As an individual, what can I do to tackle bullying at work?
Workplace bullying often takes place behind closed doors with no witnesses and no obvious evidence. Bullies will lie to save their skins and can be convincing, and will not hesitate to make their victims look and feel like fools if they complain about being bullied. (That's bullying too). Bullies have to be clever to get away with it, but you can be clever too. Here are some ways to deal with bullying at work:
Updated October 2015
This page helps you set out a "grievance", which in an employment situation is an employee's complaint to their employer. Where employer and employee have a cooperative, reasonable relationship, grievances are unnecessary and some people get through their entire career without ever having to resort to them.
Tim Field founded the UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line in January 1996 and it went on to log over 10,000 cases of bullying. This article draws on Tim's experience of how to set up and run a bullying survivor support group.
The Bullyonline forum is intended for people to seek or give help, and to provide relevant commentary on the topic of bullying in general, but especially at work. It was established by the late Tim Field on 7 September 2000. Topics typically include bullying (of course!), stress and its effects on health, the effects of bullying on career and personal life, and ways to cope with intolerable conduct. This does not mean that other subjects can't be discussed but keep in mind to make the topic relevant to other members who have joined this forum for that reason.
Verdict For Workplace Bullying Is Upheld
Bias Claim Fails, But Plaintiff Gets $730K
By Wendy L. Pfaffenbach
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
November 27, 2000
If you're considering setting up a bullying survivor support group, you may wish to adopt a constitution for the group. This page contains a suggested constitution which you may copy and modify to your requirements.
"Why don't you stand up for yourself?" is an oft-asked question. We're adults, aren't we?
In most cases, the bullying follows a two-phase procedure. Phase one is control which is exercised through constant trivial daily nit-picking criticism etc. Eventually there's a defining moment when the target realises that the criticisms have no validity and that they constitute bullying; the target asserts their right not to be bullied, perhaps by initiating a grievance, and the bullying moves into phase two: elimination, which is achieved by dismissal on false charges, ill-health retirement, forced resignation, redundancy, or death from suicide or heart attack due to prolonged negative stress.
