6. A persistent pattern of behaviors that
threaten, intimidate, degrade, undermine,
embarrass, or humiliate another and have
an adverse impact on another’s emotional
and psychological well-being.
7. Sample Behaviors
• Yelling
• Insulting remarks
• Ignoring/Excluding
• Inappropriate non-verbal behavior, e.g.,
staring, pointing
• Spreading malicious rumors or gossip
• Applying different policies, procedures, or
standards
8. Sample Behaviors
• Imposing unreasonable or inappropriate
work demands
• Unduly criticizing work performance
• Making false accusations
• Stealing credit for another’s work
• Denying training & resources for success
• Uninvited invasion of office space & scrutiny
of e-mails
• Interfering with others’ work
32. Bullying activates the sympathetic
nervous system that releases
hormones that interfere with
functioning of prefrontal cortex
which is responsible for executive
functioning.
33. Physical Health
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Chest Pain
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Immune System Problems
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Weight Gain/Loss
• Fatigue
34. Surveys suggest
bullying is
responsible for
30 to 50%
of all stress related
illnesses in the
workplace.
35. Impact on Team Members
(and witnesses)…
…Shutdown in behavior
…Social isolation
…Align with the bully
…Act aggressively toward
targeted employee
44. In 2001, jury awarded
plaintiff $325,000 for
emotional distress.
In 2005, two employees
shared $1.4 million
settlement against CUNY.
45.
46.
47. Bullying Ban
Canadian & European countries
are much further ahead when it
comes to anti-bullying laws.
48. Protection from Harassment Act
Majrowksi v Guy’s and St. Thomas’s
NHS Trust (1996/2005)
Britain’s highest court, the House of Lords,
held that an employer is vicariously liable for
one employee's harassment of another
49. “Where we are now with workplace
bullying is where we were with sexual
harassment maybe 15 years ago before
we had key court cases, before we had
the major Anita Hill blow-up.”
~Suzy Fox, Loyola University
50. 21 states have introduced some
version of anti-bullying legislation called
The Healthy Workplace Bill.
53. What the HWB Does for Employers
• Defines an “abusive work environment”
• Sets a high standard for misconduct
• Requires proof of health harm by licensed health or
mental health professionals
• Protects conscientious employers from vicarious
liability risk when correction and prevention
mechanisms are in effect
• Gives employers the reason to terminate or
sanction offenders
54. What the HWB Does for Employers
• Gives employers the reason to terminate or
sanction offenders
• Requires plaintiffs to use private attorneys
• Plugs the gaps in current state and federal
civil rights protections
• Provides an avenue for legal redress for health
harming cruelty at work
• Allows you to sue the bully as an individual
• Seeks restoration of lost wages and benefits
55. What the HWB DOES NOT DO for Employers
• Involve state agencies to enforce any
provisions of the law
• Incur costs for adopting states
• Require plaintiffs to be members of
protected status groups (it is “status-blind”)
• Use the term “workplace bullying”
56. Status of bill in New Jersey Legislature
Awaiting committee hearing
• Jan. 10, 2012 - Senator Greenstein introduced the
Healthy Workplace Bill in the NJ Senate as S 333.
• Established as “The Healthy Workplace Act,” S 333
was referred to the Senate Labor Committee.
• Committee members and chairpersons are not yet
named for the new 2012-13 legislative session.
• Note: New Jersey’s 2-year legislative calendar runs
from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2013.
63. ORGANIZATIONAL
Culture
Determines what attitudes
and behaviors are tolerated
and even encouraged.
64. Bank of New York Mellon Corp.
“Through our code of conduct, we outline
a work environment that is free from
discrimination, harassment, intimidation or
bullying of any kind, as those types of behavior
are inconsistent with our values.”
~Carl Melella, head of employee relations
65. A fundamental shift in culture
has to happen in order to get
companies to recognize that
bullying is bad for business.
68. 1) Respect: Antidote to Bullying
Develop a
clear statement
of organization
values including,
most prominently,
respect
69. 2) General Policy
Establish and
implement a
zero-tolerance
anti-bullying
prevention policy
70. 3) Cyber Policy
• Add a cyberbulling section to your
company policy
• Provide training for staff and management
in dealing with cyberbulling
• Give concrete examples of what
constitutes cyberbullying
• Emphasize that employees don’t write
anything they wouldn’t say in person
• Remind staff that anything posted on the
internet is there forever
• Consider blocking access to Social
Networking sites at work
71. 4) Onboarding
During onboarding,
be clear about
your company’s
non-bullying culture
and policies
72. 5) Training
Add an anti-bullying
component to existing
discrimination and
harassment training
73. 6) Educate
Educate staff on
how to identify the
characteristics and
behaviors of a bully
74. 7) Marketing
Roll out an
anti-bullying
internal
marketing
campaign
75. 8) Leading
Expect leaders
to “walk the
talk” and serve
as positive
role models
76. 9) Whistle blower
Give employees a
forum to speak freely
and communicate
a company-wide
whistle blower policy
77. 10) Consequences
Establish and
communicate a
clear disciplinary
process
78. 11) Investigate
Take grievances
seriously and
investigate them
immediately
79. 12) Anonymous 360°
Allows individuals
to feel safe in
reporting incidents
and can help
confirm behavior
80.
81. What Can a Victim Do?
• Admit that you are being bullied
• Seek support from colleagues, friends
and family members
• Get professional help - legal representation
and mental health professional
• Keep a diary detailing the nature of the
bullying and gather supporting evidence
(paper trails, emails, voice mails, etc.)
• Include a witness when meeting with a bully
• Report aggressive behavior to HR
• Follow policy and procedure but know when
it’s time to move on
Underreporting One example of how bullying was not considered as a risk issue in the CIT case involved how an employee appeared to be “paid to withdraw a complaint”. An employee who had complained about bullying was given a termination package, which was conditional the complaint being dropped.
http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
http://www.bullyfreeatwork.com/blog/
In the summer of 2010, University of Virginia employee, Kevin Morrissy committed suicide due, in part, to repeated bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways, editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review.Family members and people close to the review say Mr. Morrissey complained repeatedly to university administrators about workplace bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways. But, they contend, the institution did virtually nothing to help. "Kevin had been to the university as recently as the Monday before the Friday he died," says a person who worked for the review. "The university had tools to step in and mediate, and they didn't." According to journal employee Waldo Jaquith, “Ted’s treatment of Kevin in the last two weeks of his life was just egregious, and it just ate Kevin up.” The case has been embraced as a textbook example of a manager’s verbal and psychological abuse of an employee. No charges were filed.
The Role of the Nervous System The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a vast network of nerves reaching out from the spinal cord, directly affecting every organ in the body. It has two branches, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic, which have opposite effects.The sympatheticANS helps us deal with stressful situations by initiating a ‘fight or flight’ reaction. After the danger has passed, the parasympatheticANS takes over, decreasing heartbeat and relaxing blood vessels.In healthy people, the two branches of the ANS maintain a balance — action followed by relaxation. Unfortunately many people’s sympathetic ANS stays on guard, making them unable to relax and let the parasympathetic system take over. If this situation becomes chronic, a whole variety of stress-related symptoms and illnesses can follow. Mind and body are inextricably linked and the interaction between them can produce physical changes. Our brain notices a stressor, a physical reaction is triggered, and the reaction can lead to further emotional reactions and mental and physical damage. Some problems such as headaches and muscle tension are often directly caused by the bodily responses that accompany stress. Many other disorders, some say most, are aggravated by stress.The human body is designed to withstand occasional extreme stress, so can survive quite a lot of pressure. It’s important to remember that most negative symptoms can be corrected if you take action. And there’s a lot of help available. If you are at all worried, do not delay in getting expert advice — your peace of mind is worth the effort. The problem will most likely not go away and the worst thing you can do is ignore it.If you do develop a stress-related illness, at least you will have become familiar with your individual ‘weak point’, and will be able to keep a close eye on it. If similar symptoms creep back, take them very seriously as a warning. Take a close look at your current situation and ease off the pressure wherever possible. Most of the problems below aren’t life-threatening, and controlling your stress levels will help keep them at bay.Bullying activates the sympathetic nervous system that release hormones that interfere with functioning of prefrontal cortex which is responsible for executive functioning, including:· problem solving· decision making· attention· consequences of behavior · working toward a defined goal· ability to suppress urges
Impact on Team Members (and witnesses)…Shutdown in behavior…Distance themselves from target leading to social isolation…Align with the bully …Act aggressively toward targeted employee
http://thrdblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/three-good-reasons-for-anti-bullying.htmlhttp://www.thepeoplebottomline.com/bullying.htmlEmployees who are bullied spend more than 50% of their time at work defending themselves, networking for support, thinking about the situation, being demotivated and stressed, let alone absences due to stress-related illnesses.
http://thrdblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/three-good-reasons-for-anti-bullying.htmlhttp://www.thepeoplebottomline.com/bullying.htmlEmployees who are bullied spend more than 50% of their time at work defending themselves, networking for support, thinking about the situation, being demotivated and stressed, let alone absences due to stress-related illnesses.
Cost of bullying to organizationIn 2005 two employees share $1.4 million settlement against CUNY. The two plaintiffs were humiliated, demoted, subject to career threatening decisions. They were bullied by the perpetrator.In 2001, Joe Doescher sued Cardiologist Dr Dan Raess for damages after he left his job due to emotional distress. Raess assaulted Doescher and charged with clinched fist. Jury awarded $325,000 in what is considered the first US bully trial concluded 2008.
which equals tremendous loss of productivity.
which equals tremendous loss of productivity.
In 2001, Joe Doescher sued Cardiologist Dr Dan Raess for damages after he left his job due to emotional distress. Raess assaulted Doescher and charged with clinched fist. Jury awarded $325,000 in what is considered the first US bully trial concluded 2008.
Majrowski, 45, claims he was harassed by his line manager for about 18 months, from November 1996, when he was an audit co-ordinator for Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Trust. He says she was excessively critical of and strict about his time-keeping and his work; isolated him by refusing to talk to him and treated him differently and unfavourably compared with other staff; was rude and abusive to him in front of others; and imposed unrealistic targets for his performance, threatening him with disciplinary action if he failed to achieve them. She was suspended and, after an internal investigation which found he had been subjected to homophobic harassment, she was allowed to resign.
Current status can be found at the Healthy Workplace Campaign website. Sign up. Get involved in your state.http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/
In the summer of 2010, University of Virginia employee, Kevin Morrissy committed suicide due, in part, to repeated bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways, editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review.Family members and people close to the review say Mr. Morrissey complained repeatedly to university administrators about workplace bullying by his boss, Ted Genoways. But, they contend, the institution did virtually nothing to help. "Kevin had been to the university as recently as the Monday before the Friday he died," says a person who worked for the review. "The university had tools to step in and mediate, and they didn't." According to journal employee Waldo Jaquith, “Ted’s treatment of Kevin in the last two weeks of his life was just egregious, and it just ate Kevin up.” The case has been embraced as a textbook example of a manager’s verbal and psychological abuse of an employee. No charges were filed.
What the HWB Does for EmployersPrecisely defines an "abusive work environment" -- it is a high standard for misconductRequires proof of health harm by licensed health or mental health professionalsProtects conscientious employers from vicarious liability risk when internal correction and prevention mechanisms are in effectGives employers the reason to terminate or sanction offendersRequires plaintiffs to use private attorneysPlugs the gaps in current state and federal civil rights protections
What the HWB Does for EmployersPrecisely defines an "abusive work environment" -- it is a high standard for misconductRequires proof of health harm by licensed health or mental health professionalsProtects conscientious employers from vicarious liability risk when internal correction and prevention mechanisms are in effectGives employers the reason to terminate or sanction offendersRequires plaintiffs to use private attorneysPlugs the gaps in current state and federal civil rights protections
http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/Latest-News/Workplace-Bullying-Recognize-and-Prevent-It-884670/Kevin Morrisey, the 52-year-old managing editor of the award-winning Virginia Quarterly Review, walked to a nearby area of the University of Virginia campus on July 30, 2010, and shot himself in the head. According to an ABC News report, 18 calls were made to appropriate officials to report that Morrisey was the target of workplace bullying and was seeking protection from his employer. The report alleges that the university may not have responded in a timely manner to the employee’s plea for help.Morrisey’s suicide is only one of many workplace shootings that result from bullying. In fact, the growing epidemic of workplace bullying has been featured in a recent documentary entitled, Murder by Proxy, released in parts of the U.S. and Canada.
Identifying cyber bullies has proven difficult for employers, the speakers said.“So many of the cyber bullies have the benefit of being anonymous,” which compounds the issue because hurtful statements can be “publicized” to millions of people and cause even greater damage, said Brenda H. Feis, partner at law firm Stowell & Friedman Ltd. in Chicago.Also, cyber bullying has a “mob mentality” to it, said Thomas P. Hams, managing director and national employment practices liability insurance practice leader in Aon Risk Services’ financial services group in Chicago.An innocuous post on a social networking site can quickly snowball to cyber bullying as others add their comments, Mr. Hams said. “So who’s responsible?” he asked audience members.Identifying whether cyber bullying is taking place is a challenging and subtle process, Mr. Rawitz said. Key indicators include high employee turnover, lost productivity and increased leaves of absence, among others.From a risk management point of view, employers can establish policies in employee handbooks, create procedures within human resources departments to handle complaints and promote employee awareness of cyber bullying through training, Mr. Rawitz said.
Examples of cyberbullying include:► Malicious or threatening emails or SMS communications to an individual’s phone or email address► Electronic communications that feature offensive content such as explicit images or jokes/comments about ethnicity, religion or sexual preference► Electronic communications aimed at correcting or providing feedback to an individual that are copied to a group with the effect of publicly shaming or demeaning the individual► Malicious or threatening comments about an individual posted on blogs or social networking sites► Sharing embarrassing, offensive or manipulated images or videos of an individual► Screen savers or desktop backgrounds featuring offensive contentPaul L. Marciano, Ph.D.
http://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfStories told by organizational members convey values and history, while solidifying bonds betweenemployees and the organization; unless of course the stories are about punishment, gossip, micromanagersand high stress environments. Rites and rituals, or traditions, lie in everyday organizational life and bringcultural ideology to the surface through occurrences such as Friday morning round tables where ideas maybe openly shared. An informal organizational structure where subordinates can speak freely may be acatalyst for innovation, for example, while a bureaucratic one that emphasizes rules and policies may causecommunication bottlenecks, stomp out free thinking and of course foster opportunities to bully others.Bullying may seem permitted or natural to insiders in environments where establishing a pecking order orpicking on a low performing team member is “normal.” Negative behaviors can also flourish in a workenvironment where a laissez-faire style of leadership or high internal competition exists; or whenmanagement fails to notice, chooses to ignore, or even participates in such behavior. These culturalmishaps not only foster opportunities to reward or ignore bullying, but also create a general acceptance ofnegativity - making it part of the organizational culture. Ambiguity in job responsibilities, roles and goals,and pertinent information contributing to an individual’s effectiveness can also feed into micro-politics, oremployees taking it upon themselves to close informational gaps left open by the organization, perhapswith abusive measures.
How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.
How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.
Establish an anti-bullying policy included as part of existing anti-discrimination and harassment documents. Provide specific examples of bullying behaviors that will not be tolerated. http://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfAn anti-workplace bully prevention policy must be implemented and include management’s commitmentto a healthy workplace, a definition of bullying, responsibilities for maintaining the policy, training, and aformal grievance procedure. The policy should also stress the importance of written documentation fromall parties involved in any complaints; including target(s), bullies, witnesses and investigators. Of course, thepolicy is only as effective as management’s commitment to it.
Establish an anti-bullying policy included as part of existing anti-discrimination and harassment documents. Provide specific examples of bullying behaviors that will not be tolerated. http://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfAn anti-workplace bully prevention policy must be implemented and include management’s commitmentto a healthy workplace, a definition of bullying, responsibilities for maintaining the policy, training, and aformal grievance procedure. The policy should also stress the importance of written documentation fromall parties involved in any complaints; including target(s), bullies, witnesses and investigators. Of course, thepolicy is only as effective as management’s commitment to it.
Add an anti-bullying component to existing discrimination and harassment trainingEstablish a code of conducthttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfEstablish training programs for all levels to occur during new hire training and at scheduled intervalsthereafter. At the very least, training should remind employees and managers that they have aresponsibility to contribute to achieving a healthy and civil work environment that does not toleratebullying.Training could also include all sorts of other skills such as conflict resolution, negotiation, interpersonalcommunication, assertiveness, empathy, stress management, leadership, optimism and self-examination.These are valuable skills that promote a healthy workplace. Expectations regarding proficiency in theseareas should be tied to performance and career advancement and show up in employee goals and awardsprograms.
4. Create a mechanism to identify those engaged in bullying behaviorhttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfTraditionally, employee reviews put managers into the position of high-powered judges, ostensibly tellingemployees if their work met company goals or not. The reviews trickle down from up above, with eachperson receiving a review from somebody higher than them. But raters may be careless or use appraisalsfor political reasons, and managers may vary in leniency and strictness leading relatively equal employeesto receive vastly different marks. Of course, traditional reviews also provide the tyrannical manager acorporate-approved tool with which to keep pay and promotional opportunities repressed.360° reviews provide each and every organizational member with reviews from everyone they work withincluding peers, managers, and subordinates; providing an avenue for managers to learn from the peoplethey direct, rather than only those who direct them. Generally 360° reviews receive high employeeinvolvement, have the strongest impact on behavior and performance, and greatly increase effectiveinternal communication.
Roll out an internal marketing campaignto let customers and vendors know that bullying is not tolerated
5. Leaders must serve as role models
6. Articulate and communicate a company wide whistle-blower policyLeaders must guarantee a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any possible retribution11. Have HR create a clear process for reporting bullying behavior directed at oneself or othersIt may be necessary to litigate from the outside. According to the same 2008 survey by WBI, only 1.7% of the complaints against a bully concluded in a result that was satisfactory to the complaining employee that ensured their safety, while 31% resulted in retaliation against the target by the company. Complaining will result in retaliation from the bully in 71% of the cases.
7. A clear disciplinary process must be established and communicated regarding bullying and applied equally across all employees and organizational leaders.
Take grievances seriously; investigate them immediatelyhttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfWhen a grievance is filed, the complaining individual should present written documentation and precisedetails of each incident of bullying. This could include saved memos and emails, a factual journal of thebehaviors including dates, times and witnesses, and if possible, written collaboration from witnesses. Thecomplainant should be assured support and advised of the aims of the investigation and a likely time framefor resolution. The person complained against should be notified in writing that an allegation of bullying hasbeen made against him or her and guaranteed presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.Just like in any sexual harassment grievance, a thorough and objective investigation should occurimmediately and be documented in writing. Be consistent in following the appropriate disciplinaryprocedures as laid out in the policy.
Take grievances seriously; investigate them immediatelyhttp://noworkplacebullies.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/7_Steps_HR_Times.36115953.pdfWhen a grievance is filed, the complaining individual should present written documentation and precisedetails of each incident of bullying. This could include saved memos and emails, a factual journal of thebehaviors including dates, times and witnesses, and if possible, written collaboration from witnesses. Thecomplainant should be assured support and advised of the aims of the investigation and a likely time framefor resolution. The person complained against should be notified in writing that an allegation of bullying hasbeen made against him or her and guaranteed presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.Just like in any sexual harassment grievance, a thorough and objective investigation should occurimmediately and be documented in writing. Be consistent in following the appropriate disciplinaryprocedures as laid out in the policy.
Take action by:• Keeping a diary detailing the nature of the bullying (e.g., dates, times, places, what was said or done and who was present); and• Obtaining copies of harassing / bullying paper trails; hold onto copies of documents that contradict the bully’s accusations against you (e.g., time sheets, audit reports, etc.).Other actions:• Expect the bully to deny and perhaps misconstrue your accusations; have a witness with you during any meetings with the bully; report the behavior to an appropriate person.• Contact the Washington State Employee Assistance Program, (http://www.dop.wa.gov/Employees/EmployeeAssistanceProgram/) for guidance on dealing with the issue.
How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.
How Can I Get Rid of Them?If you are in a company where you are in a position to get rid of workplace bullies, it is in the best financial interest of the company for you to do so. Bullies may be top performers, but they discourage other employees from doing well because they don’t want to share or lose the spotlight. The employees that you don’t lose will purposely try to avoid outshining the bully so that they don’t receive the bullying treatment.