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“People who are bullied are 50 percent more likely to miss work from doctor-certified illnesses than those who are not bullied. Bullying poisons the work environment to such an extent that even people who work near it, but are not directly involved, are 9 percent more likely to miss work from illness,” says Mika Kivimaki, senior researcher in the University of Helsinki’s psychology Department, who conducted a study about bullying in the workplace.
So, what are the signs that you are being bullied?
You are singled out. You do not receive the same treatment as everyone else. Different rules seem to exist for you, and while the mistakes of others may be overlooked, yours never are.
You are humiliated in front of others. If something has gone wrong, or sometimes even if it hasn't, the boss will reprimand you in front of colleagues or customers. Unless it is a life-or-death situation, it is never acceptable to berate a staff member in front of others.
You get shouted at. Shouting in the workplace is always unacceptable, but can be very intimidating to the person who is being shouted at. Most people feel a bit like an animal caught in the headlights when this happens. Shouting is verbal aggression and makes everyone tense.
You are subtly threatened. You get reminded of people who didn't do what the boss wanted and are now retrenched, unemployed or working elsewhere in low-earning jobs. If you are dependant on the income you receive from your job, these hints could make you very jittery and very compliant with whatever the boss wants.
Your workload is unreasonable. You are expected to work longer hours than the others, or achieve more in the same time. Instructions are not given clearly, almost as if the boss wants you to make a mess of things.
You are being made fun of. Teasing is a subtle form of bullying, as it renders the recipient helpless. If you react negatively when you are being teased, it looks as if you cannot take a joke. But constant badgering is a form of bullying nevertheless, incorporating the classic elements of bullying, such as intimidation, humiliation and subtle threats.
But just remember, if someone is lazy and does not do what they are paid to do, any reasonable boss will eventually be driven to desperate measures and might resort to the tactics mentioned above in order to get the job done. Before you start slamming your boss, you need to make absolutely sure that your work is beyond reproach.
