Dr Annie Wyatt discusses workplace bullying - what is and isn't bullying and what to do if you are the target. Presented on behalf of emPOWER Magazine and emPOWERonline.com.au To listen to the full webinar visit www.empoweronline.com.au.

1. Handling Bullying at Work

2. From confusion to clarity
 Workplace bullying has certainly been in the news
a lot lately. But when we ask people what it is, a
great deal of confusion is apparent.
 Confusion about what is happening leads to
confusion about how to handle it. This can mean
whatever is happening is handled badly or not at
all.
 The first step is to clarify what is happening. Only
then will what has to be done become clearer.

3. Language
Let’s begin with language:
 Instead of calling someone ‘a bully’ my colleagues and I
refer to ‘people who use bullying behaviours’ (that is
because we are more than some of our behaviours).
 Instead of calling someone ‘a victim’ we refer to
‘people who are targeted by bullying
behaviours’ (‘victim’ loaded word implies helplessness).

4. What’s happening? Some of the
unacceptable behaviours at work.
 Bullying?
 Mobbing?
 Harassment?
 Discrimination?
 Violence?
 Conflict?
 Some or all of these simultaneously?

5. Workplace bullying criteria
 Workplace based (where employees are targeted,
not school children)
 Repeated
 Unreasonable behaviours
 Causing, or with the potential to cause harm
 If perpetrated by a group towards an individual or
a group is sometimes called ‘mobbing’ – especially
in Europe.
(We will return and unpack these features shortly).

6. Harassment and discrimination
 Unwanted behaviour that offends or humiliates.
 Does not need to be repeated.
 Relevant to some characteristic of the individual
such for example gender where sexual harassment
may occur as well as……
 Other characteristics listed in Anti-Discrimination
law and which are listed on the next slide.

7. Discrimination
Discrimination is essentially less favourable treatment
because of some characteristic of the individual e.g.:
 Gender
 Homosexuality
 Marital status
 Age
 Transgender status
 Status as a carer
 Race and ethno-religious background
 Disability

8. Violence
 Intentional use of threatened or real force
(assault).

9. Conflict
 Conflict is not necessarily bad
 A disagreement through which the parties involved
perceive a threat to their needs, interests or
concerns
 If unresolved, it can be a precursor to workplace
bullying

10. What is happening?
 None, some or all of these things may be happening
simultaneously.
 Beyond our scope today!

11. Do the differences matter?
• There are overlaps and
differences.
• Different laws, resources and
intervention strategies apply.
• OHS law applies to the hazard B
bullying
of workplace bullying.
• Bullying can happen to anyone
(up, down, sideways).
• Bullying behaviour can be H
unintentional.
• Bullying has its own set of V
appropriate interventions. It is
often incorrectly labelled as
one of the other unacceptable
behaviours and not handled
well.

12. Returning to Workplace Bullying
 Workplace based (context)
 Repeated - what does this mean?
 Unreasonable behaviours – what does this mean?
 Causing, or with the potential to cause harm - what
does this mean?

13. What workplace bullying is NOT?
 (E.g. Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Act
1986 – Section 55A)
 Reasonable managerial actions carried out reasonably
for example performance management, justified
decisions e.g. re promotion, disciplinary procedures for
proven misconduct, managed re-structuring conducted in
consultation with employees.

14. It is NOT ‘psychopathy’
 Contrary to what some would have us believe, the
workplace is not full of ‘psychos’ and this is a
dangerous term to use for several good reasons.

15. Examples of workplace bullying
behaviours
 Social and physical isolation
 Setting people up to fail
 Undue public criticism
 Malicious gossip
 Undermining
 Claiming the work of others as one’s own
 Withholding necessary information/resources
etc.

16. Potential costs to an individual (target
or bystander)
 ‘Symptoms of stress’ e.g.
 anxiety,loss of sleep, depression, suicidal thoughts (and
in the case of witnesses, survivor guilt)
 Fear, worry, relationship difficulties.
 Reduced confidence and self-esteem.
 High proportion of people targeted just leave.
 There are also many costs to organisations of not
managing workplace bullying.

17. What motivates workplace bullying?
 Scarce resources - competition
 Envy
 Conflict
 Unintentional / intentional management ‘style’
 Organisational cultural expectations /
modelling
 Payback
 Push down and push back

18. Variables to consider
Workplace bullying is not as simple as ‘interpersonal
difficulties’. A number of variables are usually involved
such as:
 Organisational culture (does it foster workplace bullying?)
 Socio-economic factors (GFC)
 Working arrangements (casual workers more precarious)
 Organisational policies (are there any?)
 Implementation of policies (how well are they implemented?)
 Behaviours of various people (different responses to demands)
 Perceptions of various people (different levels of tolerance)
 History of various people (childhood trauma)
 Characteristics of various people (controlling vs consultative)

19. A risk management approach
 Bullying behaviour can be a health hazard.
 An uncontrolled hazard can become an unacceptable
risk in a workplace.
 This means that the likelihood and consequences of not
managing the risk can predictably cause damage to
health and compromise the well-being of the
organisation. The employer has a legal duty of care in
this respect.
 What can senior management / the organisation do?
 A risk management approach is required just as for any
other workplace hazard.

20. Risk management approach
 Include in the organisation’s Risk Management Program:
 Resourcing, development and implementation of Policies
and procedures e.g. Code of Conduct. Complaints
procedure, Respect Charter.
 Auditing and monitoring – to identify problem areas before
they become worse.
 Thorough training of all stakeholders.
 Encouragement of early reporting.
 Providing timely follow up of reports e.g. damage control,
investigation, support for staff.
 Learning from experiences and continuous improvement.

21. What can a targeted person do?
 Find information e.g. definitions, organisational policies
and procedures.
 Collect and document evidence – names, dates,
witnesses.
 Seek help – initially internally (within the organisation)
via reporting systems, OHS consultation processes,
complaints procedures (informal – formal).
 Seek external support if required starting with family
and friends, GP and occupational health and safety
authorities e.g. WorkCover.
 Consider choices and options. E.g. stay or go?
 Be prepared for consequences – overt and covert.

22. More information…
Website
www.beyondbullying.com.au
Blog
https://meanbusinessblogger
New book
Caponecchia, C & Wyatt, A (2011) Preventing
Workplace Bullying. An evidence-based guide for
managers and employees. Allen&Unwin.
Available at all good bookstores and on-line.