Talking point
Do you dread starting the working week? Feeling intimidated by colleagues? Here’s how you can seek support
*NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT IDENTITY.
Many of us thought we had left bullying behind when we left school. However, it seems that the workplace has become the new playground, with a YouGov survey finding that one in three employees has been bullied at work.
Workplace bullying has dominated the headlines in recent months, thanks largely to the slew of accusations and resignations by members of the government. But the issue goes much deeper than these high-profile incidents. In fact, bullying in the workplace is rife in every industry, and women are 11% more likely than men to be the victims. A Trades Union Congress poll carried out earlier this year found that 58% of women had been sexually harassed, bullied or verbally abused while trying to do their job.
‘It’s a huge problem,’ says Christine Pratt, founder of the UK’s National Bullying Helpline. ‘We’ve had distress calls from nurses, carers, pilots, firefighters, solicitors – the list goes on. We often have more than 4,000 visitors to our site every day, searching for advice on how to deal with workplace bullying.’
So what exactly constitutes bullying? Although there’s no legal definition, it generally refers to repeated behaviour that is unreasonable or abusive. It can take place face to face as well as remotely, and common examples include intimidation, humiliation or constant criticism. Many victims report being repeatedly singled out for unpopular shifts or tasks, being ignored or excluded from meetings or social events, or having a promotion blocked. Being asked to do things that are unreasonable or not part of a job description is another common experience. And bullying isn’t just the preserve of those in power – it may come from our colleague peers too.
Sometimes, accusations of bullying are brushed away as personality clashes by employers. But if the behaviour is aggressive, dismissive, or disregards your rights or boundaries, it’s a serious issue.
While some bullying is easy to spot, it’s frequently less tangible, and gaslighting is commonplace. ‘Often, an employee can’t quite put their finger on the problem and believe they are imagining things,’ says Christine. ‘They may feel constantly undermined or excluded, and they start to develop trust issues within the workplace.’
The impact of this can be devastating. Being bullied at work is one of the biggest contributors to stress-related health problems, including debilitating feelings of anxiety, panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts. It’s been linked with health issues from h
