No Bullying

Qian Li
Sep 4, 2020
2 min read

Workplace bullying is defined as ' repeated and unreasonable behavior towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. It can affect the mental health of the workers, causing depression, psychological distress, and emotional exhaustion, which then influence the productivity in the workplace.

It is very important to report the workplace bullying, however, people are often hesitant to make a complaint. There are a few reasons why:

1.The employee might feel nervous and anxious when they make a complaint;

2.The employee worries that nothing will be done, or their complaint will not be taken seriously;

3.The employee fears that they could be labelled as a troublemaker or have bad reputation

And many more concerns...

It is possible that people who file complaints can become the victim beyond the original incident. There are two reasons why this can happen. The first reason is that the complaint was not confidential, thus, the people who bullied might know who is complaining about this issue, and continue to bully that person. The second reason might be that the complaint was ignored and the employee who complaint cannot receive any feedback or support, which can create stress on them.

There are some ways that organisations or managers can help people feel more comfortable to make a claim.

1. Ensure that the complaints will be treated seriously, fairly and remained confidential

2. The organisation need to foster a positive culture that allows open communication

3. Provide support to the employees who might be under stressful conditions;

4. Have a one-on-one meeting with the employees or using coffee chats to check whether they are feeling well in the workplace

The managers can also create a positive workplace culture through:

Value the talent and diversity in the workplace
Empower 'culture champions'. Culture champions are employees who embody the values and missions of the company.
Actively listen to the employees.
Encourage positivity through expressing gratitude, smiling often and being optimistic.
Pay attention to employee wellbeing.

Let's work together to create a positive workplace culture!