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A Lesser Known Form of Workplace Violence
Bullying is something that most individuals associate with school age children. However, it also can be prevalent in the workplace. Workplace bullying is a form of workplace violence and can create an unsafe work environment for employees.
Signs of Workplace Bullying
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Spreading malicious and false rumors, gossip or innuendos
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Socially excluding or isolating an individual
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Yelling or profanity
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Undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work
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Removing areas of responsibility without cause or business rationale
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Making verbal or written jokes that are offensive
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Excessively criticizing a person persistently or constantly
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Belittling a person’s opinions
What Can You Do If You Are Being Bullied?
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Report the behavior to your supervisor or manager. If the situation involves your supervisor or manager, move to the next level of management for support.
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Face your bully alone, or with a supervisor or co-worker, and firmly tell them that their behavior is unacceptable and ask them to stop.
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Keep a journal of when, where and what happened between you and your bully as it can serve as a record of harassment.
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Save any written harassment from your bully, whether it is an email, instant message, letter or texts. This is proof that you can show your human resources representative.
What Can Employers Do to Prevent Bullying?
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Create a zero tolerance anti-bullying policy as part of the wider commitment to creating a safe work environment.
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Educate all employees on the warning signs and consequences of workplace bullying.
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Encourage managers or supervisors to have an open door policy for their employees.
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Take all reports of bullying seriously and investigate the situation promptly.
