Addressing Workplace Bullying: How and When to Get Help

As society has become more aware of school bullying and its consequences, it’s no surprise that workplace bullying has also gained more focus as well.

A few decades ago, people might not have questioned whether it was appropriate for a boss to yell at and intimidate his employees. After all, he was the boss, right? Fortunately, employers and employees alike are realizing that workplace bullying is not okay. This has increased awareness of what it is and what steps they can take to address it.

What It Is

Workplace bullying runs the gamut of a variety of behaviors. It can look like many things. But the underlying intention is the same: to make you feel intimidated, belittled, humiliated, left out, powerless, and more.

Perhaps your boss puts down your work in front of others. Maybe you’re not invited to important meetings. Aggressive, intimidating comments and behaviors are also common. Co-workers might steal your ideas or spread rumors about you. You might be denied access to important information or resources that you need to do your job effectively.

Unfortunately, workplace bullying can go even further than the examples above. Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military, for example, are one of the biggest examples most of us are aware of in terms of workplace bullying.

If you’ve experienced workplace bullying, you already know how much it affects you. It makes it hard to do your job. You’re stressed and worried all the time, even outside of work. Going to work fills you with dread.

What It Isn’t

While no one likes to be bullied, this doesn’t mean that a supervisor can’t require improved performance from an employee who isn’t meeting expectations. Likewise, disciplinary actions and performance improvement plans are not bullying if they are warranted.

When to Get Help

The easy answer of when to get help is that you should try to take actions as soon as you realize you’re experiencing bullying. Bullying is not okay, and addressing it sooner rather than later will help you avoid even more distress.

If you’ve experienced sexual harassment or assault, it’s important to get help as soon as possible. Medical evaluations after rape will provide important documentation of the assault. Psychological evaluations are also an important component of helping you and providing the emotional support.

How to Get Help

There’s no question that workplace bullying can be very detrimental to your emotional and physical health. More extreme cases can even harm your physical safety.

You can consider going to a superior to share your concerns. Likewise, if you trust your co-workers or team mates, reach out to them to see if they’ve experienced similar events.

As difficult as it may be, try calling out your bully in front of others when they do something inappropriate. You don’t have to be aggressive about it, but you can calmly state what you see happening. Only you, of course, can judge whether this will be a wise choice. Documenting the bullying behavior is also important. Keep a list of events and behaviors that have targeted you.

If you are in the military, it’s important to let your superior know what has happened. You can also reach out to the Military Sexual Trauma department for support. And remember the importance of taking legal action.

Unfortunately, sometimes you have to leave a job in order to escape the bullying. As much as possible, make sure your employer knows that’s the reason that you’re leaving.

If you’ve experienced or are currently experiencing bullying at work, you’re likely emotionally and mentally exhausted. Counseling offers a safe, supportive environment to assess what has happened and help you determine what to do next. Please reach out to us here or schedule your free consultation to learn more about the services we can provide.