More than a quarter of employees have felt bullied in the workplace, according to a recent CareerBuilder study. The number one offender? The boss.
But you’re not stealing lunch money or pushing your employees around, so no one would accuse you of bullying, right? Don’t be too sure. Read the list of common offenses and you might be surprised by how many didn’t fit neatly into the common definition of bullying.
For example, the most common offense—dismissing or not acknowledging comments—is not something most people would label a bullying behavior. It’s rude. It’s bad management. But is it truly bullying? Bottom line: It really doesn’t matter if you think it’s bullying. What matters is if employees feel bullied.
Employees who feel bullied are much more likely to quit or take excessive time off. When they are around, they will have increased resentment and lowered morale and productivity—all of which can easily spread through the rest of your team. It’s a bad situation no matter how you look at it.
What is a leader to do? First, read the article and study the list of behaviors that workers consider bullying. Be honest with yourself. Are you guilty of any of them? Even if you felt justified, it’s not worth estranging or impairing good workers. Commit to behaviors—like sticking up for your employees—that will make you the office advocate rather than the workplace bully. You’ll earn much more respect that way.
Is bullying a problem at your workplace or past workplaces? What sort of bullying behaviors are must prevalent in your experience?
[Photo credit: www.flickr.com/photos/reelyouth.]
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