...Workplace bullying has become a rising issue in many organizations. In many cases, employees may not come forward with their experience of bullying because of various reasons. The definition of workplace bullying can be defined in many terms but the psychological feeling can be universal to all. The abusive behavior can cause the victim, the company, employee moral, and even the reputation of the organization negative effects. Workplace bullying can be defined as repeated intimidating, threatening or humiliating behavior, which includes verbal abuse and work interference that negatively impacts performance and job security by the perpetrator. This type of bullying can be from one or more employees to another employee and eventually lead to sabotage. To avoid this type of behavior, companies should create a healthy work environment and implement disciplinary actions including and up to termination. The early signs of bullying in the workplace are: sudden inset of health problems, anxiety at the thought of going to work, being ashamed to admit there is a problem and believing you are at fault. A problem that the employee who is the target faces may be embarrassment, fear, and no support from co-workers, management and/or company. Workplace bullying not only effects behaviors in the workplace but will also cause mental, social, economic and in worse cases, physical harm. Mental harm alone will create psychological-emotional injuries such as (Workplacebullying.org): • Debilitating...
Words: 1178 - Pages: 5
...Workplace bullying and union involvement Introduction Bullying is all around us. We’ve seen it on the school playgrounds as children all the way through to the companies which we are employed. I’m sure at some point in our lives we ourselves have fallen victim to bullying or have even the person doing the bullying. Unfortunately, bullying is an increasing problem within the organization. To date, there are approximately 54 million people out there who have been victims to workplace bullying; of which, 45 percent suffer from various health problems due to stress and 40 percent were either fired because their work productivity diminished or they eventually quit because they couldn’t handle it anymore (Bennett-Alexander, 2012). Since bullying is such a common offense, it is often difficult to detect. This briefing will provide information about the problem, guidance on how to tackle it before it gets out of control, and what to include in an effective prevention policy and how to put it into action. What is bullying? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) classified workplace bullying not only as a form of harassment; they also gave bullying its own category under their definition of workplace violence (“Workplace violence”, n.d.). If not dealt with immediately, the bullying has the potential to lead into something more severe or fatal. Bullying is not just an employment problem; it’s an issue of power and feeling dominant. It can also raise...
Words: 2223 - Pages: 9
...work-place bullying takes place in an organization, it is because leadership and management of the organization allow it to happen. Do you agree? Introduction Bullying in the workplace has been defined as “harassing, offending, socially excluding someone or negatively affecting someone’s work tasks...repeatedly and regularly,” (Einarsen, 2003). By this we understand that bullying is a process that stems from a series of actions foregone. The forms of bullying which take place in an organisation are vast and range from verbal abuse to violence to sexual discrimination and harassment. While occurrences of bullying arise because management allow them to, literature suggests that there are various other factors which lead to it. The following sections attempt to explore these determinants. There is much evidence to suggest that workplace bullying is encouraged by management (O’Connell et al, 2007) and other evidence that suggests the opposite view (Einsaren, 2003). I will determine that one of the main responsibilities lies with management, but that other factors such as personalities, workplace ethic, policies, working culture, organizational behaviour and industrial nature have their own roles to play. Through my research I established that a knock-on effect exists within the concepts produced in the literature. We must firstly look at definitions of bullying and conflict to establish why it occurs from reviews of literature. Definition The ESRI describe bullying as “undermining...
Words: 2733 - Pages: 11
...Workplace bullying case study Problem definition: Workplace bullying, is the tendency of individuals or groups to use persistent aggressive or unreasonable behavior against a co-worker or subordinate. Workplace bullying can include such tactics as verbal, nonverbal, psychological, physical abuse and humiliation. It can come in different forms and shapes. • Unwarranted or invalid criticism • Blame without factual justification • Being treated differently than the rest of your work group • Being sworn at • Exclusion or social isolation • Being shouted at or being humiliated • Excessive monitoring or micro-managing • Being given work unrealistic deadline Justification for problem definition: Workplace bullies often operate within the established rules and policies of their organization and their society - Hence they follow the procedure. Bullying in the workplace is in the majority of cases reported as having been perpetrated by management - the impact is usually critical to both the individuals and the business. * Employees physical and mental health problems: * High stress; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) * Financial problems due to absence * Reduced self-esteem * Sleep and digestive disturbances * Increased depression/self-blame * Family tension and stress * Impact on Organizations: Each of the individual consequences listed above can be very costly for the organization. Costs of bullying generally...
Words: 681 - Pages: 3
...Toxic Working Environments: Recognizing Workplace Bullying Aug 2, 2010 Andrew Mitchell A Bully's Tirade - bulagm Bullying affects workers that are usually at the "work unit" level. It occurs mostly when organizations support and reinforce its existence. Bullying in the workplace has a variety of labels, such as psychological harassment, emotional abuse and mobbing. Workplace bullying is characterized by: intentional, repeated and enduring aggressive behaviors (most frequently verbal); intended to be hostile and/or perceived as hostile by the recipient; usually unpredictable, irrational, and unfair. Workplace bullying makes work an anxiety-ridden experience. No one wants to go where they've been chosen for target practice. A workplace prone to bullying is one where people do not respect or value the benefits of difference. There is usually an air of fear. Supervisors are typically without adequate training in managing people. Accountability structures are not properly defined. There is usually too much work and/or overly intense supervision. Performance appraisals are either too subjective or have little objectivity in criteria. Communication channels are unclear. The typical pattern of workplace bullying is when someone is genuinely going after a coworker. The bully singles out the coworker for abuse. Targets are usually good at their work, non-confrontational and/or unassertive. They may be friendly yet mind their own business and often are not members...
Words: 941 - Pages: 4
...HRM855 – The legal Environment | Bullying in the Workplace | The law, its implications, and the future | For: Bob Thompson | By: Anthony DeRose Mike MortonPerna CaputoSaralyn ManzanoTara Knight | 3/24/2015 | | Bullying in the workplace is a serious issue and more prevalent than ever. The University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business in 2011 found 40% of Canadians experience one or more acts of workplace bullying a week. The Canadian Safety Council reports that 75% of victims quit (CBC News). Not only does workplace bullying have serious negative consequences for an individual’s career, it can have a devastating impact on mental and physical health. The damages associated with bullying are exemplified in the following. The legislation in Canada that protects workers from bullying is in its infancy. It does not use the term bullying at any point. Victims of bullying can receive remediation through the common law and statutes. However, as Human Resources Professionals it is our legislated duty to provide safe workplaces for the employees we manage. Additionally, our responsibility is to mitigate the costs of litigation posed by bullying. Proactive HR policies that emphasize education and open communication, combined with legislation that deters this negative pattern of behaviour will help to minimize this risk and associated expenses. ------------------------------------------------- What is workplace bullying? According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational...
Words: 4151 - Pages: 17
...Jorge Santana and Edwin Table of content • Introduction • Bullying In the Workplace • Some examples of bullying • Examples of some actions that can be taken • Types of Bullying • The Impact of Workplace Bullying • Solutions to Workplace Bullying • Conclusion Introduction: Bullying is be defined as the activity of repeated, aggressive behavior intended to hurt another person, physically or mentally. Bullying is characterized by an individual behaving in a certain way to gain power over another person. The most common bullying type is school bullying, where some students use force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively impose domination over others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception, by the bully or by others, of an imbalance of social or physical power. Behaviors used to assert such domination can include verbal harassment or threat, physical assault or coercion, and such acts may be directed repeatedly towards particular targets. Justifications and rationalizations for such behavior sometimes include differences of class, race, religion, gender, sexuality, appearance, behavior, strength, size or ability. If bullying is done by a group, it is called mobbing. "Targets" of bullying are also sometimes referred to as "victims" of bullying. [pic] Bullying In The Workplace In the United States, more than a third of the workforce have been...
Words: 1053 - Pages: 5
...analyze the detriments and implications of a workplace tainted with harassment issues, as well as to provide recommendations to assist organizations on how to avoid legal liability regarding harassment claims and how to achieve a harassment-free work environment. Drawing on scholarly sources, the report identifies three forms of harassment, which are bullying, sexual and racial harassment. It examines the differences in people’s perception of harassment in general as well as the factors influencing individuals’ experience of it. The report describes the risks for businesses experiencing harassment in the workplace; it examines the negative effects they can have on organizational environment, and its impacts on the organizations’ professional image. The findings of this report suggest that organizations can prevent and resolve harassment in the workplace by improving leadership and communication among employees, and by implementing and enforcing a clear and effective anti-harassment policy. The recommendations made in this report are to: * Provide basic guidelines on how to create and enforce effective human rights policies in organizations * Provide the necessary elements an effective anti-harassment policy should have * Provide adequate training and education programs for everyone at the organization INTRODUCTION Over the last years, there has been a rising concern over the issue of harassment in the workplace. Despite some employees may ignore or find...
Words: 3144 - Pages: 13
...Bullying in the Workplace Introduction In the United States, more than a third of the workforce have been tormented on the job, according to a 2010 survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute, a research and support group whose goals are to understand, correct and prevent all abuse at work. It has been estimated that about 30% of U.S. employees over the course of their work life experience some type of workplace bullying (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2010). What is Workplace Bullying? “Bullying,” by definition is the process of intimidating or mistreating somebody weaker or in a more vulnerable situation (Microsoft Word , 2007). Research has been done on the occurrence of workplace bullying, and it’s been found that bullying is not a rare occurrence, although it varies in the reporting of the incidents (International Small Business Journal, 2011). It is important to be familiar with the definition and the types of workplace bullying and report it to the proper people so it can be stopped. Types of Bullying There are several different things that are considered to be “bullying” if you experience it at your workplace. Bullying can be aggressive with screams or threats and it can be passive and be disguised and hard to identify. Here is a few of the things considered to be bullying: 1. Verbal Abuse, which is the use of words, to attack, control, and inflict harm on another person, it involves inflicting mental cruelty on another person, attacking the...
Words: 1472 - Pages: 6
...main goal in problem solving is to hinder and conquer obstacles and find the best solution to resolving the issues. Individuals use different strategies for problem solving in everyday life, whether at home, at work, or just in general. This paper will illustrate bullying in the workplace, and how to strategize. This paper will also demonstrate problem solving in the workplace, methods to problem solving, judgments in problem solving, and an implemented plan. Methods to Problem Solve Bullying in the workplace is a psychological harassment that impacts the mental health of individuals’ wellbeing. Bullying can lead to employee stress and it targets the physical and mental health of the individual (Namie & Namie, 2013). Bullying in the workplace is not acceptable behavior and there are ways to identify or deal with bullying. Mangers should provide advice and information to prevent the effects of bullying on the health and safety of the company’s employees. Bullying incidents are usually identified by assessing the steps to minimize the risks and make sure the policies and procedures ensure that bullying does not happen (Department of Further Education, Employment, Service & Technology, 2005). Bullying can be...
Words: 1516 - Pages: 7
...A White Paper from the Society for Human Resource Management BULLIES IN THE WORKPLACE: A FOCUS ON THE “ABUSIVE DISRESPECT” OF EMPLOYEES By Teresa A. Daniel “Bullying is the sexual harassment of 20 years ago; everybody knows about it, but nobody wants to admit it”. —Lewis Maltby (Russell, 2001) The purpose of this paper is to review the current research and literature about workplace bullying, to provide information about how organizations can learn to more quickly identify bullies and to suggest ways of dealing with these toxic people so that the corporate culture is not negatively impacted by their behavior. Overview To be successful, organizations must create an atmosphere that inspires both innovation and risk-taking. In an increasingly competitive global economy, such innovation is more important than ever before (Hamel, 2000). However, not only does workplace bullying stifle productivity and innovative practices, but bullies often target the organization’s most talented employees—those individuals who are generally the most threatening to bullies (McCord & Richardson, 2001). As a result, the creativity and productivity of the organization’s most talented human capital is often negatively affected by this type of behavior at work or, worse yet, good employees are driven out of the company altogether. Bullies are often hard to identify because they operate “under cover”—that is, on the surface they appear to be civil and cooperative, while they do ...
Words: 4655 - Pages: 19
...Bullying in the Workplace Many people relate bullying to their earlier days in school and still relate bullying to the typical “school yard” bully that seemed to terrorize the weakest children on the playground. Times have changed but the bully still lives and more than likely still torments its victims. Bullying in itself is a mistreatment of one or more persons by another individual or in some cases, a group of people. It is still present in today’s schools and it continues to linger around the average business office. Workplace bullying is often overlooked or ignored. When it comes to bullying in the workplace, it differs from the traditional bullying that so many grew up with. So many people assume that bullying does not exist in the office due to the fact that there are adults present, not children. Unfortunately, there are many adults who still behave like children and show little to no respect for their co-workers. Many people bully others without even realizing that they are doing it due to their own hidden issues. Very few are able to recognize what is beneath the surface and what lies behind the cause of conflict. Company employees are expected to be professional and grown up. After all, they are adults and they should behave as such. “Bullying is also a global phenomenon. Some researchers suggest that workplace bullying is more prevalent in the U.S. due to the cultural values of the U.S. which emphasize on individuality, assertiveness, masculinity, and achievements”...
Words: 1614 - Pages: 7
...looks at bullying and other forms of violence in a school setup, at work and through the social media. In definition, bullying can be defined as the act of using force, coercion or threat to intimidate, abuse or imposing aggressive dominion over others (Kuykendall, 2012). Some people argue that for such a behavior to fit the definition of bullying, it has to be habitual and repetitive. It may not necessarily be the case since there may be a particular person who likes picking on his colleagues after a long time. As long as the act involves the characteristics of coercion, threats, and use of force meant to intimidate abuse or impose aggressive dominion, then the act qualifies as bullying. In a situation where there is continued bullying, a prerequisite perception always comes into the mind of a bully or any other party involved: physical and the social power imbalance. There are many behaviors that qualify as bullying especially when they are directed towards a particular person on a repetitive manner. These behaviors include; threats, verbal harassments, coercion, physical assaults and many other mean acts towards an intended individual. There are also many factors that are highlighted as justifications of bullying including; sexuality, religion, class, gender, race, personality, lineage, body language, appearance, reputation, behavior, size, strength or ability (Kuykendall, 2012). All of these are rationalizations that are heighted as causing factors of bullying behaviors...
Words: 2961 - Pages: 12
...health of our workers is Workplace Bullying. “Margaret Boucher, a former employee of Wal-Mart Canada, was initially awarded $1.4 million in a workplace bullying case, the highest of its kind in Canada in October 2012. She suffered flagrant and outrageous abuse at the hands of her former manager” (Roumeliotis, 1). For months her former manager harassed her with continuous emotional and mental abuse which resulted in her losing weight, losing sleep and losing herself, which forced her to quit her job. Her former manager is still employed with Wal-Mart Canada and she can still not find a job, you must...
Words: 1530 - Pages: 7
...NURSE BULLYING: UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT Looking into the case on nurse bullying, a plethora of conduct violations is evident. One could make the argument that Raymond is at fault for his conceited attitude. One could also argue that he brought on the bullying of his coworkers. Should Raymond employ at conceited disposition? Most would respond with a no. Although Raymond’s behavior was perceived as a form of arrogance and not found to be so for sure, he could have altered his conduct around his coworkers to ensure the right perception. Regardless of the clarity of Raymond’s behavior and attitude, it is clear that several of Raymond’s coworkers are jealous of his knowledge and expertise. Aware of the obvious issues, the individuals mentioned in the case and those unmentioned have responsibilities in ensuring peace and compliance in the workplace which will be considered in this analysis. “The Workplace Communication website defines organizational behavior as how employees act as individuals within the company and how they interact as part of work groups” (Root III, 2015). Of the several noticeable issues in this case, the bulk of it seems to be ethical violations and accountability. There is a possibility that Raymond thinks he’s superior to his colleagues; however, they have no right to engage in inappropriate activity. Raymond’s colleagues decided to single him out to embarrass him which completely violates the principles of ethical practice in the workplace. Aside from ethical...
Words: 1642 - Pages: 7
