In Australia, work-related harassment and/or bullying is the second most frequent mental stress claim (after workplace pressure). It affects not just the individuals, but also the organisations via high staff turnover, absenteeism, low morale, and reduced productivity.
It’s therefore safe to say that more should be done to combat bullying and harassment in the workplace. But it’s not as simple as telling people to ‘stop bullying’; this is drilled into us as children and yet it still occurs into adulthood.
Indeed, it’s more complex than that, which is perhaps why it is so difficult to know what to do when you see it occur in the workplace. You may question whether:
The action(s) committed by the co-worker is bullying,
Or…
Whether you’re the person that should address the issue
Regardless of the situation, workplace bullying should be highlighted and there are lots of things you can do to help remedy the perceived problem:
- Bullying can happen in any workplace
- It involves repeated unreasonable behaviours that create a risk to health and safety
- Unreasonable behaviour is based on what a reasonable person, having regard for the circumstances, would see as victimising, humiliating, undermining or threatening
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT BULLYING?
As with any risk of this nature, the best method to control bullying is by taking preventative action that can reduce the risk of bullying. For example there would be higher risks for younger and new members of the workforce, particularly if they are working in a team with low supervision or with poorly skilled managers.
Ultimately, what is required is for organisations, leaders, managers and general employees, to come together and help build positive cultures. This is achieved by:
- Good communication in demonstrating expectations for respectful behaviour
- Consistently addressing issues that arise in the workplace
- Building the confidence and comfort of all employees to speak up at an early stage before the situation worsens.
HOW CAN CO-WORKERS HELP?
As a co-worker, you can fall under three categories:
- A bystander to the behaviour
- A friend or confidante that is approached for support
- A person who realises they have also contributed to a work culture with unhealthy practices such as gossiping or well-intentioned but inappropriate joking
1. A bystander to the behaviour
A bystander may view inappropriate behaviour directly in the workplace, be drawn into gossip, or be sent an inappropriate email about another person. They therefore can play a valuable role in nipping the behaviour in the bud. There are many ways this can be done, depending on the context. For example:
- If there is a tense interaction in a meeting or group, it helps for others to break the dynamic by politely interrupting and also joining the discussion so that the tension is broken.
- If there is a work situation that is stressful or demanding it helps to simply highlight this by pointing out the importance of not letting our own stress result in negative impacts on co-workers.
- Having a private discussion with a person who has behaved inappropriately may be necessary. While this is a ‘difficult conversation’ it can be powerful because it comes from a third-party view. For this to be effective, it is important to not ‘fight fire with fire’ but instead to be objective. State what has been observed and relay that the behaviour does not feel respectful.
A bystander may be hesitant to become involved, but should still consider checking in informally to express concern for their colleague(s). A bystander might also help highlight that, even though the situation seems to just involve two people, it actually has created a negative ripple effect for the team.
2. A friend or confidante who is approached for support
It may appear daunting if you are a friend of the person who is being bullied because you may not want to be seen as ‘picking a side’, but providing a friendly ear is important because you can:
- Be a valuable sounding board for practical steps that can and should be taken.
- Give the friend confidence to approach the person directly or their manager/HR.
- Easily identify the best method of showing your support and suggesting advice.
- Provide an impartial view on assessing what else might be at play that is adding to the difficulty.
- Help the friend reflect on how he might be contributing to the situation.
3. A person who realises they have also contributed to a work culture with unhealthy practices
Whether you are a bystander or a friend, you should pause to reflect on whether inappropriate behaviour has become normalised within the organisation and whether you are a part of it.
These scenarios can occur when:
- The work environment is stressful and people have learnt to tolerate raised voices or challenging behaviours within the workplace.
- Jokes or put-downs are regularly directed at others and have become the norm. These jokes or put-downs slowly become non-reciprocal, causing real harm to relationships.
These types of behaviour should be challenged and changed. Role modelling by managers is crucial in this scenario, but any team member can also start by questioning this behaviour either through discussions with the manager, individuals or in team discussions.
The key is to recognise that while there are work stresses, or while we can have fun at work, there are group behaviours that can cross boundaries beyond what is acceptable and respectable.
If you or someone you know is being bullied at work, Converge counsellors are here to help and support you. You might have access to free counselling through your employer. It’s totally confidential.
To access Converge counselling services, simply call 1300 OUR EAP (1300 687 327) to make a time to speak with one of our team or book online or in the Converge App (Android or iOS).