Do you remember when you were in school, there was always someone who picked on another kid because they were small or large for their age, had red hair and freckles, or some other trait that the bully enjoyed pointing out? We’ve all had to deal with these types of persons: the ones who butt in line, cut in front of you driving down the highway, or pull some other annoying stunt just to get your fever up!
We have to prepare ourselves for these situations to happen and stay calm. Realize that there is always someone who is going to make life a little more difficult, but if you are ready for it, things will go smoother.
In the workplace, we know that there are going to be bullies whether in the office or job location. We also know they are going to upset us, sooner or later.
When you fall victim to a bully, hold up your hand and tell them to “STOP”. If you repeat yourself every time they do this, it might get their attention. If they continue, ask a co-worker to witness and provide you support in the situation.
Has your Workplace Bully:
- Shouted at you in front of colleagues or customers/clients?
- Nitpicked/criticized over trivial matters or mistakes?
- Treated you with disrespect?
- Called you names?
- Made you feel unimportant?
- Monitored you excessively?
- Set you up to fail?
- Withheld information that helps you do your job efficiently?
- Excluded you from normal staff conversations and made you feel unwelcome?If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider:
- Document details of incidents, where it was, what was going on, witnesses, any information you have.
- Tell your family what is going on.
- Talk to your supervisor; if they are the bully, go to a higher authority.
- You are probably not the only one going through this.
- When the person makes nasty comments, the best thing to do is walk away and say nothing.
- Show them that you are not interested in their nonsense.
- Don’t show just how angry and upset you are; this will only give the bully satisfaction.
- Bullies are cunning and most of them bully when no one in authority is around.
Know that when you report bullying you are not telling tales; you and everyone else has the right to be happy, treated fairly, safe, and free from this kind of harassment. Keep on speaking up until someone listens to you and takes you seriously. It is not your fault and there is no excuse for bullying.
We all need to remember to treat people the way we want to be treated. Life would be much simpler if we would practice this.
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When you fall victim to a bully, hold up your hand and tell them to “STOP”. If you repeat yourself every time they do this, it might get their attention. If they continue, ask a co-worker to witness and provide you support in the situation.
I have done all this.
I work part time in a small town I live in, I’m one of 2 janitors. I work because I want to, it’s not my bread and butter. One of my bullies is in the police department, another is my janitorial partner and the other he sister, the police department secretary. And I don’t know why I take so much crap from a few of the say 30 workers there.
Has your Workplace Bully: yes to all of these questions in my case!
Shouted at you in front of colleagues or customers/clients? The cop, a Lt. screamed at me at the top of his lungs to the point I felt like I was going to actually loose my bladder over it. Simply for moving his keys a few inches over while I cleaned a desk.
Nitpicked/criticized over trivial matters or mistakes? Sexually harrassed me, getting on an intercom to the building and announcing that I had a towel for a male employee in the locker room shower. Also calling me stupid infront of 3 other employees in the PD, in regards to my accessing the restricted areas which I was approved to be doing by the Cheif. Another.. referring to a short screw driver as it ‘reminding him a little of himself.. referring to his penis. I could go one…
Treated you with disrespect? Yes.. I’ve been embarrassed, scrutenized, humillated, harrassed.. to name a few. This guys wife is on the city council to boot!
Called you names? Stupid among others I’ve heard of him / them saying.
Made you feel unimportant? Everyday he’s there.
Monitored you excessively? Tryed to get me fired about 5 times that I know of. This also involved the secretary and the evil sister.
Set you up to fail? I guess you can say that in a nut shell.
Withheld information that helps you do your job efficiently? Yes.
Excluded you from normal staff conversations and made you feel unwelcome? Treats me like I’m nonexistant in the room. Deliberately avoiding asking something of me, when he knows I have the answer. He’d rather call it out to another office in hopes of an answer. But, hey that works for me. I don’t care to have any type of conversations with him.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider:
Document details of incidents, where it was, what was going on, witnesses, any information you have. Well, I’ve been doing this for almost 7 years. My diary is about 200 pages long. What good is it when no one wants to hear it or believe it.
Tell your family what is going on. Oh I do… but then what.
Talk to your supervisor; if they are the bully, go to a higher authority. I have.. but in a small town that’s limited and they don’t want to deal with it.
You are probably not the only one going through this. Probably not, but I’m the target of the workplace bully.
When the person makes nasty comments, the best thing to do is walk away and say nothing. I’ve been doing that. I use it as my defense explaining this is all directed at me.. I’m not contributing to the issue.
Show them that you are not interested in their nonsense. And then they put their heads together and have more fun.
Don’t show just how angry and upset you are; this will only give the bully satisfaction. I realize this.. I live it.
Bullies are cunning and most of them bully when no one in authority is around. In the PD, most of the time he’s the senior authority in the area..
Know that when you report bullying you are not telling tales; you and everyone else has the right to be happy, treated fairly, safe, and free from this kind of harassment. Keep on speaking up until someone listens to you and takes you seriously. It is not your fault and there is no excuse for bullying.
We all need to remember to treat people the way we want to be treated. Life would be much simpler if we would practice this.
I think I fiannly have the Mayor seeing the problem. I have showed him and explained connections and circumstances involving the circle of the mobb. I’m to the next step, seeing if he really acts as he said he was to be, on making changes to make these actions punishable.
So for me.. it continues. It makes life hard. I like my little job, it’s easy and real close to home. I’m always searching for answers… if you have anything good to tell me.. have at it.