Bullying
If a worker feels they’re being singled out for unfair treatment by a boss or colleague, they’re probably being bullied. There’s no comprehensive list of bullying behaviours and no one type of person who’s likely to be a bully. Bullying can be described as unfair, offensive, intimidating or insulting behaviour intended to undermine, humiliate or injure someone.
Examples of bullying behaviour include:
• constantly criticising competent staff, removing responsibilities from them, or giving them trivial tasks.
• shouting at staff
• persistently picking on people in front of others or in private
• blocking promotion
• regularly and deliberately ignoring or excluding individuals from work activities
• setting a person up to fail ny overloading them with work or setting impossible deadlines
• consistently attacking a member of staff on their professional or personal standing
• regularly making jokes about the same person
Symptoms of bullying include:
• anxiety
• headaches
• nausea
• ulcers
• sleeplessness
• skin rashes
• irritable bowel syndrome
• high blood pressure
• tearfulness
• loss of self-confidence