What To Do If You’re Experiencing Bullying In The Workplace
Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported in their careers. Dealing with bullying and harassment can cause all sorts of harm to your mental and physical health, not to mention affect your confidence in your skills.
Bullying can take many forms, so it’s important that you learn to recognize what could constitute workplace bullying and how you can record and report it in the workplace.
What Is Classed As Workplace Bullying?
Some types of bullying are overt and easy to spot, others less so. Bullying can encompass:
Verbal or physical abuse – someone calling you names, or speak to you in an aggressive or degrading manner.
Exclusion – if you’re deliberately being left out of important tasks and meetings.
Threats – constant threats to your job security or refusal to progress you at work without good reason.
Being set up – if you’re being given tasks and projects that they know you’ll fail at in order to reprimand you.
Malicious gossip – spreading untrue or personal information around the workplace.
Any attempt made to belittle or discriminate against you based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender, marital status or disability.
What Should You Do?
It’s important that you deal with workplace bullying as soon as possible before it does real harm to you.
Make A Record Of Any Incidents
Keep a record of the date and time of any incidents, what was done and said and who else was there at the time. Even if you don’t have any actual evidence such as emails or video footage, it’s still good to maintain a timeline of events as it’s easy to forget details, especially if you’re distressed.
If you’re looking to take your complaints further and use a law first that specialised in workers compensation law, then you will need as much supporting information as possible.
Document Any Issues
As well as any factual evidence, it’s important to track any other consequences of being bullied. This could be any mental or physical symptoms you’ve been experiencing due to the stress of being bullied.
Report It To Your HR Department
You will need to lodge your complaint officially with your HR department or line manager if you don’t have an HR function. You should have an official acknowledgment of your complaint so that you can pursue it. Your employer has a duty of care to ensure that you are not being bullied in the workplace.
Get Representation
If you are a member of particular workers union then they often provide support for these types of situations. They can give you advice on how to proceed with your complaint and even accompany you to any meetings with your line manager and HR department.
Talk To Someone Outside Of Work
Workplace bullying can cause a lot of anxiety and even depression, which can drastically affect your quality of life. You might feel embarrassed talking about it but confiding in someone outside of the office can really help you. This can be anyone from a partner, family member, friend, or even a professional.
Conclusion
Workplace bullying can have a huge impact on your life and you should not accept it. Knowing your rights and how to officially pursue your complaint can help you resolve these issues.
