Work Place Bullying: Are you a victim?

What do you think when Sir Alan Sugar makes a derogatory remark towards a potential Apprentice? When Simon Cowell cuts Louis Walsh and his Acts to ribbons on the X-Factor how do you react? Depending on your view of the high waisted trouser wearer it is normally with a rye smile or a boo. Yet in another work place Cowell’s remarks could be seen as bullying behavior.

The government defines work place bullying as follows: "Bullying includes abuse, physical or verbal violence, humiliation and undermining someone’s confidence." You are probably being bullied if, for example, you’re:

constantly picked on
humiliated in front of colleagues
regularly unfairly treated
physically or verbally abused
blamed for problems caused by others
always given too much to do, so that you regularly fail in your work
regularly threatened with the sack
unfairly passed over for promotion or denied training opportunities
Bullying can be face-to-face, in writing, over the phone or by fax or email.

Well Mr Cowells treatment of Louis Walsh scores on point 1,2,3 and 4. Okay it’s all in the name of entertainment but workers across the UK suffer from bullying in all its horrid forms.

A UNISON survey estimated that up to 5 million people are bullied at work in the UK. The net result of this is 18.9 million work days lost to the distress and pain caused.

The Andrea Adams Trust is the world's only non-political, non-profit making charity operating as the focus for the diverse and complex problems caused by bullying behaviour in the workplace. They offer this advice to anyone who thinks they are being bullied:

- Find out if your employer has a policy and procedures on harassment and bullying and obtain a copy
- Stand calm and firm and do not allow yourself to be a target
- Do not become isolated, seek immediate support and advice
- Keep a record of all incidents which cause you distress or are undermining – log dates and details and write down your feelings after each such occurrence together with your own response - Try to get witnesses to bullying incidents by avoiding situations where you are alone with the bully
- Do not take action alone. Make an appointment with your company harassment advisor and seek their guidance and support
- Talk to colleagues and see if they are experiencing the same treatment as you.
- Follow the company grievance procedures with the help and support of your Harassment Advisor, Personnel or Union officers
- Keep your complaint as objective as possible so that you can’t be accused of filing the complaint out of malice or ambition
- Make an appointment with your doctor and tell them what is happening to you at work. Follow medical instructions and get signed off if necessary
- If counselling is available at work make an early appointment to talk through your experience
- Talk to friends and family for emotional support