It happens in many companies and it happens in every single part of the world. Right now, it could be happening to you.
We often hear about bullying in the playground, but what is not often discussed is the issue of grown adults who resort to the same tactics at their place of work.
Of course, this kind of bullying can take a more sinister form because it is usually carried out by people in positions of authority.
So what constitutes bullying? In Maltese we usually refer to it as “meta xi hadd jaqbad mieghek”, which in English can perhaps be translated to ”harassment”. Unfortunately, since the word harassment has become unavoidably associated with the sexual kind, that terminology can be misleading. In the research I’ve carried out, it is almost always referred to as “workplace bullying” and is defined thus:
“persistent unwelcome behaviour, mostly using unwarranted or invalid criticism, nit-picking, fault-finding, also exclusion, isolation, being singled out and treated differently, being shouted at, humiliated, excessive monitoring, having verbal and written warnings imposed, and much more. In the workplace, bullying usually focuses on distorted or fabricated allegations of under performance.” (Taken from www.bullyonline.org)
If this sounds familiar because it has happened to you – read on.
Profile of a bully
Adult bullies, like their playground counterparts, tend to be insecure people with poor or non-existent social skills and little empathy. They turn this insecurity outwards, finding satisfaction in their ability to attack and diminish the capable people around them.
A workplace bully subjects the target to unjustified criticism and trivial fault-finding. In addition, he or she humiliates the target, especially in front of others, and ignores, over-rules, isolates and excludes the target.
If the bully is the target’s superior, he or she may: set the target up for failure by setting unrealistic goals or deadlines, or denying necessary information and resources; either overload the target with work or take all work away (sometimes replacing proper work with demeaning jobs) or increase responsibility while removing authority.
Regardless of specific tactics, the intimidation is driven by the bully’s need to control others. (www.safety-council.org/OSH/bullies)
Control freaks
I feel that the word “control” is the key to the whole issue of workplace bullying and, indeed, it comes up again and again in the research. The mistake which employers often make when confronted with this problem (especially when someone is complaining about the unacceptable behaviour of their direct superior) is that they attribute the behaviour to “the style of management” of the person in authority.
“Hu pacenzja (be patient), that’s just the way he is” aggrieved employees are often told.
This is a serious mistake which completely skims over the gravity of the situation. According to bullyonline, bullying has nothing do with managing: good managers manage, bad managers bully. Anyone who chooses to bully is admitting their inadequacy. Basically they are afraid of being seen for what they are, namely weak and incompetent.
In fact, management authoritarian-style is so outdated and passé that it is used as an example in all management courses of how not to deal with your staff.
To further drive this point home, our very own sister paper The Malta Business Weekly recently invited a woman by the name of Viviane Amar, an international consultant specialising in managing change, to address a business breakfast. She refers to people who are after power as opposed to people who are leaders. The former want control (that word again!) while the latter seek consensus and team-building. The examples she used in her speech might have been lifted out of a textbook case of workplace bullying.
“They have waited so long to reach the top, to have the power once refused to them in early childhood, that they are motivated by revenge, a strong drive to acquire and accumulate goods and fame by whatever means, even by deliberate deception.”
Perhaps one of the most telling signs of someone who is power-hungry is the following observation by Ms Amar: “They do not look at people, they avoid their eyes.”
Why me?
If you have found yourself in this situation, the most obvious question is: why am I the one being picked on?
According to bullyonline, the bully usually picks on someone who:
• is good at their job, often excelling
• is popular with colleagues and clients
• has a strong sense of integrity
• has well-defined values
• refuses to join an established clique
• shows independence
More than anything else, the bully fears exposure of his/her inadequacy and incompetence: your presence, popularity and competence unknowing and unwitting fuel that fear.
Why employers need to acknowledge bullying
Employers need to sit up and take notice when they receive complaints of bullying because it is in the interest of the company itself. They can choose to ignore it but then what?
The result is inevitably a high staff turnover, sickness absences, a tense and unhappy atmosphere in the workplace and a high incidence of suspensions and dismissals. When people who have been appointed as managers abuse their power over others it means the staff become unmotivated, stressed and, in all probability, will seek the first opportunity to change jobs.
What you can do
• Keep a journal of every incident that happens no matter how trivial, to establish that there is a pattern of regular abuse
• Keep copies of all letters, memos and emails
• Record every criticism and allegation in writing and ask the bully to substantiate his claims with written evidence
• Report the behaviour to your Human Resources manager
• See your doctor and if stress is diagnosed make sure it is described as “stress caused by conditions in the workplace”.
• Inform your employer in writing that you have had to take sick leave because of bullying
• Contact your union representative
• You might have to resort to taking legal action
• Consider leaving if your health is seriously at stake, but make it clear in writing that you are resigning due to bullying.