Workplace Bullying 2 : Causes and Negative Impact of Bullying at Work

Read: Workplace Bullying Series 1: How to Identify Workplace Bullying

The Aftertaste of Bullying

What does it feel like to be bullied, one may ask? Such an experience leaves a feeling of depression, dejection, and bile on the tongue of a victim. Not forgetting that it paints quite an ugly picture which is often very difficult to erase. As such, it only takes a strong will and an informed background to withstand a bully or even live through such a gruesome encounter. That is why this series is geared towards actively equipping a reader with important information on the causes and effect of workplace bullying.

Why Bully?

In Ditch the Label, there are a couple of reasons why this occurs:

Traumatic Experience or Stress

In research, they discovered that bullies must have one way or the other experienced trauma or stress. We all react to these issues in a different light, and unfortunately, some people manage theirs through transferred aggression.

Background

It was discovered that some people were raised in an aggressive environment or by aggressive parents. Obviously, many of such kids end up as bullies.

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Low self-esteem

Some individuals think very low of themselves, to hide this feeling, they bim the light on other people around them in the form of bullying: taking out their anger and frustration on those who they feel are vulnerable, weak, and unprotected.

Victims

Those who are bullies today have been bullied at a point in their life as kids or adults, and to protect themselves from further occurrences, they too become bullies.

Neglect

Some kids have been neglected by parents who are too involved in other things like career, drugs, relationships, and many more. Unfortunately, some kids don’t get the love and attention deserved, and they live their lives on the terms and conditions they have created for themselves by themselves.

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Lack of Orientation

Many individuals are typically unaware of the fact that they are bullies through their actions and inaction or the hate-speech they utter. As such, there is little or no awareness created to correct this.

Peer Influence

One could bully by association or influence. Some clicks live on bullying and if you must become a member, you are expected to live up to their terms and condition.

Why Do Employees Get Bullied

Gordon intimates readers on some of these reasons:

Targets are Skilled or Likable Workers.

Most employees likely get bullied because they know their job too well and they get the work done, are friendly or popular. Unconsciously, this poses a big threat to some bullies who feel that their reputation is being threatened.

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Vulnerable Personalities

Bullies feed off other people’s weakness; they are afraid of the assertive ones and the extroverted. If you are an introvert, always anxious or eager to please, or submissive, you could likely be the best target for a bully.

Physical

Targets are bullied due to their physical abilities or inabilities, age, gender, sexual preference, and many more.

6 Reasons why Workplace Bullying Occurs?

Joan enumerates some reasons why bullying occurs in work-spaces, but is often the result of a combination of personality factors and work-related stress including but not limited to:

• Job insecurity
• Workload
• Role conflict/ambiguity
• Cognitive demands of the job
• Negative emotional states
• Aggressive or hostile behaviors

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13 Ways to Identify a Bully

Morris points out some traits of a bully:

1.  They Take Up your space.
2. They are manipulative.
3. They always act like the victim.
4. They speak down on you.
5. They Control your behavior physically and Mentally.
6. They are two-faced.
7. They Sap you of energy and time.
8. Your friends and family don’t like them.
9. They isolate you.
10. They give you the cold shoulders when you don’t do their biddings.
11. You dread seeing them.
12. They threaten you.
13. You are afraid of them.

5 Main Causes of Workplace Bullying

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• Some Work environments are unapologetic when it comes to accepting aggressive behavior or tolerates a high degree of interpersonal conflict.
• Instability. Most Organizations simply cannot control the way change takes place and with each change comes stress, anxiety, and conflict.
• Policy or demand laid down by a company could encourage the act of bullying in diverse forms. For example, centralization of power and placing employees on targets.
• A gap in-office relationship.
• Work cultures or norms that encourage ridiculing others or division.

(Workplace Bullying and How to Prevent Them.)

14 Negative Effects of workplace Bullying

According to Gordon, some of these are:

The 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 and more,  including:

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1. Fear or Anxiety
2. Higher blood pressure
3. Panic attacks
4. Stress
5. Insomnia
6. Loss of appetite
7. Job Performance or productivity
8. A loss of self-esteem
9. Having trouble making decisions
10. Financial loss for the company
11. Exit or resignantion
12. Depression
13. Conflict
14. Insubordination

Bullied workers not only lose motivation, they lose time because they are preoccupied with:

• Trying to defend themselves.
• Avoiding the bully.
• Networking for support.
• Ruminating about the situation.
• Planning how to deal with the situation.

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Clearly, some decisions made by a company and the attitude of several colleagues may contribute to the act of bullying in some offices. So also, these have after-effects on the company, the mental health of victims, and workflow. Obviously, there is an urgent need to end such unethical practices at work.                                                        

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Written by Boldpetalzblog with Management contribution from Iveren Ityoikaa (FIMC, IMC)   Management Consultant  (Guest SME)

Works Cited

“Why Do People Bully? The Scientific Reasons.”  15th  November 2020. https://www.ditchthelabel.org/why-do-people-bully/ 29^th July 2021.

Sherri Gordon. “Six Reasons Why People are Bullied at Work.” Verywellmind. 26^th May 2020.   https://www.verywellmind.com/reasons-why-workplace-bullies-target-people-460783 29^th July 2021.

Joan Dunlop  “Workplace Bullying: Causes, Effects, and Prevention” https://cenera.ca/ 2016.

https://cenera.ca/workplace-bullying-causes-effects-and-prevention/ 29^th July 2021.

Jessica Morris. “14 Ways to Identify a Bully”  11^th March 2016. Watersedge Counselling. https://watersedgecounselling.com/14-ways-to-identify-a-bully/ 29^th July 2021.

“Workplace Bullying and How to Prevent Them.” https://www.hrinasia.com/ 26^th July 2019. https://www.hrinasia.com/employee-relations/workplace-bullying-causes-and-how-to-prevent-them/ 29^th July 2021

Sherri Gordon. “The Effects of Workplace Bullying” Verywellmind. 10^th March 2020.   https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-the-effects-of-workplace-bullying-460628 29^th July 2021.

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