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Bullying In The Work Place |
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| 02 July 2007 |
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CVindex & Paula Capelli |
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Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect wherever they may be whatever they may be doing, whether it’s walking the dog in the park, grocery shopping or standing in a queue waiting for the bus. The instances I have witnessed over the years quite astounds me. I remember an incident years ago which happened one morning whilst waiting to get onto the Waterloo and City Line to Bank tube station in the City of London. I was waiting at the point marked on the platform and as usual it really was very busy. Two young men at the front of the queue that I was in got very upset with each other. One accused the other of pushing in, it got very loud and suddenly the offender was the recipient of a punch on the nose. They both got on the same train; they both arrived at Bank Tube Station as they normally did each day. What on earth was it all about? Didn’t they both achieve what they wanted having successfully travelled to their destination? |
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We hear more and more about instances where individuals “loose control” for just a few seconds, after which they then expect everything to go on as usual! However, people in minority groups are more vulnerable to being bullied and harassed than those from majority groups. As an ex HR Consultant, I’ve had to act as referee in the workplace on several occasions. It used to be that these instances were few and far between, but they do seem to be happening with increasing frequency. So what is happening? Is our control slipping? Or are we becoming less tolerant of these “human” infractions? |
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Ten to fifteen years ago, if a woman had broached the subject of her boss bullying her, she would have had to leave her job for fear of reprisal. I’m glad to see and hear that this has at last changed. However, there are still many instances of workplace bullying and there are many people whose lives, both at work and away from that setting, have been severely affected, if not ruined in some cases, by bullies. |
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In the UK, we use the term "bullying" to refer to a specific form of persistent aggravation: offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, which includes abuse of power or managerial influence and which causes the recipient to suffer untold stress. It’s no coincidence that we use a word that most people associate with the playground. Like the child bully, the adult bully usually picks his victim as a result of some perceived weakness that he/she thinks can be exploited. Bullies are usually very clever at recognising peoples’ vulnerabilities and they use these “weaknesses” to create a hostile working environment. |
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Those who are minorities in a workplace situation can sometimes be members of groups that, usually in the overall company scenario, are majority groups and they are no less immune to bullying behaviour. Here’s an example: a solitary male manager, working with a team of women who know each other well, can be bullied, derided and made to feel totally incompetent at the hands of the majority group, i.e.: the female group. |
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We all have characteristics or traits that we prefer not to talk about in certain situations or to have them aired in the public arena. This is particularly true when they are not relevant to our ability to do our work. People with disabilities are in this category and they don't want to be treated differently or have their disability constantly referred to. I know this from first hand experience having had to use a wheelchair after a car accident left my back and pelvis broken. |
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Some people seem to think they have the right to make comments about what they think are someone else's personal issues. I’ve never been a small person, but neither have I been hugely overweight. On one memorable occasion I received a big box of chocolates from my boss as a thank you for helping to complete a project on time. I thought the gesture was very generous and I was really happy. But the happiness was floored when he said “make sure you share them, we don’t want you to get any bigger than you are!” I was stunned and speechless as well as mortified. |
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Fortunately, legislation is in the process of addressing Ageism in the workplace. I worked very briefly for a well known search and selection organisation based in London. One particular day I received a call from a company that marketed candidates seeking work who were over 40. As it happened, I had just turned 40, I passed the call over to my boss who proceeded to say to the person on the phone, “thank you but no thank you, we already have one person of 40 working here already and we don’t want any more!” It might be good to point out that I didn’t get on with my boss and I left and found another job in a more “understanding and friendly” environment where ageism and sexism weren’t problems because all the staff were female including the directors! |
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It is a disturbing tendency that minority groups have an increased likelihood of being on the receiving end of bullying and harassment disguised as humour. Both employers and employees need to be aware that bullying and harassment disguised as humour is still classified as bullying and harassment. |
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"I didn’t mean it, it was only a joke, we were only having a bit of fun" is not an excuse for harassment or bullying. The important thing is to remember that bad behaviour isn’t about whatever objectives the perpetrator has, it’s about the effect it has on the recipient. |
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In any bullying situation, the best recourse is always to seek help and advice. While there may not yet be direct legislation affecting it, bullying and harassment is still against the law. Find out what your employer's Equal Opportunities Policy, Dignity at Work Policy, or any other policy that covers bullying and harassment, says and find out who you can talk to first. It may be the line manager, if he/she is not involved in the inappropriate behaviour. Alternatively, speak to someone in personnel or human resources. If none of these avenues is available or works for you, then contact ACAS.org.uk who deal with employee/employer relations, diversity and equality in the work place. |
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Organisations can only ensure that their policies are being adhered to if they are told about what is going on. The days where people who are being bullied and harassed at work and having to leave and find another job are not over, but if we speak out about these injustices, then the sooner something can be done about it. We tend not to hear one voice, but many voices make a big noise. |
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| Copyright CV Index and Paula Capelli © 2007 all rights reserved |
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