Unfortunately there is not only bullying in schools, there is bullying in the workplace as well. These are unacceptable behaviors that arise within a workplace situation. Bullying the workplace can take many forms and it’s not easy to always identify. The Fair Work Act 2009 made recent amendments that came into effect in January 2014 to define workplace bullying as occurring when an individual; group of individuals; repeatedly behaves unreasonably towards the worker, group of workers of which the worker is a member; and the behavior creates a risk to health and safety (Le Mire & Owens, 2014). This definition focuses on three main elements of bullying behavior, it is repeated, unreasonable, and creates a risk to health and safety. All three elements must be satisfied in order for bullying at the workplace to be found. Bullying behaviors could be things that are victimizing, humiliating, intimidating or threatening, but it is not limited to just those behaviors.
In order to establish if these behaviors are a risk to health and safety, a real possibility of danger needs to be identified. Bullying behavior can be of a wide range of actions and it is not limited to verbal or physical abuse, but can extend to gestures, tone of voice, and other acts of signs of exclusion or isolation (Le Mire & Owens, 2014). Some actions can consist of spreading rude and/or inaccurate information, or conducting an investigation into a bullying complaint in an unfair or inappropriate way.
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Bullying and harassment within the workplace can be attributed to a myriad of factors. The work
Bullying is prohibited in any workplace and as a bullying we understand for example, undermining, targeting, manipulating, social isolation, verbal or physical bulling, addressed personally or through different devices etc. to any individual in their workplace. There are strict duties for an employer’s under section 8 of the Act to prevent any inappropriate behavior and risk and to make sure that employees are not affected by their work for example by putting in place anti-bulling policy. Health and Safety Authority (has.ie 2015) are publishing information guidance, booklets and provide advice for both employees and employers in relation to preventing bullying behaviors in the
After analyzing documents regarding bullying and laws: there are defined state and nation laws which vary for different countries but based on their regional behavior they have structured, but as you told both the employee and employer are not much concerned regarding this unless and until they experience such problem. I personally feel creating awareness among all the cadre of workers would reduce the bullying percentage.
As described on my work setting Policy for Anty-Bullying, bullying is a “behaviour which is repeated, deliberated and intended to hurt, threaten or frighten another person or group of people; it is usually unprovoked and always reflects an imbalance of power”.
Bullying in the workplace has always been an issue that has not been given much importance. It is indeed a problem that should be addressed by the concerned personnel because it can result in many health and safety issues, especially when nurses are bullied at their workplace. From the beginning of times, people who are deployed at a senior post to tend to look down upon the students or new people who have just started work. Nursing is also one of the professions in which the fresh graduates or students are bullied to the extent that they feel that they would not be able to face their seniors. They start developing inferiority complex and are unable to perform their job well. When they are taunted by their seniors and preceptors about their lack of knowledge and experience, their confidence is shattered. This implies that when they are handling a case, they are not confident if they are doing the right thing or not. In this tussle, they sometimes do not even perform the task they were really good at and put the health and safety of the patient at stake.
Workplace bullying is a widespread issue in which people need to be educated on in order to put an end to it. Its causes are complex and multi-faceted and yet preventable. Workplace bullying puts unnecessary strain on the employees It is the employer and organizations responsibility to provide a bully free environment for their employees. Employees should have the right to feel safe in their work environment and be free from workplace bullying. Employers need to be held accountable and have a plan in place to protect the employees from this type of violence. Unfortunately that is not always the case, in some instances the employer is the one doing the bullying. Workplace bullying carries many definitions in which will be
Bullying in the workplace is the topic that Heeman has addressed and evaluated with the aid of research from additional authors. Communication plays a major role in bullying when brought into the workplace and it can continue for extensive lengths of time if not managed and handled properly. The roles of bullying are included in Heeman’s report which are the bully, the target, and the bystander. The costs on the workplace can be threatening to the staffing, productivity and the overall work environment. Percentages and research are presented proving the amount of bullying that actually takes place in the workplace. Ways to combat the bullying are introduced into the report to include understanding and taking action to stop and prevent the bullying from continuing. Heeman concludes his report by mentioning that researchers need to focus their attention on finding solutions and ways to intercept bullying to lower the statistics and ratios.
Bullying takes many forms. It can be physical, verbal or emotional, but it is always a repeated behaviour that makes other people feel uncomfortable or threatened. Examples of the policy at my placement is as follows:
Incivility and bullying differ in that bullying is often an individual or a group of person that is the object of ridicule. This individuals or groups are often targeted by another person or group. For example, LBTG groups are targets for being who they are or people of different faction/ethnicities can face bullying. Bullying is not limited to personal issue as bullying can be seen in the workplace. For example, derogatory comment toward an individual about their work/ability to perform his or her job is seen as workplace bullying (Walker, 2017). Bullying is considered doing psychological and physical harm; it creates a suffocating and unfriendly environment to be in (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin & Cardy, 2016). The hostile actions are seen as aggressive, manipulative and humiliating. Bullying in the workplace stunts creativity, lower productivity, creates a toxic culture and puts the company at legal risk if the bullying is not dealt with (Walker, 2017).
Knowing how to handle these behaviors is beneficial since they are acts that are present regardless. Bullying in the workplace can lead to staff dissatisfaction, along with turnover, litigation, and can damage the reputation of the organization (Sullivan, 2013). Bullying does not just cause the threat to the individual but can cause harm to the patient and other staff that is in the presence of this behavior (Sullivan, 2013). Identifying an issue with problem staff early and intervene, to correct, if necessary is ideal to keep the team working efficiently.
Bullying which is the intentional act to inflict harm, threaten or abuse of others, can range in many ways. Kathryn Hawkins on the article the Office Bully, outlines various issues of this concept. Kathryn states that sometimes people become overconfidence that they left bullies in their past lives maybe high school, but later found out the bullies have ultimately become their bosses. Secondly, bullying may occur when bullies wants to dominate and gain back their powers if they feel endangered. So they tend to overcome their fear by threatening others. Also Kathryn articulates that even the conditions of the workplace can cause bullies to abuse their targets and workplace bully can be difficult to deal with. Although Kathryn has suggested some solutions about these issues, the claim presented does not put up with the issues, rather an encouragement.
Our workplace safety is in need of reconstruction, not because of physical, ergonomic, chemical or biological hazards but because of bullying. According to Hanley and O'Rourke (2016, p. 352) workplace bullying is a "psychological hazard" towards its victims health and undermines the "successful pursuit of corporate and employee objectives". Workplace bullying is certainly a prevalent issue that is consequential to its victims and the state of Australia's companies. Although there have been Fair Work Commision jurisdictions placed against anti-bullying (eg. January 1 2014) Hanley and O'Rourke argue that these laws are a "minimalist" solution to this anti-social epidemic. Workplace bullying with its many forms should be recognised as a criminal
Adult bullying in the workplace has become quite commonplace and its consequences can be far-reaching. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 146 million Americans are employed in the United States, and an estimated 54 million of those are bullied at work (Namie, 2007). These statistics are staggering. Bullying is defined as a combination of verbal abuse and behaviors that are humiliating, threatening, or intimidating and create harm (health, social, or economic) to individuals and may interfere with their productivity at work (Namie, 2007). With a prevalence of bullying taking place in the workplace, it appears that organizations need to better provide a sense of community and psychological support to its employees to address this widespread issue. The appropriate communication within the organization can make all the difference.
Workplace bullying is a form of psychological violence. Bullying is not about mild mocking neither does it consist of suggestive farces, racial insults nor obnoxious advances that are indications of legally defined harassment. Dr. Heinz Leymann, a Swedish pioneer in the study of workplace bullying, explains this phenomenon as “psychological terror involving belligerent and improper communication directed in a systematic manner by one or a few persons chiefly against one fellow (Leymann, 1996). Whereas there is not a distinctly agreed upon definition of
The eye-catching studies above urge a prompt reaction towards resolving workplace bullying. Currently everyone at workplace is potentially at the risk of being bullied. Knowing the prevalence of bullying and the