What if your boss is a bully OR you experience bullying at work?

Unfortunately, I have experienced both. It seems power or the perception of power brings out the worst in some people. At the time I didn’t know what to do and I felt the professional response would be to stay calm and respond in an even tone to de-escalate the situation. In more extreme circumstances I simply left. But for most people, that’s not an option. 

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) describes office bullying as “acts or verbal comments that could psychologically or ‘mentally’ hurt or isolate a person in the workplace. Sometimes, bullying can involve negative physical contact as well”.

It says that bullying in the workplace is a problem. The Canadian occupational health and safety laws include the concept of due diligence. This means that “an employer shall take all reasonable precautions, under the particular circumstances, to prevent injuries or incidents in the workplace. Every person should be able to work in a safe and healthy workplace.”  The legislation will differ across borders but you should find out what your rights are. The CCOHS also states “Definitions of harassment and violence often formally include bullying, but can be implied if not.”

Examples include:
1. Spreading malicious rumours, gossip, or innuendo.
2. Excluding or isolating someone socially.
3. Intimidating a person.
4. Undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work.
5. Physically abusing or threatening abuse.
6. Removing areas of responsibility without cause.
7. Constantly changing work guidelines.
8. Establishing impossible deadlines that will set up the individual to fail.
9. Withholding necessary information or purposefully giving the wrong information.
10. Making jokes that are ‘obviously offensive’ by spoken word or e-mail.
Intruding on a person’s privacy by pestering, spying or stalking.
11. Assigning unreasonable duties or workloads which are unfavourable to one person (in a way that creates unnecessary pressure).
12. Underwork – creating a feeling of uselessness.
13. Yelling or using profanity.
14. Criticizing a person persistently or constantly.
15. Belittling a person’s opinions.
16. Unwarranted (or undeserved) punishment.
17. Blocking applications for training, leave or promotion.
18. Tampering with a person’s personal belongings or work equipment. 

It’s a long list, I know. Some of the behaviours I have never even thought of as bullying but there it is. 

Just as you would for your child, advocate for yourself.