How to Handle Bullying in the Workplace?

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BY Dr. Tangier Scott | May 18, 2022

Workplace bullying is defined as persistent mistreatment that occurs in the workplace. It can include behaviors such as verbal criticism, personal attacks, humiliation, belittling, and exclusion.1It’s important to note that anyone can be a bully or be bullied regardless of the role a person holds in the workplace.

According to a survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute, 30% of workers have directly experienced bullying while at work. People who work remotely were more likely to report such bullying, with 43.2% responding that they had been bullied on the job.2 

Workplace bullying has a negative impact on the health and well-being of employees. It can also have a negative impact on workplace productivity and performance.

This article discusses some of the signs and effects of workplace bullying. It also covers the impact that it has on the workplace and what people can do to help prevent this type of behavior.

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Signs of Workplace Bullying

If you’re a target of bullies in the workplace, you probably start each week with a pit of anxiety in your stomach. Then, you count down the days until the weekend or next vacation. Inappropriate behavior by adult bullies may include:

  • Berating people
  • Coercing people to do things they don’t want to do
  • Dismissing someone’s efforts
  • Embarrassing people in front of their employer, co-workers, or clients
  • Excluding others
  • Intimidating people
  • Lying to others
  • Making snide remarks
  • Minimizing their concerns
  • Taking credit for other people’s work
  • Threatening others
  • Unfair criticism
 

Workplace bullying is not always overt or openly hostile. It can also take more subtle forms, including gaslighting where the bully engages in abusive behaviors but then denies the abuse. The goal of gaslighting is to make the victim of bullying doubt their reality and experiences.

Effects of Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying can have a range of negative effects. Research on bullying in the workplace quantifies the personal consequences for the victim and fiscal consequences that affect the company’s bottom line.4

Health Risks

The effects of workplace bullying don’t end when you leave the office. Being a victim of bullying can cause physical and psychological health problems, including:5

  • Higher blood pressure
  • Mood changes
  • Panic attacks
  • Stress
  • Ulcers
  • Worry

People who are bullied at work may also experience other physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and changes in appetite. It can also impact sleep quality and duration. 

Workplace bullying can also contribute to increased stress, low self-esteem, and feelings of anxiety and depression.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki Department of Public Health found the coworkers of those who are bullied also experience negative effects.6 Their results show victims of bullying and those who witness it are more likely to receive a prescription for psychotropic medications such as antidepressants, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills.

Original Article: By Verywell Mind.com https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-the-effects-of-workplace-bullying-460628