If you’re aware of bullying at your workplace, or are a victim yourself, you’re not alone. Sixty per cent of UK workers, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.co.uk, reveal they have been bullied by their boss and three in ten (30%) workers claim that they are currently experiencing bullying at the office.
The two most common ways workers report being bullied was getting blamed for mistakes they didn’t make (47%) and being constantly criticised (47%). Ignoring a colleague (36%) and belittling them during meetings (35%) are also common weapons used by the workplace bully.
More than half (56%) of victims did not report the bullying to their HR department and of those who were bullied, most pointed to incidents with their bosses (59%) or colleagues (41%). Six in ten (62%) said they were bullied by someone older than themselves and it wasn’t necessarily a colleague, as 6% of victims were bullied by customers.
Rosemary Haefner, Global VP of Human Resources, CareerBuilder, says:
“How workers define bullying can vary considerably, but it is often tied to patterns of unfair treatment.
“Bullying can have a significant impact on both individual and company performance. It’s important to cite specific incidents when addressing the situation with the bully or a company authority and keep focused on finding a resolution.”
More than half (53%) of victims reported confronting the bully themselves, with varying results including 15% who said it got worse, and a further 43% who felt bullied reported it to their HR department. Of those who reported it, 20% said that action was taken while 23% said nothing was done.
If you’re feeling bullied in the workplace, CareerBuilder recommends to:
- 1. Keep record of all incidents of bullying, documenting places, times, what happened and who was present.
- 2. Consider talking to the bully, providing examples of how you felt treated unfairly. Chances are the bully may not be aware that he/she is making you feel this way.
- 3. Always focus on resolution. When sharing examples with the bully or a company authority, center the discussions around how to make the working situation better or how things could be handled differently.