Workplace Bullying

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From the diagram above I got off a website, we can see that there are various types of bullying present at workplaces. One might think bullying only happens in the playground or in school, but no. In real life, bullying even happens in a work environment. 

I've recently experienced what I'd call opportunistic bullying. What happens is that this person at work would be nice to me only when the big bosses are in. When they are not in, there is a complete 180 degrees shift in her attitude and she talks rudely to me or ignores my presence while acknowledging everyone around me (back, front, left and right!). In the most recent event, she referred to me as 'stupid girl' in her mother tongue thinking I would not understand it. She really pushed the wrong button that day. Two days later, I was ready to make a formal complain to one of the big bosses in the office but my friend stopped me saying it is just a petty complain and I should handle it by myself.

It made me think, what are the purpose of Anti Bullying and Anti Harassment policies if when anything happens, one just dismisses it as petty problems? I really don't know what is the right way to deal with such situations. 

In my previous workplace, we had to do an online test, either annually or at least once at the beginning of the career, on this. The test makes it real clear what constitutes bullying and harassment and makes it clear to us the consequences of our actions. 

In my opinion, to deal with an issue like this, a company should make clear at least once a year that it forbids any kind of bullying at its workplace and it should make its employees aware that it practices an open door policy with regards to grievance procedures.

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Every company should have a similar sign in the office. 

Employees should be made aware of the consequences of bullying! 

Straight off a website, the consequences of bullying to the employer:

• Reduced efficiency, productivity and profitability;
• Increased absenteeism, sick leave and staff turnover;
• Poor morale, erosion of employee loyalty and commitment;
• Increased costs associated with recruitment and training;
• Increased workers’ compensation claims;
• Increased indirect costs such as management time, engaging mediators or counselors;
• Adverse publicity and poor public image;
• An unsafe work environment and potential fines for breaches of the occupational health and safety legislation;
• Costs resulting from failure to meet legislative provisions including civil and criminal actions;
• Legal costs incurred defending a claim of workplace bullying;
• Vicarious liability and other associated employer liabilities;
• Potential increase to insurance and workers’ compensation premiums.

Which is so true! I spent an hour or more focusing on not getting angry after that incident that I was not doing any work. And the following day, I was still very annoyed about it. If employers do nothing when they know a bully is in the office, that's the beginning of the end for the company.