Bullying may be something that is synonymous with the playground, but increasingly, it is a problem that also arises in many workplaces. Pressures and stresses at work and the introduction of new legislation have highlighted a trend.
One in five employees has experienced bullying in some form over the past few years, according to a survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Bullying can occur in a number of ways - from physical abuse to verbal harassment and from unfair criticisms to the ridicule of personal characteristics. It can range from very obvious, classic bullying to much more subtle forms.
There are serious consequences for organisations whose employees are found guilty of bullying in the workplace - damages of up to GBP800,000 have been awarded to the victims.
While many people on the receiving end of this treatment may believe the only suitable punishment for bullies is dismissal, there are ways in which such conflicts can be resolved.
Annette Evans, director of north-east based coaching and facilitation specialist Unleash Potential International, is regularly asked to provide coaching in a vast range of circumstances, often to employees considered key by their organisations. In recent times, Annette has seen a significant increase in the number of individuals accused of bullying in the workplace, referred to her for support by their employees.
Annette, a qualified counsellor and psychology graduate currently working towards a masters in coaching and mentoring practice, said: "The fact that such high awards have been paid out to people who have experienced bullying in the workplace highlights just how serious a problem it has become."
She says that while there are occasional instances when employees are aware that they are bullying other members of staff, often those involved are oblivious to the fact that their behaviour is causing such problems.
"Bullying can cause extremely serious consequences for the individual at the receiving end - it can damage their confidence, morale and motivation and can also cause health problems, including stress, depression and anxiety attacks," said Annette.
"This can lead to higher levels of absenteeism from the affected party and, in 25% of cases, it results in the victim leaving their position. Employees witnessing the bullying often also report incidences of stress, and many leave their jobs as a result.
"But many individuals accused of bullying don't realise how they are behaving. External coaching can help them to analyse their behaviour as, often, they don't appreciate that there are alternative ways to behave and more effective methods of dealing with problems.
"Sometimes, the accused individual doesn't realise that they are replicating their work behaviour with family members and friends. It can be a real weight off their shoulders to identify this problem and see that there are other ways in which to behave. It can affect that person's whole life once they realise that they can change their approach and work to develop more positive relationships.
"There are occasions of course when people are unwilling to change. We can present them with their options and help them to understand the choices available, but there are a few who decide that they don't want to modify how they behave.
"The difference now, however, is that they are making the decision from choice with a clear understanding of the likely consequences in terms of their career and the risk to their organisation."
Annette says the fact that companies choose to refer those accused of bullying to her for coaching rather than more traditional methods of performance improvement, shows that they are willing to invest in their people and recognise the contribution these individuals make in the workplace. It is also recognition of how easy it is to slip from a demanding style of management to bullying.
She continued: "It would be easy for a manager to present warnings to individuals reported by their colleagues, but by trying to induce a rational solution to the conflict, they are not only investing in the wellbeing of the affected employees, but can also avoid losing key members of their team.
"It shows that the company really values its employees and the individual accused of bullying will realise that the company is making this investment in a bid to help them appreciate that their behaviour is not appropriate, but that if they are willing to look at other perspectives, they can still be a valued and respected member of the organisation."
Unleash Potential International provides coaching, facilitation, teambuilding and psychometric testing services to a range of companies throughout the UK. Every service provided by the team is conducted on a totally confidential basis.
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