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How to Reduce the Risks of Workplace Bullying

by Saranne Segal - 26 Sep 2022, Monday 270 Views Like (0)
How to Reduce the Risks of Workplace Bullying

Bullying is a form of repeated, intentional aggression that can take many forms. It is often characterised by an imbalance of power and strength, with the bully in a more powerful position than the victim. Bullying can happen in any workplace, including schools, universities, and offices.


Bullying can happen between people of any age, gender or social background. It may include verbal abuse or threats of physical harm; spreading rumours or lies about someone else; excluding someone from work-related activities; deliberately making too much noise when someone else is trying to work; giving someone the silent treatment; making hurtful jokes about another person, or physically harming another person.


What causes bullying?

There are many causes of workplace bullying. However, it is crucial to understand that not every situation will have all of these factors present.


Some common reasons for bullying include: 

- Lack of trust between coworkers 

- Jealousy or envy 

- A need for power or control

- Unintentional mistakes

- An employee in a leadership position

- A lack of personal boundaries

- An excess of power given to one person 

- Lack of feedback


How do you reduce the risks?


Create a culture where it's not tolerated

Every workplace should have a culture where it is not tolerated to reduce the risks of bullying. There are many ways that a company can do this. For example, they can have an open dialogue about what is and isn't acceptable behaviour at work. They can also have clear policies in place that set out what is and isn't allowed behaviour at work.


A workplace culture where bullying is not tolerated would create a healthier environment for everyone which will lead to increased productivity. It will also lead to less absenteeism and lower turnover rates as employees feel more comfortable in their workplace environment.


Provide training on how to deal with conflict

Conflict is a part of life. But, conflict in the workplace can lead to bullying if not handled properly. Conflict in the workplace is when there are disagreements between people at work, which often leads to one person feeling hurt or threatened by another person or group. Employers need to provide training on how to deal with conflict so that they can reduce the risks of workplace bullying happening.


There are many ways to provide training for employees to deal with conflicts. One way is by providing them with a course that covers the basics of conflict management and gives them tools and techniques they can use in their day-to-day work. Another way is by assigning mentors or mediation experts who can help guide employees through the process of managing conflicts.


Implement a zero-tolerance policy

A zero-tolerance policy is a very strict policy that does not allow for any form of abuse, harassment, or discrimination. It is a way to ensure that the company does not have any bad apples in the workplace.


A zero-tolerance policy can be implemented in many ways. One way is to make sure that you have clear and specific guidelines on what constitutes an offence. The guidelines should be made public so that everyone knows what they are getting themselves into when they join the company. Another way to implement this policy is by having a clear process for how someone who has committed an offence will be punished and removed from the company when necessary.


Deal with bullies quickly before they escalate

It is important to deal with bullies quickly before they escalate in the workplace. There are many ways to deal with bullying in the workplace such as:


- Provide a safe environment for people who are being bullied by making sure they know they can report incidents of bullying without fear of repercussions

- Encourage employees to talk about their experiences with bullying so that others can learn from it

- Acknowledge the problem of bullying in the workplace and make it clear that this type of behaviour is not tolerated


Build strong relationships with your employees

There are many ways to build a strong relationship with your employees. One of the simplest ways is to be available for them. It doesn't matter if you are working in an office or remotely, make sure that you are available to answer their questions and address their concerns. 


Another way to build a strong relationship with your employees is by being honest with them. You can share your mistakes, failures and success stories with them. This will give them hope that they too can achieve something great in life and it will help them trust you more as well. 


One more way to build a strong relationship with your employees is by giving feedback on their work. Feedback should be given when it's due so that they know how they are performing and what they need to improve on to do better next time. 


Conclusion

Bullying can have a major impact on the productivity of a company. It can lead to high turnover rates and lower morale.???????

To reduce the risks of bullying in the workplace, employers should make sure that they have a clear understanding of what constitutes bullying and what are the most common causes of it. They should also make sure that they have an anti-bullying policy in place and that they are enforcing it.