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Workplace Bullying

Posted By : Administrator Monday 10 Oct, 2016
Workplace Bullying

When you hear the word ‘bully’, what do you think of? A gang of children, towering over a lone girl or boy, threatening, sneering at and making fun of him or her? If yes, the reason is that most of us have either witnessed or experienced such instances of bullying first-hand when we were young or had this image reinforced in our minds by movies and TV shows. Perhaps because we think of bullying as an activity that is restricted to childhood and children, we hesitate to identify, believe and report instances of workplace bullying.


Working on projects, meeting deadlines and interacting and collaborating with colleagues who have varying skills and personalities can sometimes be a stressful experience. While differences of opinion, minor arguments and sharing of jokes are common at work, there are some activities that fall in that ugly realm of workplace bullying. So what exactly is it? Any type of repeated activity that has a negative impact on the emotional wellbeing of an employee counts as bullying at work. This could range from shouting and verbal abuse to discrimination, obstruction of work and personal jokes that are not appreciated by the targeted person. Typically, one person is singled out and at the receiving end of bias and blame, or unjustly excluded from activities meant for everyone.


Most people spend at least 8 hours at work every day. That’s one-third of somebody’s life. Enduring humiliation, anger, irritation and shaming in such a significant aspect of one’s life can have a serious impact on mental wellbeing and the personal front.


Often, people don’t just stop at bullying. Twenty percent of the time, it can escalate and become a case of the even more serious offense of harassment . It is possible that this happens because improper behaviour at work is brushed under the carpet, not acknowledged or reported to the right people. The only way to counter this is to acknowledge the problem of workplace bullying and collectively create an atmosphere that discourages it.


Victims aren’t just temporarily scarred by the experience of being treated unfairly or facing humiliation, they are also at a higher risk of depression, developing anxiety disorders, experiencing feelings of low self-esteem and facing anger-management issues.


Hence, it becomes imperative that people who have been bullied have a safe space to voice their problems and express their feelings of guilt, shame, sadness, anger and hopelessness. Therefore, effective psychotherapy that is conducted by an experienced psychologist is the best form of therapy for workplace bullying. A patient may also be taught coping mechanisms that can help them deal with past experiences and prevent instances of bullying in the future. In some cases, psychologists and psychotherapists may work together to treat a patient.


Catex Health is a large network of mental health experts who are available 24x7 for your support and will ensure confidential, dignified and empowering support for any sort of emotional distress. If you have been a victim of workplace bullying and need help, please reach out today. Click Here to reach out to an expert today or call us at +91 9911775626.