OUTLINE
I. Introduction to workplace violence and bullying
A. What is bullying?
B. What is workplace bullying?
II. Forms of workplace violence and bullying
A. Social exclusion of individuals in the workplace
B. Deliberately impeding and undermining the working of other employees
C. Physically injuring an employee in the workplace
D. Forceful demotion with no relevant reasons to back it up
E. Humiliating other employees by making fun of them
F. Giving unfair and huge workloads to certain employees
G. Destruction or sabotaging the workstations of other people
H. Persistent criticism without cause
I. Under-working employees
J. Using profanities when talking to employees
K. Intrusion into the privacy of an employee
III. Effects of workplace violence and bullying
A. Feeling of shock, frustrations and anger
B. Increased feeling of vulnerability
C. Loss of sleep and appetite
D. Headaches and stomachaches
E. Increased panic when going to work
F. Strained family relationships
G. Reduced productivity
IV. How to reduce workplace violence and bullying
A. Enacting of anti-bullying law
B. High levels of commitment by the management to reduce workplace violence and bullying
C. Quick reporting of any cases of workplace violence and bullying
D. Prosecution of workplace bullies
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND BULLYING
Workplace violence is a key and crucial subject that needs urgent discussion and subsequently address. It is a subject that has been of concern to numerous concerned individuals. Scholars and researchers have also vitally engaged in discussion as well as essentially researched relevantly this idea. Different individuals can offer varying explanations as well as definition in relations to workplace violence as well as bullying. This paper will ideally analyze into relevant subcategories the subject of workplace violence with the main aim being to reach a comprehensive comprehension point as well as a workable recommendation towards vitally curbing this vice.
Workplace bullying is directly related to violence within the same context. There are various genres in accordance to varying school of thoughts as well as constitutional interpretation coupled with personal perceptions regarding the activities, actions, or undertakings that amount to bullying and consequently workplace violence. In general, workplace violence can be interpreted to mean or include any aspect of aggression that leads to mental or physical torture to the directed personnel (AllBusiness.com, 2009). It is an act that amounts or builds up to the overall feeling of being left out in the workplace situation. A bullying incident ideally culminates into a series of patterned behavior that is intentionally intended to offend, intimidate, humiliate, or degrade a given person or a group of individuals as well (O’Shea, 2011, p. 43). It has also been termed as the assertion of authority through aggression.
Considering the fact that workplace bullying and consequently violence can be both obvious and subtle or either of them, it is essential that various acts and actions in the workplace that significantly amounts to violence be described in endeavored detail. Though the listed or discussed elements or examples of bullying and violence in the workplace are numerous here, it is also vital to note that they are not inclusive or entire. It is also important that the factor of bullying as a patterned intended behavioral condition is comprehended.
The process of spreading malicious rumors, innuendo or gossip amounts to workplace violence. It is a common theme in movies and fictional play. However, the fact that this popularity is derived from real time stories and examples in the workplace should not be overlooked. This is a process that ends up leaving the concerned individual affected in the wrong way and consequently implicating on the overall performance of the self as well as the larger organization.
Social exclusion of individuals in the workplace context is the next aspect of bullying. This is an action that is often done by individuals who deem themselves or through the actions of others as superior in some aspect. Through ganging or collaboration, various individuals might end up sidelining various individuals or a single person. This amounts to bullying as it directly affects the concerned person.
Impeding with the work done by others amounts to workplace bullying and violence (Mark, 2005, p. 81). This is an action that is commonly done by superior staff in the workplace context through reasons best known to them. It is important that people in the workplace should know that undermining the works done by people by good faith amounts to workplace violence.
Perhaps the most basic component of this subject lies in the physical part. This is the situation whereby an individual tends to physically injure or harm another employee. Further, the process of threatening the safety of an employee also amounts to workplace bullying.
In some cases, it is common that rogue employers or senior employees forcefully change the junior staff into positions of lower responsibility without cause. Altering the work stations of individuals without seemingly giving adequate reason of doing so, especially in the case where the employee in question is being demoted into a position of lower duty amounts to workplace bullying. This is a legal stand that numerous people might fail to recognize (Namie & Gary, 2009, p. 70). The employer has no right of forcefully and consequently unfairly changing the employees’ position without proper reason.
In some cases, employers tend to establish impossible and irritating deadlines for specific tasks given to specific people. This is as a reason of ensuring that they do not meet the set deadline and hence crop a reason for demotion or in severe cases firing. Employers should recognize that setting impossible deadlines for the sole reason of impelling failure is illegal and amounts to unfair treatment and consequently workplace violence.
Some individuals might be victims of others who often withhold information regarding the successful completeness of a given task. In this case, the concerned person is wanted in a failures position by the information holder. In some instances, various employees tend to give the wrong information to others with the sole purpose of sabotaging the works being done. This is a process that legally amounts to workplace violence as well as bullying.
Intentionally making fun or jokes on another person’s attributes, including physical amounts to bullying. It is also a common scenario that numerous individuals have experienced or even observed especially in school. This action is also experienced in the workplace by many. When an individual offends another either by word of mouth or even through other means such as the use of email, they are engaging into an illegal act of workplace bullying and violence.
Bosses or senior employees charged with the responsibility of giving work and tasks to the junior staff might engage in the act of bullying through the unfair process of giving too much or unreasonable workload. This might be due to various reasons such as personal conflicts. However, when an individual is charged with more work than is necessary and feels unnecessary pressure has been applied to them, they are simply being victims of bullying.
Any activities that amounts to sabotaging of another person’s work or workstation are also a bullying act that and consequently a violent workplace act. Individuals who engage in the process of mischievously tampering with the workstations of others or in the personal belongings of respective colleagues in the workplace are being violent.
The process of delivering unwarranted or undeserved punishments and consequences to various individuals in the workplace context normally by senior employees or bosses amounts to workplace violence. It is an illegal act that tends to subject innocent individuals into undeserved situations and should therefore not be tolerated by both concerned individuals.
Persistent criticism to certain people in the workplace situation also amounts to bullying and consequently workplace violence. When anybody is constantly engaging fellow workers or encountered individuals in a combat of words with the aim of criticizing them, they are simply bullying the concerned person.
Other activities that amount to workplace bullying include under-working employees. This might be an elaborate undertaking aimed at ensuring that respective employees feel useless. The process of belittling another person’s idea also amounts to bullying. The use of profanities or constant yelling to employees amounts to workplace violence too. Further, the process of intruding on an employee’s privacy through spying, pestering, or stalking also amounts to workplace violence. These are some of the activities that amount to bullying. As indicated earlier, there are numerous situations that also amounts to the same that have not been mentioned their vitality not withstanding.
Bullying affects an individual in certain ways in the workplace. It is important that the activities that lead or follow after a person has been bullied or experienced violence in the workplace be discussed. A range of effects will typically infest or manifest on the person in this context. Most of these consequences are emotional or psychological. The feeling of shock, anger, and a feeling of helplessness and frustration is a common side and after effect of workplace violence or bullying. This process leads to an increased level of the concerned person feeling vulnerable to similar situations in future. Further, individuals will tend to lose their respectful confidence in dealing with life issues.
There are also physical consequences resultant from workplace bullying and violence. The loss of vital sleep is one such effect. This is also closely followed by the loss of appetite by individuals. Other health and psychosomatic symptoms and consequences of workplace violence include headaches and stomach pains. This is often followed by the feeling of panic over going to work every session considering that the effects and processes of previous experiences are still ringing in the mind (David & Fleet, 2009, p. 30). Often, this whole issue will result into personal and ripple effectively to close confidants and family through tension and stress. The overall inability in relation to vitally concentrating on the work will eventually lead to general low morale or productivity.
While violent workplace crimes are all over the headlines, workplace bullying is a more pressing and prevalent issue. It is estimated that more than a third of workers in the United States have at one time been victims of being bullied in the workplace. It is also essential to note that the real health and personal effects of these cases as indicated by victims have also lasted for years. Therefore, generally, the process of workplace bullying is a costly and unjust affair that is depriving the American economy and business millions of dollars annually.
As indicated, workplace bullies often terrorize other workers thereby negatively impacting on their productivity and cultures. Often, good and productive workers are sometimes forced to quit or leave their respectful workplaces so as to avoid the turmoil and daily experiences from the bullies (Mayhew & McCarthy, 2004, p. 107). Consequently, a fertile breeding ground for concerned unions in the country is created by such situations. Bullying can build up to overwhelming levels of illegal and violent behavior if left unchecked and hence expose the concerned organization into real legal risks and consequences.
A larger number of states within the United States have considered the essentiality of an anti-bullying legislation. In relation to the Workplace Bullying Institute, relevant legislation is currently being processed through various undertakings in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Utah, Oklahoma, Oregon, Illinois, Connecticut, and Nevada. It is also important to note that the anti-bullying regulations have not yet been enforced into law. However, based on the current employment laws, various courts and judges have considered it right holding bullies and often the employers into accountability regarding such cases.
The most vital component of any workplace and their respective prevention program in relation to bullying and workplace violence is the commitment of the management. The commitment of the management is best shown in a written and enforced policy. Considering that bullying is a form of violence as earlier indicated in the workplace scenario, employers may often wish to comprehensively write given policies that tend to cover a range of specified incidents. These incidents might include harassment and bullying as well as physical harassment.
Employees also have a role to play in the prevention of workplace bullying. For instance, if one feels that they are being bullied or discriminated over, they can take certain steps so as to curb this. For instance, in the case where one feels harassed, firmly indicating that they do not like the treatment initially helps in prevention of future abuses. Involving senior employees or supervisors will also be helpful in this case. It is also important to keep a daily report on factual elements and situations in the day. Keeping any evidence such as letters regarding such situations is also helpful in the case of filing a suit in court (Futterman, 2004, p. 53). It is also vital that concerned individuals do not retaliate in the seeking of justice. This is due to the fact that they might end up looking like the perpetrator. Confusion may also likely root from such situations especially in the context of the one’s charged with the duty of indulging in such situations.
REFERENCES
O’Shea, J. (2011). Abuse: Domestic Violence, Workplace and School Bullying. Boston: Attic
Press
Namie, R. & Gary, N. (2009). The Bully at Work. New Jersey: Source Books.
David, F. & Fleet, E. (2009). The Violence Volcano: Reducing the Threat of Workplace
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Mayhew, C. & McCarthy, P. (2004). Safeguarding the Organization against Violence and
Bullying: An International Perspective. London: Macmillan.
Futterman, S. (2004). When you work for a bully. Illinois: Croce Publishing.
Mark, B. (2005). Aggression in Organizations. Journal of Emotional Abuse Monographic
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AllBusiness.com (2009). How can I help prevent crime and violence in my workplace? New
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