journal employee Waldo Jaquith, “Ted’s treatment of Kevin in the last two weeks of his life was just egregious, and it just ate Kevin up.” The case has been embraced as a textbook example of a manager’s verbal and psychological abuse of an employee. No charges were filed.
- #33 The Role of the Nervous System The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a vast network of nerves reaching out from the spinal cord, directly affecting every organ in the body. It has two branches, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic, which have opposite effects.The sympatheticANS helps us deal with stressful situations by initiating a ‘fight or flight’ reaction. After the danger has passed, the parasympatheticANS takes over, decreasing heartbeat and relaxing blood vessels.In healthy people, the two branches of the ANS maintain a balance — action followed by relaxation. Unfortunately many people’s sympathetic ANS stays on guard, making them unable to relax and let the parasympathetic system take over. If this situation becomes chronic, a whole variety of stress-related symptoms and illnesses can follow. Mind and body are inextricably linked and the interaction between them can produce physical changes. Our brain notices a stressor, a physical reaction is triggered, and the reaction can lead to further emotional reactions and mental and physical damage. Some problems such as headaches and muscle tension are often directly caused by the bodily responses that accompany stress. Many other disorders, some say most, are aggravated by stress.The human body is designed to withstand occasional extreme stress, so can survive quite a lot of pressure. It’s important to remember that most negative symptoms can be corrected if you take action. And there’s a lot of help available. If you are at all worried, do not delay in getting expert advice — your peace of mind is worth the effort. The problem will most likely not go away and the worst thing you can do is ignore it.If you do develop a stress-related illness, at least you will have become familiar with your individual ‘weak point’, and will be able to keep a close eye on it. If similar symptoms creep back, take them very seriously as a warning. Take a close look at your current situation and ease off the pressure wherever possible. Most of the problems below aren’t life-threatening, and controlling your stress levels will help keep them at bay.Bullying activates the sympathetic nervous system that release hormones that interfere with functioning of prefrontal cortex which is responsible for executive functioning, including:· problem solving· decision making· attention· consequences of behavior · working toward a defined goal· ability to suppress urges
- #36 Impact on Team Members (and witnesses)…Shutdown in behavior…Distance themselves from target leading to social isolation…Align with the bully …Act aggressively toward targeted employee
- #39 http://thrdblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/three-good-reasons-for-anti-bullying.htmlhttp://www.thepeoplebottomline.com/bullying.htmlEmployees who are bullied spend more than 50% of their time at work defending themselves, networking for support, thinking about the situation, being demotivated and stressed, let alone absences due to stress-related illnesses.
- #40 http://thrdblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/three-good-reasons-for-anti-bullying.htmlhttp://www.thepeoplebottomline.com/bullying.htmlEmployees who are bullied spend more than 50% of their time at work defending themselves, networking for support, thinking about the situation, being demotivated and stressed, let alone absences due to stress-related illnesses.
- #41 Cost of bullying to organizationIn 2005 two employees share $1.4 million settlement against CUNY. The two plaintiffs were humiliated, demoted, subject to career threatening decisions. They were bullied by the perpetrator.In 2001, Joe Doescher sued Cardiologist Dr Dan Raess for damages after he left his job due to emotional distress. Raess assaulted Doescher and charged with clinched fist. Jury awarded $325,000 in what is considered the first US bully trial concluded 2008.
- #43 which equals tremendous loss of productivity.
- #44 which equals tremendous loss of productivity.
- #45 In 2001, Joe Doescher sued Cardiologist Dr Dan Raess for damages after he left his job due to emotional distress. Raess assaulted Doescher and charged with clinched fist. Jury awarded $325,000 in what is considered the first US bully trial concluded 2008.
- #49 Majrowski, 45, claims he was harassed by his line manager for about 18 months, from November 1996, when he was an audit co-ordinator for Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Trust. He says she was excessively critical of and strict about his time-keeping and his work; isolated him by refusing to talk to him and treated him differently and unfavourably compared with other staff; was rude and abusive to him in front of others; and imposed unrealistic targets for his performance, threatening him with disciplinary action if he failed to achieve them. She was suspended and, after an internal investigation which found he had been subjected to homophobic harassment, she was allowed to resign.
- #51 Current status can be found at the Healthy Workplace Campaign website. Sign up. Get involved in your state.http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/
- #53 In the summer of 2010, University of Virginia employee, Kevin Morrissy committed suicide due, in part, to repeated bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways, editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review.Family members and people close to the review say Mr. Morrissey complained repeatedly to university administrators about workplace bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways. But, they contend, the institution did virtually nothing to help. "Kevin had been to the university as recently as the Monday before the Friday he died," says a person who worked for the review. "The university had tools to step in and mediate, and they didn't." According to journal employee Waldo Jaquith, “Ted’s treatment of Kevin in the last two weeks of his life was just egregious, and it just ate Kevin up.” The case has been embraced as a textbook example of a manager’s verbal and psychological abuse of an employee. No charges were filed.
- #54 What the HWB Does for EmployersPrecisely defines an "abusive work environment" -- it is a high standard for misconductRequires proof of health harm by licensed health or mental health professionalsProtects conscientious employers from vicarious liability risk when internal correction and prevention mechanisms are in effectGives employers the reason to terminate or sanction offendersRequires plaintiffs to use private attorneysPlugs the gaps in current state and federal civil rights protections
- #55 What the HWB Does for EmployersPrecisely defines an "abusive work environment" -- it is a high standard for misconductRequires proof of health harm by licensed health or mental health professionalsProtects conscientious employers from vicarious liability risk when internal correction and prevention mechanisms are in effectGives employers the reason to terminate or sanction offendersRequires plaintiffs to use private attorneysPlugs the gaps in current state and federal civil rights protections
- #59 http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/saabira-chaudhuri/itinerant-mind/cyber-bullying-its-not-about-sticks-and-stones
- #60 http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/saabira-chaudhuri/itinerant-mind/cyber-bullying-its-not-about-sticks-and-stones
- #61 http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/Latest-News/Workplace-Bullying-Recognize-and-Prevent-It-884670/Kevin Morrisey, the 52-year-old managing editor of the award-winning Virginia Quarterly Review, walked to a nearby area of the University of Virginia campus on July 30, 2010, and shot himself in the head. According to an ABC News report, 18 calls were made to appropriate officials to report that Morrisey was the target of workplace bullying and was seeking protection from his employer. The report alleges that the university may not have responded in a timely manner to the employee’s plea for help.Morrisey’s suicide is only one of many workplace shootings that result from bullying. In fact, the growing epidemic of workplace bullying has been featured in a recent documentary entitled, Murder by Proxy, released in parts of the U.S. and Canada.
- #62 Identifying cyber bullies has proven difficult for employers, the speakers said.“So many of the cyber bullies have the benefit of being anonymous,” which compounds the issue because hurtful statements can be “publicized” to millions of people and cause even greater damage, said Brenda H. Feis, partner at law firm Stowell & Friedman Ltd. in Chicago.Also, cyber bullying has a “mob mentality” to it, said Thomas P. Hams, managing director and national employment practices liability insurance practice leader in Aon Risk Services’ financial services group in Chicago.An innocuous post on a social networking site can quickly snowball to cyber bullying as others add their comments, Mr. Hams said. “So who’s responsible?” he asked audience members.Identifying whether cyber bullying is taking place is a challenging and subtle process, Mr. Rawitz said. Key indicators include high employee turnover, lost productivity and increased leaves of absence, among others.From a risk management point of view, employers can establish policies in employee handbooks, create procedures within human resources departments to handle complaints and promote employee awareness of cyber bullying through training, Mr. Rawitz said.
- #63 Examples of cyberbullying include:► Malicious or threatening emails or SMS communications to an individual’s phone or email address► Electronic communications that feature offensive content such as explicit images or jokes/comments about ethnicity, religion or sexual preference► Electronic communications aimed at correcting or providing feedback to an individual that are copied to a group with the effect of publicly shaming or demeaning the individual► Malicious or threatening comments about an individual posted on blogs or social networking sites► Sharing embarrassing, offensive or manipulated images or videos of an individual► Screen savers or desktop backgrounds featuring offensive contentPaul L. Marciano, Ph.D.
- #64 http://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfStories told by organizational members convey values and history, while solidifying bonds betweenemployees and the organization; unless of course the stories are about punishment, gossip, micromanagersand high stress environments. Rites and rituals, or traditions, lie in everyday organizational life and bringcultural ideology to the surface through occurrences such as Friday morning round tables where ideas maybe openly shared. An informal organizational structure where subordinates can speak freely may be acatalyst for innovation, for example, while a bureaucratic one that emphasizes rules and policies may causecommunication bottlenecks, stomp out free thinking and of course foster opportunities to bully others.Bullying may seem permitted or natural to insiders in environments where establishing a pecking order orpicking on a low performing team member is “normal.” Negative behaviors can also flourish in a workenvironment where a laissez-faire style of leadership or high internal competition exists; or whenmanagement fails to notice, chooses to ignore, or even participates in such behavior. These culturalmishaps not only foster opportunities to reward or ignore bullying, but also create a general acceptance ofnegativity - making it part of the organizational culture. Ambiguity in job responsibilities, roles and goals,and pertinent information contributing to an individual’s effectiveness can also feed into micro-politics, oremployees taking it upon themselves to close informational gaps left open by the organization, perhapswith abusive measures.
- #66 How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.
- #67 How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.
- #70 Establish an anti-bullying policy included as part of existing anti-discrimination and harassment documents. Provide specific examples of bullying behaviors that will not be tolerated. http://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfAn anti-workplace bully prevention policy must be implemented and include management’s commitmentto a healthy workplace, a definition of bullying, responsibilities for maintaining the policy, training, and aformal grievance procedure. The policy should also stress the importance of written documentation fromall parties involved in any complaints; including target(s), bullies, witnesses and investigators. Of course, thepolicy is only as effective as management’s commitment to it.
- #71 Establish an anti-bullying policy included as part of existing anti-discrimination and harassment documents. Provide specific examples of bullying behaviors that will not be tolerated. http://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfAn anti-workplace bully prevention policy must be implemented and include management’s commitmentto a healthy workplace, a definition of bullying, responsibilities for maintaining the policy, training, and aformal grievance procedure. The policy should also stress the importance of written documentation fromall parties involved in any complaints; including target(s), bullies, witnesses and investigators. Of course, thepolicy is only as effective as management’s commitment to it.
- #73 Add an anti-bullying component to existing discrimination and harassment trainingEstablish a code of conducthttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfEstablish training programs for all levels to occur during new hire training and at scheduled intervalsthereafter. At the very least, training should remind employees and managers that they have aresponsibility to contribute to achieving a healthy and civil work environment that does not toleratebullying.Training could also include all sorts of other skills such as conflict resolution, negotiation, interpersonalcommunication, assertiveness, empathy, stress management, leadership, optimism and self-examination.These are valuable skills that promote a healthy workplace. Expectations regarding proficiency in theseareas should be tied to performance and career advancement and show up in employee goals and awardsprograms.
- #74 4. Create a mechanism to identify those engaged in bullying behaviorhttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfTraditionally, employee reviews put managers into the position of high-powered judges, ostensibly tellingemployees if their work met company goals or not. The reviews trickle down from up above, with eachperson receiving a review from somebody higher than them. But raters may be careless or use appraisalsfor political reasons, and managers may vary in leniency and strictness leading relatively equal employeesto receive vastly different marks. Of course, traditional reviews also provide the tyrannical manager acorporate-approved tool with which to keep pay and promotional opportunities repressed.360° reviews provide each and every organizational member with reviews from everyone they work withincluding peers, managers, and subordinates; providing an avenue for managers to learn from the peoplethey direct, rather than only those who direct them. Generally 360° reviews receive high employeeinvolvement, have the strongest impact on behavior and performance, and greatly increase effectiveinternal communication.
- #75 Roll out an internal marketing campaignto let customers and vendors know that bullying is not tolerated
- #76 5. Leaders must serve as role models
- #77 6. Articulate and communicate a company wide whistle-blower policyLeaders must guarantee a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any possible retribution11. Have HR create a clear process for reporting bullying behavior directed at oneself or othersIt may be necessary to litigate from the outside. According to the same 2008 survey by WBI, only 1.7% of the complaints against a bully concluded in a result that was satisfactory to the complaining employee that ensured their safety, while 31% resulted in retaliation against the target by the company. Complaining will result in retaliation from the bully in 71% of the cases.
- #78 7. A clear disciplinary process must be established and communicated regarding bullying and applied equally across all employees and organizational leaders.
- #79 Take grievances seriously; investigate them immediatelyhttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfWhen a grievance is filed, the complaining individual should present written documentation and precisedetails of each incident of bullying. This could include saved memos and emails, a factual journal of thebehaviors including dates, times and witnesses, and if possible, written collaboration from witnesses. Thecomplainant should be assured support and advised of the aims of the investigation and a likely time framefor resolution. The person complained against should be notified in writing that an allegation of bullying hasbeen made against him or her and guaranteed presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.Just like in any sexual harassment grievance, a thorough and objective investigation should occurimmediately and be documented in writing. Be consistent in following the appropriate disciplinaryprocedures as laid out in the policy.
- #80 Take grievances seriously; investigate them immediatelyhttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfWhen a grievance is filed, the complaining individual should present written documentation and precisedetails of each incident of bullying. This could include saved memos and emails, a factual journal of thebehaviors including dates, times and witnesses, and if possible, written collaboration from witnesses. Thecomplainant should be assured support and advised of the aims of the investigation and a likely time framefor resolution. The person complained against should be notified in writing that an allegation of bullying hasbeen made against him or her and guaranteed presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.Just like in any sexual harassment grievance, a thorough and objective investigation should occurimmediately and be documented in writing. Be consistent in following the appropriate disciplinaryprocedures as laid out in the policy.
- #82 Take action by:• Keeping a diary detailing the nature of the bullying (e.g., dates, times, places, what was said or done and who was present); and• Obtaining copies of harassing / bullying paper trails; hold onto copies of documents that contradict the bully’s accusations against you (e.g., time sheets, audit reports, etc.).Other actions:• Expect the bully to deny and perhaps misconstrue your accusations; have a witness with you during any meetings with the bully; report the behavior to an appropriate person.• Contact the Washington State Employee Assistance Program, (http://www.dop.wa.gov/Employees/EmployeeAssistanceProgram/) for guidance on dealing with the issue.
- #83 How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.
- #84 How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.