Research from flexible study providers, DLC Training has found there has been a 81% increase in online searches for ‘bullying at work’ in the past month. The data follows the resignation of former Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab over allegations of bullying back in April. The news has since highlighted that the need to tackle widespread issues across the professional landscape.
Figures from YouGov show that of adult bullying victims over half (56%) were bullied by a boss or manager, with 47% revealing they had faced bullying at the hands of a colleague.
With the workplace at the centre of Britain’s adult bullying crisis, HR Experts from DLC Training suggest ways by which leaders can recognise and deal with workplace bullying. HR tutor and expert Neil Finegan explains: “Bullying in a professional environment can take many forms which can often make it difficult to spot. While verbal and physical abuse can be easy to identify in the most extreme cases, more subtle signs to look out for include sabotage or exclusion.
“If you feel like a colleague is constantly undermining your work, whether that by withholding important information that you need to do your job or simply blaming you for their mistakes these can be early warning signs of bullying,” says Finegan. “Recurring incidents should be documented in detail including date, time, location and a description. If the issues continue then you should speak with someone you trust on your team to raise your concerns.
“Exclusion plays a big part in workplace bullying,” he continues. “If you’re feeling excluded from important meetings or events then this can lead to feelings of isolation making work feel unbearable. This can even extend to being left off of important emails which make it difficult to stay in the loop.”
Finegan says if you feel comfortable, you should try talking to the person who is isolating you first of all or go to your supervisor for advice. They should be able to help you facilitate better communication and support on any further challenges as they arise. If the exclusion is coming from one person to build relationships with other colleagues who are more supportive.
