Work place bullying can be defined as repeated unreasonable actions of an individual(s) directed towards an employee(s), which are intended to cause health risks, intimidate, degrade, humiliate, or undermine.

It is estimated that work place bullying costs over $180 million per year in lost time and productivity. Other effects can be litigation and increases in turnover, absenteeism, and higher workplace dissatisfaction.

You may be accidental condoning the bullying by not taking proper steps to prevent this from happening. This will be damaging to your company culture, and lead to more employees being dissatisfied with their job. In this blog post, I will be discussing the motivation of a bully, how to identify if you are being bullied, and advice for victims that suffer from bullying.

Behavior and Motivation of a Bully

Bullying comes in many forms such as:

• Verbal Abuse
• Spreading Gossip/Lies
• Threatening Behavior
• Humiliation
• Work Inferences/Sabotage
• Persistent Criticisms of Employees’ Work
• Insulting Workers’ Habits, Attitudes or Personal Lives
• Reminding Employees of Mistakes

Behaviors like this tend to be directed towards people that are eager to please, are non-confrontational, and a threat to their authority. There is a misconception that victims of bulling are vulnerable, weak, or thin- skinned. This is not usually the case because many times the people targeted are tough competitors, go-getters, high performers, and well liked people. Bullying has a hidden motivation and that is control.

Are You Being Bullied?

12 tips to find out if you are being bullied:

1. Your work is never good enough for the boss.
2. Your boss makes you feel humiliated.
3. You constantly feel anxious and agitated at work and dread the start of a new workweek.
4. Your co-workers stop socializing with you.
5. Someone is constantly interfering with tasks you are trying to complete.
6. You are yelled at in front of others, but punished for yelling back.
7. Human resources and other bosses say there is “nothing they can do” about the bully’s behavior.
8. Your requests to transfer positions or office locations are denied.
9. You constantly feel stressed about work, even when you’re at home.
10. You feel exhausted on your days off and uninterested in activities you once enjoyed.
11. Your family suggests you “leave work at the office” and your doctor asks about what could be causing your new health problems.
12. You start to think you somehow caused the bullying.

Advice for Victims

The same thought process is used with any problem in your life, and the first step is to acknowledge what is going on. Next, you need to identify what type of abuse is taking place. Then, you should research your options and review company policies to find out what sort of action to take. The final step is to present your factual case to the highest level person possible. When presenting your case stick to the facts and try not to let your emotion get involved. You never know; your case might be the reason your company is looking for to dismiss the bully.

How SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc. Can Help End Workplace Bullying

Bullying can be reduced by the training and awareness programs we offer, and by implementing strict anti-bullying policies. This will create an environment that make victims feel that they can come forward when they feel like they are being bullied. These steps will help to create a less stressful work atmosphere that will lead to an increase in productivity and job satisfaction.

Give SACS Consulting a call today to learn more about the ways we can help: 330-255-1101.