Freedom From Bullies Week

When we hear about bullies, we normally think about children in schools. Most of us know it’s wrong (and not “boys will be boys” or something to that effect) and teach our children to not bully each other—or at least try to teach them to respect one another. But what about bullying that happens after you’ve gone through all the pomp and circumstance?

It seems that the same parents who keep the “boys will be boys” mentality—of course, they may not be parents at all, as well—may just be the same adults who bully others in the workplace. These are people who push other people around—normally, experts say, due to their own low self-esteem—and expect to simply get away with it.

Now, I know plenty of people out there—especially the guys!—are reluctant to report workplace abuse (and that’s what bullying is), but if you don’t, what do you think is going to happen? It will magically stop happening?

Some say that within this tough economy, manager and other people with positions of power may bully people more often without the threat of people reporting the incident. Not only could they possibly use these hard times as an excuse for bullying; they also might believe that their victims will be less likely to report it for fear of losing their jobs.

But there is no excuse for bullying—and there is no reason to grin and bear it, either. Recently a coworker of my husband’s—his own friend, actually—bullied him into performing work that was not his responsibility as well as working extra hours so the man could go home early while a supervisor was away. While this made my husband distraught, we both agreed he had to report the incident. Thankfully when he did, action was taken, and the abuse did not continue.

Did you know that 37% of U.S. workers—or 54 million people—report being bullied every year? When unreported cases are taken into account, that number is probably astronomical.

USA Today reports that bullying is “a silent epidemic” that effects every one in six workers, and that 80% of workers see the bullying. Those 8 in 10 workers, however, usually do nothing to stop the bullying, either, in fear of losing their own jobs. And the bullying results in depression for almost half of those who report experiencing it. Employers should frown upon workplace bullying as well, since 80% of victims say that it makes them more anxious, keeping them from being as productive as they would be in a peaceful environment.

It’s no wonder we live in such a violent world when such aggressive behavior is not only aggregated, but tolerated, in the workplace. And just what are these kids learning from these parents? It’s not just violence either, of course; bosses who constantly criticize without cause or coworkers who verbally harass you—all especially in front of others—are bullies.

If you’re afraid of reporting workplace bullying or don’t know where to begin, you can use The Workplace Bullying website as a guide. Experts say that victims should not listen to bullies’ verbal assaults and assert their rights to be respected in the workplace. It doesn’t matter what your rank or position is; everyone deserves a safe and peaceful working environment. If nothing works, reporting the bully—and documenting the abuse—is a must-do. For more information on combating workplace bullies, click here.