Anti-Bullying Culture in the Workplace

This paper provides three significant but interrelated factors toward the introduction of an anti-bullying culture in the formal or bureaucratic organization. It points too legislative reform, via education, mediation and restoration or restorative justice, once instituted may go a long way toward decreasing the occurrence of workplace bullying. However, legislative reform is central. Education, mediation and restoration would be the pillars where reform needs to be based. Arguably, legislative reform requires promoting a national anti-bullying agenda that brings about an anti-bullying culture in most workplaces. In addition, to examining legislative reform, education, mediation and restoration, it is going to define workplace bullying and identify three link between workplace bullying, namely individual, social and economic or financial.

This paper will abide by international scholars that bullying involves an abuse of power in work relations between superior and subordinate staff. However, it understands that bullying will take place when coworkers or peers collaborate to intimidate, threaten or harass another whom they perceive being different or deviant in a few significant way using their group. For example, some working class guys have been proven to bully colleagues whom they perceive to get physically weak and unsuited to arduous tasks that they’re expected to perform. Also, it might have to do with their perception that deviants violate masculinity norms of toughness plus the possession of physical strength.

Workplace bullying usually takes many forms. They include verbal and physical threats, sexual harassment, ostracism or isolation, petty tyranny, public humiliation, wrongful blaming and shaming or unsubstantiated accusations of incompetent. Overworking employees by assigning tasks unrelated on their job description can be another example. Bullies or better ranking employees might be motivated by their favorable relations with persons higher up inside organization for example the chief executive officer, chairman from the board of directors or perhaps their immediate supervisor. Bullying can take place when bullies feel insulated from adverse action if found guilty by the jury in their peers.

It is proffered that the results of workplace bullying can be very severe with catastrophic consequences with the individual, family and organization or workplace. Individuals suffer if they are victims or perpetrators. It has to be stated though that victims suffer in excess of bullies in significant ways. They include mentally, emotionally, psychologically or physically, using the severity of bullying. Families of victims also suffer once the bullied withdraw socially or hit out to make them scapegoats. Workplace bullying may result in strained social relations as coworkers often take sides. Frequently, most take the side on the supervisor for concern about victimization. Financial effects may impact the corporation negatively. It is well-known that employees whorrrre bullied persistently harder off from work, either sick or business leave. This puts additional pressure on their own colleagues who’ve to add for them. It also means fewer man hours minimizing productivity. The net effect is gloomier productive efficiency and capacity. The negative connection between workplace bullying allow it to become imperative a strong resilient anti-bullying culture needs to be developed in each workplace.

The state or government should require a leading role in the creation of an anti-bullying culture. Cogent and effective legislation needs to be reformed only following the collection of empirical evidence gathered by scientific research on workplace bullying is undertaken. Decisively, there ought to be collaboration between organizations plus the state in order that valid and reliable data are collected in quick time. The Ministry of Labor or its equivalent really should be tasked with responsibility for collecting quantitative and qualitative data on workplace bullying. Data ought to include frequency, victim and offender social characteristics, management or reduction strategies and anti-bullying education for employees. The Ministry of Labor should make certain that national anti- bullying programs, policies and procedures are reformed and re-implemented in congruence together with the reformed legislation. Within organizations a bottom up approach needs to be adopted via meaningful consultation involving all stakeholders for example management, workers and trade union representatives. They ought to be mandated to formulate mechanisms for making use of state policies, programs and procedures in their industry or organization and workgroups.

Education may be the main catalyst for cultural change. All employees, such as newly recruited, should undergo education in bullying recognition, reporting and management, that is certainly, established grievance procedures. The main objective of anti-bullying education is to make certain allegations of bullying are given serious attention and that no employee who alleges victimization is be subject to additional victimization on account of his complaint. In addition, all employees should attend one or more anti-bullying seminar annually where they’re going to become sensitized for the deleterious results of bullying as well as the best ways of managing, containing, reducing or eliminating it inside workplace. Furthermore all workplaces should display clearly, literature pictures that effectively promote anti-bullying.

Mediation ought to be an accepted alternative dispute resolution technique in the creation of an anti-bullying culture that emphasizes fair treatment and freedom to report bullying. Mediation ought to be the initial step. If it fails, litigation must be the next strategy. Mediators which are highly trained, skilled and independent must be recruited to help with disputes resolution where attempts at resolution within organizations are actually unsuccessful. Sessions ought to be well structured in order that victim and perpetrator can communicate 1 another respectfully within an environment of trust and mutual goodwill.

Finally, based on seriousness of bullying, disputants should acknowledge an appropriate type of restorative justice. A number of options ought to be available. Apologizing could be the primary choice. A meaningful apology can act toward mending broken relationships spoilt by workplace bullying. However, with respect to the extent of victimization disputants can have the power to determine whether financial compensation or counseling is most suited. Financial compensation can happen from settlement between disputants when it was established that this bullied suffered financially on account of victimization. Alternatively, the victim really should have the right to seek redress within an industrial court where work disputes are arbitrated. Counseling can assist perpetrator and victim. They may need self-esteem building and therapy. Cognitive, solution focused or person centered therapy could be adapted as appropriate to help in bringing about emotional or psychological health. In cases involving family and workgroup trauma, appropriate group based therapy must be undertaken at no cost to your victim.

This paper sought to examine enhancing an anti-bullying culture within the workplace. Even though anti-bullying legislation exists there may be need for reform and effective enforcement consistently. All workers should be sensitized to your individual, social and economic hazards of bullying. Workplaces must become safer places for many regardless of gender, rank, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other socioeconomic characteristic leading to perception that your worker is vulnerable or disadvantaged.

It is significant that workplace bullying be reexamined within a small island developing nation state like Trinidad and Tobago the place that the local culture appears for being tolerant of bullying. To some, workplace bullying is often a normative behavior and experience. Victims are required to suffer without moaning. This paper allows me the opportunity draw global focus on an issue that may be capable of reducing worker productivity and impairing social relations irrevocably.