WORK BULLIES

Victimize at Workplace

Most of us agreed that we are been harrashed in our workplace especially if we are the front liners and the one do the talking to the client and customers.And as the saying goes we cannot please everybody  after all our task is to please them. And how can we protect our selves if we are in that nerve breaking situation.Wok may be an  important factor for us to live however we can be a victim of workplace bullying. To use another word that has become common we can say that we were “mobbed.” And a report by the International LaborOrganization says that mobbing is an increasing problem in Australia, Austria, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, United States and the Philippines.

Mobbing is “frequent, repeated, and systematic harassment.” More than workplace banter—which might include sarcasm, criticism, teasing, and practical jokes—mobbing is a campaign of psychological terror. The goal is to make the victim an outcast.

The tactics of harassment range from childish antagonism to criminal injury. The target is subjected to character assassination, verbal abuse, aggressive behavior, and the cold-shoulder treatment. Some victims are deliberately overworked or are regularly singled out to do the most unpleasant tasks that no one else wants to perform. Colleagues may sabotage the victim’s efforts to work productively, perhaps by withholding information. In some cases, perpetrators have slashed a victim’s tires or hacked into his computer.

Some victims of harassment are targeted by one person. But more often, the victim is subjected to the assault of an alliance of colleagues. Hence, the term “mobbing” is appropriate, since it implies that a group is putting an individual under pressure by deliberately annoying or attacking him.

Perhaps most astonishing is the fact that in many cases harassment occurs with the boss’s consent, and quite often he or she proved to be the sole perpetrator.

Often, the effects of harassment reach far beyond the workplace. Many victims suffer serious health problems as a result of cruel treatment. Depression, sleeping disorders, and panic attacks are among the consequences of harassment. Harassment on the job. Mobbing can also adversely affect one’s marriage or family life.

Clearly, harassment can turn the work experience into a nightmare. Is there any way that it can be prevented? How can peace be pursued in the workplace?

According to  Statistics suggest that more women than men are victims of harassment on the job, although this may be because women are more likely to talk about the problem and to seek help.

For many, having a job requires fitting in with a team of coworkers and helping that team to function smoothly as a unit. If colleagues get along well with one another, the work benefits. If they do not, the work suffers and the risk of harassment increases.

What can interfere with the smooth running of a team of workers? For one thing, there may be frequent changes in personnel. In such a situation, bonds are difficult to form. In addition, new colleagues are unfamiliar with the routine, which slows down the performance of all. If the work load is growing, the group is likely to be under constant stress.

Moreover, if a team lacks clear goals, there will be little sense of unity. This may be the case, for instance, when an insecure boss spends more time in defending his position than in leading. He might even try to keep the upper hand by pitting colleagues against one another. To make matters worse, the structure of the group may be so loosely defined that certain colleagues do not understand where their responsibility begins and where it ends. For example, conflicts may arise when two employees both think that they have the responsibility of countersigning invoices.

In such a situation, communication becomes strained and hurt feelings are often left unattended. Envy poisons the working atmosphere, and colleagues compete with one another to be in good standing with the boss. Minor misunderstandings are viewed as major insults. In effect, molehills become mountains. The groundwork has been laid for harassment.

Over a period of time, one employee might be singled out as a scapegoat. What sort of person is likely to be treated that way? Probably someone who stands out as different. For example, it could be the only male in a female environment or a female working in a male domain. A confident person might be seen as the pushy sort, while a reserved individual might be perceived as shifty. The potential victim may also be different in the sense that he or she is older or younger than the rest or even better qualified for the job.

Of course, the workplace has always held a potential for mistreatment. But many can remember a time when there seemed to be more goodwill among colleagues. Organized harassment rarely developed. But over the years there has been what one doctor described as “a generally diminishing spirit of solidarity and a broad erosion in the sense of personal shame.” People now have fewer scruples about engaging in open combat at work.

Harassment often begins with an unresolved conflict between workmates. Hence, without being a busybody in the affairs of others, give prompt attention to misunderstandings in which you are personally involved. Calm hurt feelings with tact and respect. Deal with your colleagues as individuals, not as a group. If someone appears to have something against you, try to sort out matters. Keep in mind “Be about settling matters quickly with the one complaining against you.”—Matthew 5:25.

Furthermore, everyone benefits by keeping the lines of communication open. Try, then, to communicate well with your supervisor without giving the impression that you are merely attempting to curry his favor. Remember, too, that good communication with your peers and subordinates will act as an antidote to stress. King Solomon wrote: “There is a frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk, but in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment.”—Proverbs 15:22.

Make every effort, therefore, to get along with your workmates. This does not mean being a “people pleaser,” weakly agreeing to everything that is demanded of you and compromising your principles just to maintain peace. But a warm and friendly manner can melt an icy atmosphere. Be careful not only of what you say to others but of how you say it. Again, the Bible offers sensible advice: “An answer, when mild, turns away rage.” (Proverbs 15:1) “The calmness of the tongue is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 15:4) “By patience a commander is induced.” (Proverbs 25:15) “Let your utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how you ought to give an answer to each one.”—Colossians 4:6.

Give thought not only to your conduct but also to your dress. Ask yourself: ‘What impression do my clothes give? Is my appearance provocative? Do I present an unkempt appearance? Would I do well to adopt a sensible dress code for work?’

In most cultures, industrious and conscientious workers are respected and highly valued. Hence, try to earn respect by performing high-quality work. Be reliable and trustworthy. This does not mean fretting over every task. One woman who fell victim to harassment later admitted that she had contributed to her own downfall. “I wanted to be perfect,” she says. This woman came to realize that perfection is an impossible goal: “I’m a good worker, but I don’t have to do everything perfectly.”

Do not be oversensitive to negative remarks. Not every unfair criticism is tantamount to harassment. : “Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended . . . Also, do not give your heart to all the words that people may speak, . . . for your own heart well knows even many times that you, even you, have called down evil upon others.”—Ecclesiastes 7:9, 21, 22.

Studies indicate that it is best not to try to deal with harassment on your own. Where can a victim find support? Some larger companies have established a means for assisting their employees who feel that they are being intimidated. Such companies know that it is in their own best interests to eradicate harassment. According to one estimate, workers who harass a victim are distracted for up to 10 percent of their working time. Wherever such an arrangement is available, a victim could seek help. A neutral counselor—either from within the employer’s organization or from outside—might open the way for all parties to discuss the situation and lay down rules of conduct at work.

Of course, it must be acknowledged that there is no guaranteed remedy for harassment. Depending upon the level and frequency of the mistreatment, some in this situation choose to look for other employment. Others have little choice, as jobs may be scarce and resources that could provide help may be few.

Whatever your situation, do your best to pursue good relations in the workplace. If you are harassed, strive to follow the the admonition: “Return evil for evil to no one. . . . If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. . . . Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.”