Bullying in the workplace – What to do?

Bullying at work is sadly part of many people's lives. The development of such a problem is not always down to one party alone and as such a solution to the problem and possible causes aren't so easily found and possible causes are rarely easily found. The question also arises, who's actually right? Is the victim not simply ‘overdoing' it to make the situation look worse? Indeed a worrying question, making it harder for victims to defend themselves.

What to do about bullying?

Bullying situations are often gridlocked human relationships in which there is a clear victim and one or more perpetrators. Then there are the viewers who neither actively participate nor protect. They often know what's happening, but they shy away from any form of intervention – preferring instead to ignore the situation or appear to be oblivious to its existence.

For the perpetrators, the attacks become part of everyday life and they are often completely unaware of what effect they have on their victim. To the bully small harassments here and there, moving items so the victim has to search for them, work documents going missing or simply unreasonable and uncooperative behavior may seem funny.  Victims however fail to see the ‘funny' side. Victims of bullying experience a torment that others can't fully understand without having been in a similar situation themselves.

Psychologists and Psychological consultants can help in such situations but for that to happen the employer first needs to recognize the problem and the need for intervention, which could take months if not years – providing of course they're not the bully themselves.

Getting a new job is a frequent refuge for bullied workers. The hope is that with new colleagues, a new environment and a new job, they'll have a chance of a bully-free workplace. This isn't an unrealistic expectation; however it's also not a guarantee. It's important to understand how the situation manifested itself in your old position to help avoid it happening again. If you spot the signs in your new post, be sure to act on them quickly so as to nip it in the bud before you're back to square one.

Changing jobs to escape bullying isn't always so easy, especially given the current economic climate. Here some tips on how you can manage the current situation in your workplace:

1. Stay Calm – Try not to outwardly show your emotions. While understandably it's a personal matter and you'll feel emotional, try not to outwardly show those emotions. Bullies often revel in seeing the effect they have on their targets.  Don't give them the gratification they seek.

2. Keep a Diary – Keep a written diary, either on your computer or in a journal, detailing every occurance of bullying – what happened? When? Who was there? Etc. This way if ever you need to take the issue to HR, you have enough evidence to make a case.

3. Don't isolate yourself – It's tempting to withdraw yourself from socialisation in the workplace out of fear you'll have to deal with the bully. Instead build up a support network with your colleagues so that you have people to turn to and get advice from. It may also be a good idea to seek help other than in the workplace, for example a mentor, a friend or perhaps citizen's advice counsellor or a solicitor who specialise in workplace bullying or discrimination cases.

4. Take care of yourself. Exercise and keep a balanced diet. Stay healthy and ensure you get a good night's sleep each night to better prepare yourself to deal with problems at work.  Bullying can have effects on both physical and mental health. Talking to a counsellor can help to cope with the stress so don't be too proud to seek help.

5. Know that it's not you. It's them. Be aware that the situation is more about them than it is about you. They're the bully and anyone could be their victim – it just so happens they chose you.

6. Be Clever. It's a good idea to swot up on all you can do to with bullying in the workplace. Familiarise yourself with your companies policies on what they define as bullying and how this corresponds to the situation you're experiencing. The more you know, the more power you have and the higher your odds of resolving the issue.