Workplace Bullying Julaine E. Field, Ph.D., LPC, NCC Associate Professor

1. Workplace Bullying Julaine E. Field, Ph.D., LPC, NCC Associate Professor Counseling and Human Services University of Colorado at Colorado

2. What is Workplace Bullying? (April, 2008) Workplace bullying refers to repeated, unreasonable actions of individuals (or a group) directed towards an employee (or a group of employees), which is intended to intimidate (usually psychologically) and creates a risk to the health and safety of the employee(s). Workplace bullying often involves an abuse or misuse of power. Bullying includes behavior that intimidates, degrades, offends, or humiliates a worker, often in front of others. Examples of bullying: Unwarranted or invalid criticism Regular threats Blame without factual justification Smear campaigns Being treated differently Denied prof. dev. Being sworn at Quick to criticize Exclusion or social isolation Passed over for prom. Being shouted at or being humiliated Being the target of practical jokes Excessive monitoring

3. How Common is Workplace Bullying? • Australia (2006) n= 14,000, 1 in 5 harassed by managers or colleagues • 40% stating that they witnessed abuse • United Kingdom (2005) n = 3,000, 1 in 4, increase from (2000) study (1 in 6) • United States (2001) 1 in 3 to 9 of 10 (Glendinning, 2001) • -United States (2002) Women reported being bullied more often by coworkers while men reported being by supervisors and coworkers • United States (2006) 58% of bullies are women and they most often victimize other women, choosing women as targets nearly 90% of the time. (Workplace Bullying Institute)

4. Workplace Bullying • Why Women?: • It is not considered bullying when men do it • The behavior “stands out more” because it does not conform to stereotypical feminine behavior • Behavior represents an actual or perceived fragile power base • Only studied in the last decade • Seven types of bullying in the workplace: • 1. Direct physical bullying • 2. Direct verbal bullying • 3. Relational aggression • 4. Scapegoating (direct attention to… and away from…) • 5. Sexual harassment • 6. Increasing work pressure or work load • 7. Failure to credit the individual for success or setting up the individual for failure. • (Harvey, et.al., 2006)

5. Top 15 – Most Common Forms of Workplace Aggression • (Neuman & Baron, 1998) • Starting, dirty looks, or other negative eye contact • Failure to return phone calls or return emails • Causing others to delay action on important matters • Belittling someone’s opinion or ideas to others • Giving someone the silent treatment • Negative or obscene gestures toward the target • Talking behind the target’s back/spreading rumors • Interrupting others when they are speaking or working • Intentionally damning with faint praise (Sarcasm with malice) • Flaunting status /acting in a condescending manner • Leaving the work area when the target enters • Failing to deny false rumors about the target • Verbal/sexual harassment • Failure to defend target’s plan to others • Showing up late to meetings that are run by target

6. What contributes to the likelihood that a person will become a target or victim of workplace bullying? • Shyness (Einarsen et al., 1994) • Pre-existing symptoms of anxiety and depression (Zapf, 1999) • Low social skills (Zapf, 1999) • Neuroticism (Mikkelsen & Einarsen, 2002; Vartia, 1996; Zapf, 1999) • Submissive and non-controversial, and they prefer to avoid conflict (Coyne, Seigne, & Randall, 2000) • Sensitive and they have difficulties in coping effectively with stressful situations (Coyne, Seigne, & Randall, 2000) • Conscientious, traditional and dependable (Coyne, Seigne, & Randall, 2000)

7. The Perpetrator/Workplace Bully • (Parkins, Fishbein, & Ritchey, 2006) • ‘the abrasive personality’ • ‘the authoritarian personality’ • ‘the petty tyrant’ • Low perspective taking skills • High social dominance orientation • High social skills/interpersonal persuasion Destructive culture or organization, Culture of competition, role conflict, lack of autonomy, job ambiguity, job insecurity, forced cooperation, lack of goal clarity, directive communication, strict power hierarchy Insufficient coping with frustration – externalized, internalized Escalated conflict at work – insufficient means to resolve conflict Workplace Bullying

8. Rationale for Bullying Power, Influence, Protection Envy/Jealousy Triangulation Punishment Social Status Deflection Social Dominance Hierarchy

9. Culture of Snark Combo. “snide” and “remark” Belittling style of speech or writing Social discourse Social sport

13. Recipe for Relational and Social Aggression at Work: • Individual Variables: • Adherence to a “feminine ideal” for behavior • (the double standard is alive and well) • Ongoing use of social coping skills • Desire for popularity among peers • Desire for recognition among peers • Avoidance of direct conflict and resolution • Jealousy and envy • Compare self to others to know who “I” am • Need for power and control • Reinforcement for previous use (dev.)

14. Recipe for Relational and Social Aggression at Work: • Systemic Variables: • Administration who treats departments, individuals “differently” according to perceived status (Favoritism, Interpersonal injustice) • Poor or weak leadership • “Face” (positive social value, ingratiation) allows success (true criteria are ill-defined) • Inhospitable work environment (competition for scarce resources, lack of respect, low morale, causal attribution error, little change) • Does not recognize bullying, lack of reporting measures, lack of negative consequences • Institutional and systemic bias against women

15. Name the behavior – “Right now I am experiencing this discussion as your attempt to overpower me…” • Act confused – “Wow.. Let me see if I understand this – you have pulled me off of this project because… • I statements – “I do not want you to talk to me like this.” • Document every incident, evidence? • Speak to your supervisor (formal or informal) • Use a reporting procedure or ask for one • Find a mentor and other forms of support • Seek legal consultation • Work on assertiveness skills (individual or group counseling, workshops, etc.) Psychological integrity • Take care of yourself • Coping strategies when being bullied at work: • Assertive responses • Seeking Help • Avoidance • Doing Nothing • Olafsson and Johannsdottir, 2004

16. Short-Term Help for Targets/Victims • Seek out targets, ask questions, “name it” • Meet in private for discussion • Express concern for target • Self-disclose own experiences if relevant • Explore solutions • Explore reporting workplace bullying • Discuss “safety” option Adapted from Crothers, L., & Kolbert, J. B. (2008).