Work Place Bullying

1. Presented by Group E:
Charlotte Baker, Janice Battinelli, Laycee Gaul,
Crystal Haines, Carlyle Morel, Cladise
Slaughter, Ashley Teyechea, & David Woods
Social Responsibility
SOCI 4080-10
Instructor: Professor Ginger Devine

2.  What is workplace bullying?
 How does workplace bullying occur?
 What motivates the bully?
 What types of people are at risk for becoming targeted?
 What are its effects on victims, observers, & businesses?
 What can be done about it?
 How can social change agents help combat the problem?

3. What is
Workplace
Bullying?
 Too complex to have a universal
definition
 Repeated stress inducing
actions toward another
 Passive, active, overt, or covert
actions that intimidate, degrade,
humiliate, or undermine
another
 Creates feeling of
defenselessness

4.  Spreading malicious rumors, gossiping
 Undermining or intentionally impeding
another’s work
 Blame or unwarranted criticism without
factual justification
 Exclusion, social isolation
 Excessive monitoring, micromanaging,
unwarranted punishment
 Blocking training, leave or promotion

5.  A strict supervisor
 Consequences for poor work
performance
 Warranted demotion, discipline,
counseling, or termination

6. How Does
Workplace
Bullying
Happen?
 Ignorance of the issue
 Bully supported
through action or
inaction of management
 Stressed employees
taking frustrations out
on others
 No system of reporting
or protection for victims
 Lack of recognition and
anti-bullying laws
worldwide

7. How Do Targets Handle Bullying?
 Targets accept the bullying
behavior as part of employment
 Victims fear retribution or losing
position for making waves
 75% of victims end bullying
behavior only by leaving the
company entirely

8. Bullies work to
psychologically &
systematically wear the
target down to:
 Ensure own job
security
 Further own career
 Exert or gain a sense
of power
 Instill fear in the
target or observers
Work Environments
Can Perpetuate
Bullying

9. Personal prejudices harbored against others
Prevent advancement opportunities for target
Create a scapegoat for workplace stressors such as
company downsizing, unreasonable work
demands or work overload
Create social isolation for target

10. Top-down:
 managers and supervisors
who bully subordinates
Horizontal:
 peers who bully co-workers
in similar job positions
Bottom-up:
 workers who bully
supervisors or managers

11.  Perceived as threat to job
security or advancement
 Negative interpersonal
relationships or role
conflicts
 High risk job sectors or
level of employment
 Viewed as weak or easy to
victimize
Diversity Issues:
 Race, culture, ethnicity,
national origin,
religion
 Age, gender,
personality traits,
physical characteristics
 Sexual orientation,
gender identification

12. The following chart denotes the percentages of:
 men bullying men
 women bullying women,
 men bullying women
 women bullying men

14. Effects of Bullying on the Victim
 Stress & job dissatisfaction
 High absenteeism
 Hyper-vigilance
 Psychological and
psychosocial distress
 Job loss
3.6%
9.8%
14.6
%
22.6
%
49.4
%
Under 1 month
1-3 Months
3-6 Months
6-12 Minths
Over one year

15. Suicide:
50% of surveyed individuals
reported contemplating
suicide; 20% later succeeded
Victims of bullying are three
times more likely to
experience depression than
the average individual
The impact of bullying on
victims has been found to
correlate with the diagnostic
criteria of Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder and anxiety
Workplace Bullying
has devastating
effects on the target!

16. “Bystander effect" - the idea that observers stand by,
unwilling to assist someone in need of help
• 12% of observers report that they have witnessed
bullying
• Bystanders fear that the workplace bully will turn on
them
In order for bystanders to feel comfortable enough to
intervene, they need to know they can do something
about it. Witnesses need to feel empowered and
supported when they report bullying behavior.

17. Fear of becoming targeted
causes observers to join
forces with the bully,
resulting in mobbing.
“Workplace mobbing” is
an issue in which a group
of people gang up on a
target without retribution
for their actions.

18. Billions of dollars lost
worldwide each year
due to:
High employee turnover
Decreased productivity
Low job satisfaction
High absenteeism
Use of work computers &
technology extends
behavior into cyberspace,
sullying business
reputation

19. Improved staff satisfaction, retention
 Enhanced reputation for the business
 Creates a culture of professionals, role models
 Improves work safety, quality
 Greater staff willingness to report
 Reduced liability, risk management
 A more civil, productive, desirable workplace

20. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% employee
turnover
% employees
reporting
chronic stress
% employees
seeking work
eleswhere
% employees
who would
recommend
as a good place
to work
% employee
satisfaction
APA's 2010
PHWA award
winners
U.S.
Average
19%
Difference
13%
Difference
8%
Difference
32%
Difference
11%
Difference
Psychologically healthy workplaces have lower
turnover, less stress & higher job satisfaction
Sources: American Psychological Association, U.S. Dept. of Labor
Bureau of labor statistics, 2009

21. Employees:
NEVER become a bully under any circumstances
Recognize when you are being bullied, realize it is
not your fault
Alert management immediately
Ask witnesses to testify that they observed bullying

22. Employers:
 Provide conferences or workshops to educate
and empower
 Create & enforce a zero tolerance anti-bullying
policy
 Determine & enforce possible courses of action
for bullying behaviors
 Promote & endorse anti-bullying legislation

23. Employers must establish and enforce strict guidelines
 Have employees submit a signed statement
regarding commitment to abide by conduct rules
 Encourage reporting
 Have focus groups to “conduct surveys” to be
analyzed regularly

24. Three levels of intervention for bullies, victims,
and observers:
 Informal Intervention: conduct interviews to discuss
events, listen to responses, get perspectives of all
people involved
 Awareness Intervention: Compilation and divulge
complaints from data in a supportive manner to raise
awareness
 Authority Intervention: specify behaviors that need
improvement, give timeline to improve behavior

25. Employers can support victims, observers,
and bullies by:
 Offering healthcare support, evaluation,
treatment plans & wellness programs
 Providing training on professional behavior
 Participating in the recovery of those who
experienced or witnessed disruptive bullying
behavior

26.  Recognize and report Workplace bullying when it
occurs
 Help educate others and create awareness
 Volunteer to help the State Coordinators enact the
Healthy Workplace Bill
 Become a citizen lobbyist or state coordinator
 Assist employers in creating a anti-bullying policy
 Endorse the Healthy Workplace Bill:
http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/

27. Recent recognition of the problem and
increasing awareness are improving the future
outlook of this issue.
 Companies worldwide are establishing annual
training courses and codes of conduct regarding
workplace bullying
 A safe and comfortable work environment where all
employees feel secure and able to be productive is the
ultimate goal
 5-10 years will likely not see the eradication of this
issue, however, each individual commitment can
contribute to overall social change

28. “As a victim who was fired for being a victim, I am
absolutely incensed at the injustice and inhumanity of
executives and managers who let this continue!
As a victim who has suffered many of the debilitating
symptoms of bullying, I am sickened by the
hypocrisy of company "codes of ethics and conduct".
Signed, a victim

29.  Workplace bullying is a serious, yet preventable,
problem that results in harmful effects victims,
witnesses and businesses alike
 There are currently few laws against workplace
bullying but companies and individuals choosing
to take a stand can have a huge impact and work
toward its elimination

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