If you work with a bully, it's time to do something about it!
If you work with a bully, it's time to do something about it!
According to Web MD, a recent survey found that workplace bullying occurs in as many as 1 in 4 offices. This includes anything from being yelled at, to being ridiculed for your ideas, and even ignored. Unlike the playground bully who preys on weak kids, office bullies usually target highly capable, charismatic colleagues who make them feel threatened. Also, rank often plays a role. 71% of workers who've been bullied say it was by someone in a higher position.
So what can you do if you're the target of a workplace bully? Gary Namie is a psychologist and co-founder of the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute. And he says you should never go to Human Resources first. They'd like to help, but chances are they can't - not unless your complaint includes sexual harassment or racial discrimination.
Namie says what you need to do instead is build a case against the bully. This includes calculating the cost of their behavior how much productivity is lost when you have to deal with their behavior. This way you can show that the bully is "too expensive to keep around".
Also, find other people who've been bullied by this person. Chances are you're not the first. Then, when you've gathered enough information, go to someone who has a say in where this person stands within the company, and plead your case.
And know this... Studies consistently show that being bullied can lead to depression and a host of other stress-related health problems like high blood pressure, a weaker immune system and so on. So the sooner you handle the situation, the better.
If you'd like to go further, check out Dr. Namie's book "The Bully at Work".
According to Web MD, a recent survey found that workplace bullying occurs in as many as 1 in 4 offices. This includes anything from being yelled at, to being ridiculed for your ideas, and even ignored. Unlike the playground bully who preys on weak kids, office bullies usually target highly capable, charismatic colleagues who make them feel threatened. Also, rank often plays a role. 71% of workers who've been bullied say it was by someone in a higher position.
So what can you do if you're the target of a workplace bully? Gary Namie is a psychologist and co-founder of the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute. And he says you should never go to Human Resources first. They'd like to help, but chances are they can't - not unless your complaint includes sexual harassment or racial discrimination.
Namie says what you need to do instead is build a case against the bully. This includes calculating the cost of their behavior how much productivity is lost when you have to deal with their behavior. This way you can show that the bully is "too expensive to keep around".
Also, find other people who've been bullied by this person. Chances are you're not the first. Then, when you've gathered enough information, go to someone who has a say in where this person stands within the company, and plead your case.
And know this... Studies consistently show that being bullied can lead to depression and a host of other stress-related health problems like high blood pressure, a weaker immune system and so on. So the sooner you handle the situation, the better.
If you'd like to go further, check out Dr. Namie's book "The Bully at Work".
