When Does Workplace Bullying Stop?!
24 August 2023
Even in this day and age where we have legislation in place and awareness of bullying in the workplace, it is still happening.
Some managers/bosses abuse their sense of power in ways that intimidate and isolate their victims. While some chip away at their prey, depleting their sense of worth, others will find it easier to continually confront them, creating a sense of inadequacy. Instilling a feeling that they can’t win, no matter what they do is also one of their favourite tactics, so their target knows that whatever they do, they will not succeed, and their work life will not improve.
When an employee/staff member fights back or is strong enough to refuse to play their game, a 'boss bully' sometimes may walk away...or they double their efforts from a different perspective.
Its not uncommon for these 'boss bully' types to discredit their prey with other staff members, business owners or upper management. As they often have closer ties with the upper echelon, it is easier to stretch the truth in ways that put their victim in a bad light. It is rare for anyone, even those in HR, to question the 'boss bully', after all, they would rationalise, why would their management staff fabricate stories? And so it becomes a case of destroyed integrity or spirit for the victim when they are unable to share their side of the story.
Others on the sidelines may see what is happening and want to stop the victimisation, but they all need their jobs and pay packets in order to survive. They learn to keep their head down and avoid becoming the next in line for this intimidating behaviour.
To be clear, it is not okay for a boss, manager or staff member to:
- Use standover tactics
- Expect you to do anything that is unsafe
- Use their distorted perception to decide what you are thinking
- Discredit you with your fellow workers
- Yell at you
- Send threatening emails
- Find ways to affect your life outside of work
- Prevent you doing your job
- Penalise you for imagined action or activites
- Change your job description once you are employed
- Make up stories about your work ethic or ruin your reputation
- Make any sexual comments or innuendo that make you feel uncomfortable
- Create an environment that is untenable, forcing you to resign
- Spread rumours within the workplace about things you didn’t say or do
- Continually criticise you without justification
Some of our worst bullies are those who feel they are justified in their actions; that their opinion is the only one that matters; that its okay to belittle staff and fellow employees. ‘Boss Bullies’ should be extinct, but they are still a fact of life until we make it impossible for them to exist within a workspace.
If you know you are being bullied, it doesn’t matter whether your work is temporary, full time, casual, part-time, probational or apprentice, this behaviour shouldn’t be tolerated. However, until those in the higher echelons are prepared to listen to the other side of the story, or we are prepared to stand up and say “enough is enough”, it will carry on.
If you are being bullied or intimidated by your boss or workmate, here are some links for you to check out:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/workplace-bullying
Here is the link to a book you may find helpful: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/workers-guide-workplace-bullying.pdf