When most of us think of bullying, we probably imagine high schoolers spreading rumors or stuffing other students in lockers. However, there’s a much more common and dangerous type of bullying that still exists amongst adults: corporate bullying.
Bullying in the workplace can make employees feel as if they don’t belong, and can even cause employees to dread coming in for a day of work. It’s a serious and dangerous issue that should not be taken lightly, and can quickly become a problem in any workspace.
While corporate bullying comes in many forms, the most common forms include antagonizing, threatening, or humiliating the victim, interfering with their work, or even sabotaging their performance. According to many workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta, employees who have just returned from a health sabbatical may find themselves as a particularly vulnerable target for gossip.
Our Atlanta workers’ comp lawyers believe that this is because an employee returning to work may not be acquainted with new team members hired in their absence, may have trouble readjusting to their new environment, and may be self-conscious about their injuries.
So, with anti-discrimination and harassment laws in place, why does workplace bullying still happen? The most common reason that this type of treatment still exists is because employees are hesitant to come forth when they are bullied for fear of retaliation from the bully or been sometimes the employer themselves. They often believe that they should be responsible for their own emotions, and may begin to avoid other coworkers and responsibilities’ due to bullying.
Corporate bullying is a serious issue, and it can damage the psychological health of your employees. It’s up to employers to be proactive against bullying in their workplace. You can encourage your employees to speak up if they feel uncomfortable at work, and you should have an open-door policy to speak about issues that affect their performance. Together, you and your employees can work together to show corporate bullies that their behavior will not be tolerated.
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