In part one of this series, I discussed that discovering bullying in the workplace is the first step to eliminating it. In part two, I explained what bullying in the workplace looks like. In part three, I addressed the common mistakes employers make regarding bullying in the workplace.
In this final Insight, I want to dive a little deeper and explain why it’s important for employers to care about bullying in the workplace.
Why Should You Care About Bullying in Your Workplace?
“Statistics show that bullying is 3 times as prevalent as illegal discrimination and at least 1,600 times as prevalent as workplace violence,” according to Wikipedia.org. “Statistics also show that while only one employee in every 10,000 becomes a victim of workplace violence, one in six experiences bullying at work. Bullying is a little more common than sexual harassment but…verbal abuse…occurs more than bullying.”
If those statistics aren’t reason enough for employers to care about bullying in their workplace, I don’t know what is.
Bullies, Targets and Organized Bystanders
The corporate world is built on the military or sports model—which places a focus on winning, competition and the elimination of opponents. And bullies are driven by a need for power and control, so they choose to seek out a perceived “weaker” employee to dominate.
Other reasons bullies bully include:
- Laziness
- Prejudice
- Fear of being outperformed
Research shows that “bullies are usually inadequate, defective and poorly developed people who start the conflict and trouble at work and tend to be liars and cowards,” according to the whitepaper, “Bullies in the Workplace: A Focus on the ‘Abusive Disrespect’ of Employees,” by Teresa A. Daniel.
Some common bullying personalities include:
- The Power Bully—This person’s bullying is about power. They want to be in control of things, so they bully others as a way to feel “powerful.”
- The Esteem Bully—This type of bully has low self-esteem, so he/she belittles others to feel better about themselves.
- The Manipulating Bully—This bully is self-absorbed, vindictive and takes credit for other people’s work, while refusing to admit his/her own mistakes.
As I mentioned above, the bully’s target is usually someone they perceive to be “weak.” The targeted person rarely warrants the treatment received by the bully. Targeted people tend to be empathetic, just and fair. They don’t initiate; they don’t instigate the bully.
So you have the bullies, the targets and then you have the organized bystanders. These people are employees who witness the bullying, but do or say nothing about it. This is especially true for workplaces where there’s an atmosphere of fear or a culture of fear and mistrust.
Daniel’s article comments that these bystanders feel like they have no control. They feel helpless. They worry about whether they’ll be the next target. And what sometimes happens in this case, is the bystander may rally in support of the bully. They may see the bully as a “winner.” Or they might just fear reprisal.
The Effects of Bullying in the Workplace
The effects of bullying on employees—targeted and bystanders—can include:
- Physical and emotional problems
- Job loss to the targeted individual(s) or bystanders
The effects of bullying on the workplace can include:
- High turnover rates
- Reduced morale
- Reduced productivity
- Loss of public reputation
What employers need to keep in mind is this: people overstep. People don’t always understand what the rules are or what the boundaries are. They haven’t been taught these things or they may refuse to acknowledge their behavior is wrong.
That’s why managers have to be stewards. They can’t be “asleep” on the job. They have to be attentive and make sure they positively reinforce trust and mutual respect for everyone.
Also, managers need to make sure they are singling out and eliminating counterproductive employee behavior. They can’t simply put on rose-colored glasses or lecture about teamwork and expect that the bad behavior will just go away.