Bullying in the workplace can be uncomfortable and prohibit you from doing your job well, or at all. The best practice is to take direct steps to stop bullying before it escalates. Here are some important tips for dealing with workplace bullying.
Stay ahead of your emotions
Bullying can be emotional and severely impact your mental state. If you lash out at the one who is bullying you, the confrontation could lead to a worse outcome. Try to keep level headed and aware of the situation and circumstances around you. Staying unemotional in the face of bullying is easier said than done. Attempt to stay as calm and collected as you can. Meeting your attacker with vitriol will only fuel the situation. By not responding to attacks, you will present a fairer case to combat the situation.
Know the policy
Your workplace will have a set of policies and guidelines in place that present your rights in the face of workplace bullying. Understand what the standard practice is and the steps that are in place for you to proceed to a formal accusation. If you are comfortable enough with your colleague, attempt to resolve the issue informally. You can speak to your attacker with positive and honest discussion. Do you believe this is a personal attack on you? Or is this a situation that happens to several people who share a certain characteristic? Is this situation bred from an ignorance that can be changed? An informal discussion can attempt to resolve the matter by clearing up any misguided beliefs. If you believe you are being bullied at work, firms like Sinnamon Lawyers can help to educate you on your rights.
Get support
Get support from a senior colleague, or manager. You are not dobbing in your attacker; you are simply taking the situation to a higher authority to alert them of the circumstances that could prohibit you from doing your job effectively. By having someone in your workplace that knows the situation, you will have a level of comfort that was not there previously. Also seek support from personal friends and family outside of the workplace. Maintaining a dialogue with at least one person will keep you from bottling up your emotions and handling it in a way that has negative impacts on you in the long run.
Gather facts
Collect all of the facts and information before making a formal accusation. Take down dates and places of when attacks took place and what was said by whom. Are there any witnesses who can corroborate the story? Is it a single person making the attacks, or a whole of office mentality towards you, or several people? Does this accusation have to go to higher authority? Know the stakes and have all the evidence in place so that you can proceed with confidence.
Dealing with bullying can be demoralising and lead to emotional turmoil. It is important to take care of your health and to not let it diminish in the wake of personal attacks. Make yourself a priority and take the necessary steps to combat workplace bullying head on. What steps have you gone through to combat bullying in the workplace?
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