Bullying definitely does not stop at school. Many of the “bullies” you knew as kids grow up to be adult bullies and bullies at work. They are fellow students in college. They are co-workers and even your boss at work. They grow up to be the criminals of the world. So stopping bullying at the childhood level has ramifications for us all. The bully at work is more common then you would think.
A common type of adult bullying is emotional bullying. Emotional bullying occurs when someone tries to gain control by making others feel angry or afraid. It is often characterized by yelling, name-calling, sarcasm, mocking, putting down, belittling, embarrassing or intimidating. This can happen in their relationships and with bullying at work.
Bullying at work may be more prevalent then you think. The difference in the “Power” of one employee versus another employee fuels the problem. A Canadian survey on bullies at work found that physical violence is often reported from outside sources, such as customers, students and patients. Psychological violence by bullies at work is more often reported from within the organization. A U.S. study on bullying at work estimates 1 in 5 American workers has experienced destructive bullying at work in the past year.
Over 80 per cent of bullies at work are bosses, some are co-workers and a minority of bullies at work bully higher-ups. A bully is equally likely to be a man or a woman.
The common stereotype of a bullied person is someone who is weak, an oddball or a loner. On the contrary, the target chosen by an adult bully at work will very often be a capable, dedicated staff member, well liked by co-workers. Bullies at work are most likely to pick on people with an ability to cooperate and a non-confrontative interpersonal style. The bully at work considers their capability a threat, and determines to cut them down.
Bullying at work is something we all hope not to have to deal with much beyond the eighth grade. Unfortunately bullies at work are a problem many people face. Unlike playground bullies who often, not always, resort to using their fists, bullies at work generally use words and actions to intimidate their victims.
Learn more about adult bullying and how to stop bullying, including the common mistakes most parents make when handling a bullying situation.
Discover ALL the little know secrets to stopping bullying in the book “The Ultimate Guide to Prevent and Stop Bullying Now!
