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Anti-Bullying

No to workplace bullying

What is bullying?

The Task Force on the Prevention of Workplace Bullying defined bullying as: “Repeated inappropriate behaviour, direct or indirect – whether verbal, physical orotherwise –conductedbyoneormorepersonsagainst another or others at the place of work or in the course of employment – which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual’s right to dignity at work.”

The right to dignity at work means that everyone has a right to be taken into account in all work­related matters whether of a personal or operational nature.

The definition of harassment outlined in the Equality Act 2004 provides further clarification of the term, “dignity” – when it states that behaviour and conduct which violates the dignity of a person does so by failing to consider that person and by "creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person."

What forms does bullying take?

Physical violence is one of the more obvious and extreme examples of bullying. But it can also take more subtle forms in the workplace – including the following:

humiliation, intimidation and verbal abuse, victimisation, exclusion and isolation, intrusion or pestering, spying and stalking, repeated unreasonable assignments to duties that are obviously unfavourable to an individual;  repeated requests giving impossible deadlines or impossible tasks; and taking credit but not blame.

Who bullies?

Research suggests that a typical bully is someone who experienced emotional or other problems as a child – which he or she has carried with them into their adult relationships. They can come across as loud, threaten­ing and overpowering (active aggressive) on the one hand, or indeed, as extramely quiety, sly and manipulative (passive agressive) on the other.  Either way, their behaviour is linked to a need for power and control.

Their most striking characteristic in all bullies is their capacity to ignore the pain of their victims. Bullies show no understanding of the feelings of others and behave in ways that are inappropriately aggressive. These inappropriate displays of aggression – which are totally out of keeping with the circumstances – are a key indication that the person concerned is a bully.

Who is bullied?

Each one of us is a potential target for bullies. Many bullies act out their aggression simply because they can.

In these cases the aggression may be quite random – the victim may just be unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

However, for some bullies the aggression may be more targetted – where they select a specific victim because of his or her particular characteristics – perhaps out of jealousy or some other sense of hostility.

What are the effects of bullying?

Bullying behaviour can have a devastating impact on an individual and his/her immediate family.

This may involve physical, psychological and behavioural effects on individuals and families – and even on organisations and communities. In some cases, these effects may even be life­threatening – where a victim may be driven to attempt suicide.

Among the health problems reported by victims of bullying are: headache, fatigue, nausea, sleepless­ness, post­traumatic stress disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, depression; loss of self­esteem, lack of motivation and irritated/distracted behaviour.

Effects on employments – where staff are bullied

– may include increased absenteeism, low employee morale; loss of job satisfaction; reduced productivity; negative publicity for the employer; and diversion of management time and energy into seeeking settle­ments of bullying cases.

What should I do if I am bullied?

In principle, the best way of dealing with workplace bullying is to confront it. But even if you are in a position to confront the bully directly, it is rarely advisable to do so in the first instance.

The best way to deal with problem is by following these four stages:

1. Preparation

Even if you feel you are in a position to confront the bully directly, you should still seek support from another person at the earliest possible stage. Choose a trustworthy person who will take the issue seriously. Keep a written record – including details of all incidents, dates, times and noting the names of any witnesses. This will be important if you later decide to make a formal complaint. Write down how you felt and how you responded at the time of each incident. This may also be important if you later decide to make a formal complaint. Talk to your Union representative at work or your Union official, if you prefer.

2. Confrontation

Once you have prepared your records and spoken to your trusted colleagues and advisors, it is time to confront the alleged bully directly.

Explain to him/her that you have already sought support and that you have spoken to a third party or parties.

If you feel you cannot confront the bully directly yourself, you should either:

 (a) seek help from a competent person who can act on your behalf and confront the bully for you or (b) write to the bully saying that you object to his/ her unreasonable or threatening behaviour towards you and that you want it to stop; and point out you have discuss the matter with a third party

If you decide to write to the bully, keep a copy of your letter and any replies. This will be important if you later decide to make a formal complaint.

Avoid being alone with the bully and, if possible, try to find witnesses to the bullying.

3.  Response

If you are dealing with someone who was simply unawarethathis/herbehaviourwascausingproblems, you may find that simply by bringing the issue to his/her attention,thesituationisresolved.Insuchcases, an apology together with a promise not to repeat the behaviour may solve the problem.

If, on the other hand, the bully denies or rejects the criticism, you may have to make a written or verbal complaint to his/her superior.

When making a written or verbal complaint, be sure to stick strictly to the facts. At this point your record of previous instances of bullying becomes important. You should also talk to colleagues about what is happening to find out if others have had similar experiences or if you are the only person suffering in this way.

4.  Resolution

Depending on the circumstances of the case, it may be possible to resolve the issue through mediation (using the services of a properly qualified mediator). This would generally be the most preferable course of action to follow, if the circumstances allow it. Your Union official should be able to give you advice on how this could be put in place.

However, in cases where mediation may not be appropriate, the issue should be dealt with through an investigation by a competent person or persons jointly agreed by management and the Union. If the investigation finds that bullying has taken place, the bully should then be subject to disicplinary sanctions and penalties in keeping with the serious­ness of the offence – up to and including dismissal.

Where necessary, victims of bullying should seek professional help – at their employers’ expense – to deal with any physical, psychological or behavioural problems that may have developed as a result of the bullying.

What can I do if I witness others being bullied at work?

Bystanders also suffer in cases of bullying but are rarely if ever able to address or confront the bully. In fact bystanders may often feel powerless or inadequate in circumstances like this. They may even feel that they are somehow responsible for the bullying if they fail to confront it.

If you are being affected by witnessing workplace bullying, as a bystander you should seek support from a competent and sympathetic person in the first instance.

Tell the bully that you find his/her behaviour offensive. Tell them how you feel and give details of how you are being affected by the behavour.

Make a written note of the indicent(s) - recording who did what to whom, where and when - together with information on anything that led up to the incident(s)

If the situation continues, make a written or verbal complaint to your employer – based on your own written records of the incident(s).

What is involved in mediation?

Put very simply, while the investigation approach is about crime and punishment, mediation aims to rehabilitate both the victim and the bully.

Merely punishing a bully may not necessarily stop him/her bullying someone else in the future. But through mediation the bully may address the issues that led him/her to become a bully in the first place and so change his/her behaviour in future. Mediation is based on the assumption that people may have the power to change if they are given appropriate support to do so.

For victims, mediation may enable them to deal with – or even take control of – a very distressing situation and so become stronger in themselves.

For bullies, mediation may enable them to have a better sense of the damage they have done to others. More importantly, it may also enable them to discover what issues have driven them to become bullies and to face up to those issues so that they no longer feel the need to bully in future.

While mediation can be a very positive method of resolving a bullying problem, it may not be appropriate in all circumstances.

Both the victim and the bully have to be willing to try to deal honestly with each other – if the process is to have value. If victims are too caught up with the idea of gaining revenge for the injustices they suffered, then mediation is unlikely to succeed.

Likewise if the bully sees the mediation process as an easy way to avoid disciplinary action and “get away with it” – rather than an opportunity to address the issues behind his/her behavioural problem, then mediation is unlikely to succeed.

What is involved in an investigation?

A formal investigation aims to find out whether bully­ing has taken place and to what extent. A preliminary investigation may be necessary before a mediation process begins.

In cases where mediation is not appropriate, a full investigation takes place. The investigation process – including the names of the investigator/s should be agreed between management and the Union. The process and working methods of the investigator/s should be explained so that they are clearly understood by the parties involved. It should also be confidential, objective and thorough. The investigation should hear both sides of the case together with any witnesses for either party. The investigation should not prejudge the outcome and must show respect and sensitivity to all parties.

Investigators are entitled to consider any relevant notes, records, statements, correspondence and diary entries – together with details of interviews conducted with the parties and witnesses to the alleged incidents.

Remember: bullying can be very difficult to assess. It is estimated that only about 20% of claims are upheld.

If the investigation proves that bullying has taken place, then sanctions should be imposed on the bully which take account of the severity of the offensive behaviour. These sanctions could include re­assign­ment to new work duties and/or new work locations, compulsory attendance at counselling or participation in some form of training, or even dismissal.

In addition to proposing sanctions to be imposed on the bully, recommendations should also be made to support the victim of bullying.

Employers’ Responsibilities

Employers have a statutory duty to prevent workplace bullying under the Health, Safety and Welfareat Work Act 2005. They have a specific responsibility under the Act to protect the health, safe­ty and welfare of the employee. Equally employees are responsible for the protection of their own health, safe­ty and welfare and are obliged to work with the employer to achieve this aim.

So employers and unions in each workplace should agree a dignity at work policy to be circulated to all employees

This policy should:

  • set out the definition of workplace bullying agreed by the Task Force on the prevention of workplace bullying;
  • provide a list of examples of offending behaviours;  contain a commitment to foster an environment free from bullying; 
  • set out formal and informal complaint procedures, clearly defining roles and processes – including a time­scale for dealing with complaints and a com­mitment to ensure the procedure is free of reprisals;
  • clarify the degree of confidentialy that will be upheld;
  • outline the sanctions to be imposed on those found guilty of bullying;  make a commitment to retraining, if necessary;
  • set out an appeals procedure;
  • and describe the supports available for the victim and the bully. 

For further information:

The Report of the Task Force on the Prevention of Workplace Bullying – Dignity at Work: The Challenge of Workplace Bullying. It is available from Govern­ment Publications, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.

The Health and Safety Authority website – Co Practice on the Prevention of Workplace Bull and the Dignity at Work Charter – www.hsa.ie  

The Equality Authority – Code of Practice on Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work  – www.equality.ie  

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employ­ment – Code of Practice detailing Procedures for Addressing Bullying in the Workplace – www.entemp.ie  

Questions on bullying, harassment and sexual harassment can be addressed to your local Branch Organsier.

SIPTU does not tolerate workplace bullying




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