[Article] Workplace Bullying

Victor

This seems to make sense.

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/5144761?view=Eircomnet

Call for new ways to tackle work bullying
From:ireland.com
Saturday, 12th March, 2005

Disciplinary and grievance procedures were not the best way to deal with bullying at work, a conference was told yesterday.

Delegates were told that existing procedures were embedded in a "culture of blame" which pitted accusers against alleged bullies in battles that caused damage to all parties.

The conference in Dublin on workplace distress was organised by Moving On, a self-help group working with people who have experienced bullying.

Two speakers said existing disciplinary procedures should be replaced by a more proactive and open approach by employers.

Dr Bryony Crowe, an Irish-trained psychiatrist based in Bristol, said complaints of bullying at work were increasing.

Employers, she said, should view bullying as a health and safety issue. There was no dramatic event, but bullying could result in the loss of the work of at least two employees.

In the culture of blame there was no effective way of dealing with bullying.

"Employers make great efforts to distance themselves from any association with this type of culture, yet the current grievance structure is deeply embedded in it," she said.

The usual procedure was that someone was identified as a bully, and must then prove their innocence. The only way they could do this was by calling their accuser a liar. No matter which side "won", the business suffered.

Dr Crowe proposed a range of methods of dealing with bullying involving the offer of "appropriate" support to both sides.

She said employers should recognise that bullying could occur "upwards", meaning that supervisors could also be victims.

Mike Watts, national co-ordinator of Grow, which offers support to people with mental health difficulties, said communication and adult education were the best ways to deal with bullying.

Disciplinary procedures and litigation tended to label people, and "set up defensive systems which in the long run have very little benefit for anyone".

pwd

If someone is a bully it is generally pretty obvious to the most casual of observers. They should be sacked. There are some managers whose approach seems t0o be entirely based on bullying their workers, particularly in more down-market sorts of jobs where there are no unions, such as supermarket work.
There are also jobs, which are white collar or blue collar with overly strong unions, where any sort of attempts at discipline will be called bullying by the more canny and sly workers.
In cases of genuine severe bullying, the last person to realise what is happening is likely to be the victim, since they will often be too ashamed to admit to themselves what is happening. A manager being bullied by a subordinate is particularly unlikely to point out what is happening, since it would be likely to reflect badly upon themselves.

Some sort of internal policing of large workplaces might be a good idea (by employees or employers that is).