Workplaces Bullying and Harassment

Work is not always something that we look forward to, but for some people, going to work is not just a boring activity – it is something that fills them with dread and fear. This is due to workplace bullying, and it is a lot more common in the UK than you might think.

Although most people associate bullying with something that happens in the playground, sadly it is not left behind there, and many people in all different industries and workplaces experience bullying.

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If you are being bullied in the workplace there are a number of things that you can do – you can report it to a manager or your HR representative, or you might need to make a constructive dismissal claim like this https://www.employmentlawfriend.co.uk/constructive-dismissal if the problem is not resolved.

There are many different types of bullying that happen in the workplace, it is not always something that is obvious to others. In fact, often the intention of the bully or bullies is that it is not obvious, so this is why you should keep a record of every incident that has occurred when the bully has done something to upset you.

Here are just a few types of bullying and harassment that can happen in the workplace…

Racial Harassment – A lot of progress has been made in tackling racism but sadly it is something that still persists to be a problem. This type of bullying can vary from racism that is disguised as humour, or ignorance to threatening behaviour towards someone because of their race. This is unacceptable and should be reported straight away.

Sexual Harassment – This is something can happen to any gender or sexual orientation. It can be someone sending emails or photos with sexual content, or repeatedly asking you to go out with them or to perform sexual acts on them. It could be someone of a higher level like a manager using this to their advantage and taking advantage of their position for sexual gratification.

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Ageism – Many older workers have mentioned that they have felt that they have been penalised, bullied or overlooked in the workplace due to their age. They can often feel isolated and shut off from their younger colleagues and sometimes will feel that management overlook them for many things, such as promotions or training opportunities. They can also feel that they are cut out of social events, especially when many other colleagues are younger.

Cyber Bulling – This is a fairly new form of bullying that arrived with the rise of the internet. It encompasses many things from using email to send hurtful or upsetting words, to using social media to bully and harass victims. It can be a particularly big issue because it is something that the victim feels they have no escape from when it happens through their phone.