After deputy prime minister Dominic Raab quit over bullying claims, Woman investigates what happens when you’re picked on at work…
Bullying has long been associated with children in the school playground. Teasing, name-calling, a push or a shove… When you finish school, you assume you leave all that behind. But what happens when a bully enters the workplace?
Last month, Dominic Raab sensationally quit the government after facing claims that he bullied and belittled staff. An investigation found he had acted with ‘unreasonable and persistently aggressive conduct’. Yet, despite claiming to be ‘genuinely sorry for any unintended stress or offence’, Raab said the inquiry had ‘set a dangerous precedent’. He had never ‘sworn or shouted at anyone, let alone thrown anything, or otherwise physically intimidated anyone,’ he said. But does bullying always mean displaying physical violence?
Research shows that 32% of UK workers have experienced bullying masked as banter. Harassment at work can also include making an employee feel they are not wanted, or not good enough, ultimately causing them to quit. One woman tells us her experience of being bullied by her boss and the shocking impact it had on her.
‘I JUST WANTED TO DRIVE OFF A CLIFF’
Lying in bed, I glanced at the clock. It was 2am, but as my mind raced, I knew I had no chance of falling back to sleep. I dreaded the thought of my alarm going off, getting up and enduring another day at what felt like hell. Except it wasn’t, it was my job. It was the same every night, and I knew I couldn’t go on like this, but I didn’t know what else to do.
I’d carved out a successful career for myself, I had plenty of experience in my role, my colleagues thought highly of me, and I’d been consistently rated as a top performer. But for the last year, I’d been reporting to a new manager, and now, I couldn’t seem to do anything right.
I was constantly being asked by my colleagues why I hadn’t done something which was allocated as my responsibility. Only, my manager hadn’t told me. I’d be called into meetings with no warning and asked to present data. And although I’d done the research, I hadn’t been given any time to prepare and everyone would watch as I stumbled over my words.
When I brought up these issues with my manager, she spoke to me as if I was a child, telling me I had to keep up and try harder. I felt belittled and humiliated, but I was determined not to let it show. I knew I was good at my job, I just had to
