I Am Being Bullied – What does ‘feeling bullied’ mean?
- Feeling put upon?
- Unfairly treated?
- Hurt?
You are not necessarily being targeted or being bullied just because you feel any or all of the above.
When we feel bad, we see events less clearly. We can be biased and blame others.
Because we feel vulnerable, we might misinterpret reasonable behaviour for something else, something targeted against us personally. Think about this possibility.
What to do?
First of all, assess what is happening objectively.
Try to avoid assuming everything done to you by a person has the same motive. Try not to connect a sequence of events which may not be connected.
- Read up on the topic and try to be clear – what policies are in place.
- Is the behaviour upsetting you due to other or personal reasons?
- Is the criticism warranted, for instance is work-related non-performance the issue
- Is it a personality ‘clash’? Are you both just spoiling for conflict?
- Is it a repeated pattern of behaviour, picking you out, offensively?
If you agree with the last bullet above, you may be the target of bullying and you can take some action.
- Approach the person and point out the behaviour(s). Say it’s hostile and offensive.
- Clearly state to them that you wish them to stop as you would like a good working relationship with them.
- If you are too frightened to do this, make a brief note of the behaviour and its effects and seek out someone to bring the matter to – someone in Human Resource, a Manager or a representative.
Remember – to accuse someone of bullying is a serious thing and so should only be done carefully and with a reliable set of circumstances indicating that the bullying is occurring.
Keep confidentiality; there are consequences for defaming or libelling a person.
Gathering evidence
Once you have formed the opinion that you are being bullied, keep copies of any relevant materials (notes, emails etc)
Then seek out your organisation’s Anti Bullying Policy and follow its guidelines.
- Report the matter to someone in a Human Resources or Management position or to a Contact Person, if these exist within your workplace.
- The matter should be dealt with as early as possible so hostilities don’t grow, and preferably at first it should be dealt with informally, with the aim or resolving and stopping the activities, and moving on.
- If this is not successful, mediation may be required. While both parties must agree in order for any mediation to be successful, it is a very important step and should not be dismissed out of hand. Skilled professional mediation should be used.
- Finally, if other attempts to satisfy the situation fail, a formal investigation of the facts may be required.
Checkout Harassment and Bullying Training CPD Approved
Be Prepare Get Your Bullying Training HERE £20 plus vat
Your Company should be committed to providing Anti Harassment and Bullying Training and a working environment free from harassment and bullying and ensuring all staff are treated, and treat others, with dignity and respect.
This Anti Harassment and Bullying Training course covers the commitments that will be laid out in your company’s anti-harassment and bullying policy.
It then explains the differences between harassment and bullying, the steps that can be taken if either of these occur in or out of work, and some case studies to illustrate the points covered throughout the course.
Bullying & Harassment Training Course Covers
Policy Commitments
Harassment And Bullying
Informal Steps,
Raising A Formal Complaint and Investigations
Action Following Investigations
Case Studies
Pass % Required 70%
Be Prepare Get Your Bullying Training HERE £20 plus vat
Do you know the 4 types of workplace harassment? they include Abuse of Power, a manager can make unreasonable demands of an employee, Psychological Harassment. Psychological harassment can be overt or subtle, Online Bullying, Retaliation.
If I am a managers or Supervisor how do I deal with harassment?
Encourage employees to report any behaviour they believe to be harassment. Their line manager should be the first point of contact. Managers should remain alert and tackle any inappropriate behaviour immediately. Don’t dismiss inappropriate workplace behaviour as “the norm”
