Even though bullying is an action often more associated with children and teens at school than anything, even as a working adult it is possible to be faced with similar issues on the job. Snide remarks, belittling, and even physical threats can all be considered bullying at work. If you are feeling bullied by a fellow employee at your place of employment, there are a few steps you need to take.
1. Take a step back and evaluate the situation.
Before you run fighting mad to file a report with the human resources department about a bully, make sure you fully understand the situation. Try to determine if the person is being mean solely to you or if this is their normal attitude with every other employee as well. While it is never intended for you to feel responsible for bullying as the victim, it is also best to make sure you are not being overly sensitive because you have personal issues with the specific person.
2. Set your boundaries and take a stand.
It is always best if you can ward off a bullying personality just by taking a stand and letting the person know that how they are treating you is not okay. Set your own personal boundaries and make them known. While you should never stand and argue or get physical, in some cases all it takes for a bully to back off is for you to let them know you are not okay with how you are being treated.
3. Start taking notes.
If you are certain the individual is being a bully towards you and you taking a stand makes no difference it is time to get more serious about the situation. If you feel threatened, it is fine to go ahead and get your supervisors or managers involved. However, it can also be helpful to have a detailed report to give when you do approach upper management with the problem. Start taking notes about occurrences of bullying that are taking place and when. By keeping a record of events, your employer will see you are serious about the situation and have more reason to step in and get involved.
Dealing with workplace bullies as an adult is no laughing matter and can interfere with your overall well-being on the job. If you would like to know more about dealing with bullying in the workplace, either as an employee or an employer, contact us at Advance Talent Solutions for more information.