At some point in your work life, you’ll encounter a colleague or even a superior that will make you feel intimidated. However, if you dread going to work and feel like you’re being insulted and put down – this is a different case. You may be dealing with bullies at work. And, believe it or not, you’re not the only one – according to a survey conducted by Workplace Bullying Institute, 35% of the U.S. workforce reported being bullied at work, that’s an estimated 53.5 Million Americans. However, the question is, what’s the right way to deal with bullies at work?
How to Know if You’re Dealing a Bully at Work
Are you really being bullied or are you just dealing with a difficult colleague or a boss? Some of the red flags you have to look for are:
- If the intimidation or bullying happens a lot. We all have our bad days, however, if it’s a constant incident, that’s a different story.
- You’re being yelled at, sabotage, publicly humiliated, personal insults or a victim of gossip.
If you’re experiencing some of these, then you might be actually experiencing bullying.
How To Deal With Work Bullies
Work is already stressful enough, let alone having people bully you. If you’re tired of the unjust treatment you’re experiencing, here are some things you can do to deal with bullies at work:
Be Professional
Try to keep your emotions down. Bringing your emotions to the table will only make matters worse. Be rational and stay professional. Bullies will just take pleasure if they see you being emotionally affected.
Work Hard
As cliche as it sounds, ignore the bullies as much as you can. Focus on your work and let your work prove your worth. Improve your skills and avoid passing unsatisfactory work. This way they won’t be able to say something bad about your work/work ethics.
Seek Help
If you’ve tried everything within your power to stop the bullying, it may be time to get help from people. Get pieces of advice from a mentor or a trusted colleague. Confide with them with what’s happening, and what you plan to do, then you can hear them out about their suggestions.
Keep A Record
Try to document the bullying incident – what happened, when it occurred and people who have witnessed the incident. This documentation can help you in case you escalate the issue to the HR.
Pursue Counseling
Dealing with bullies at work can wear you down – physically and most especially mentally. Thus, try to get counseling, this will help you keep your physical and mental health in check.
Report it to HR
If all else fail and you failed at finding a solution for this bullying issue, then report it to the HR. However, you have also had to be careful when you’re dealing with the HR. Remember, they work for your company. Hence, be cautious with what you’ll share especially if the bully is in a high position.
If you’re experiencing bullying or unfair treatment at work, address it right away. Do everything you can do to solve the issue. Hopefully, these tips will help you.