Getting Stepped on at Work: How Can You Fight the Bullies?

The case of Jordan Wimmer, a young executive claiming £4 million from Mark Lowe, her former boss (and owner) at Nomos Capital, alleges that Lowe sexually harrassed her for years. And it gets worse; but, that's not what I will be talking about today. This discrimination case really brings to the forefront this blight on the workplace. I was reading about a study by the International Labour Office which stated that bullying is one of the fastest-growing complaints of workplace violence. Bullying can'take the form of snide remarks, intimidation, and extreme violence, even murder. The ILO report even talks about mobbing/ganging up, which happens when two or more people conspire to lie, gossip, criticize and socially isolate a specific colleague.

How Can You Recognize Workplace Bullies?

They are deliberately disprespectful and malicious. They know what they are doing and they will actually calculate how to embarrass and demean someone else. Valerie Cade, author of Bully Free At Work, a book and also a blog, says that bullies often target those who are good at their jobs or people who have a high tolerance for dealing with difficult people and will not fight back. This will lead to increased absenteeism, declining health and increased disability costs. Most of the time, the victim will put up with it for only so long until they are highly stressed and then they have to leave because of illness.

How Can You Bull-proof Yourself?

Keep a journal of specific incidents, noting the time and place. Bullies tend to like an audience so take note of the people who witnessed the incidents.

Do not be alone with the bully. This may be difficult if the bully is your boss. Do not meet in your boss' office with the door shut. Use your own office if you can; ask questions in the hallway.

Stand up for yourself. Say, "You have no right to speak to me like that."

If the bullying escalates or continues, take your journal and go to someone in authority, even if you have to go above your boss' head.

Take heart, Quebec and Saskatchewan have workplace bullying laws in place. In Ontario, Bill 168, an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act with respect to workplace violence and harassment, has received first reading and has been referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy.

Here are some books that could be of help: