ACCORDING to the
Canada Safety Council,
employers are beginning
to take steps to make
bullying as unthinkable
as sexual harassment or
drunkenness in the
workplace.

A 1999 International
Labour Organization (ILO}
report on workplace violence
emphasized that physical and
emodtional violence is one of the
most serious problems facing
the workplace in the new mil-
lennium.

The ILO definition of
workplace violence includes
bullying: “any incident’ in

which a person is abused, -

threatened or assaulted in cir-
cumstances relating to their
work. These behaviors would
originate from customers, co-
workers at any level of the orga-
nization. This definition would
inctude all forms of harassment,
bullying, intimidation, physical
threats/assaults, robbery and
other intrusive behaviors.”

CUPE’s National Health
and = Safery = Survey of
Aggression Against Staff, pub-
lished in January, 1994, men-
tions verbal aggression and
harassment in its definition of
violence: “Any incident -in
which an employee is abused,
threatened or assaulted during
the course of his/her employ-
ment.

“This includes the applica-
tion of force, threats with or
without weapons, severe verbal
abuse and persistent sexual and
racial harassment.”

Bullying (general harass-

um : a . a . x > EB . fF

Workplace bul

ment) iy far more prevalent
than other destructive behav-
jours covered by legislation,
such as sexual harassment and
racial discrimination.

More than 80% of builies
are busses, some are co-workers
and a minority bully higher
ups. A bully is equally likely ta
be a man or a woman,

‘The common stereotype of
a bullied person is someone
who is weak, an oddball or a
loner. On the contrary, the tar-
get chosen by an adulr bully
will very often be a capable,
dedicated stat¥ member, well
liked by co-workers.

Bullies are mast likely to
pick on people with an ability
to cooperate and a non-con-
frontational interpersonal style.
The bully considers their capa-
bility a threat, and determines
to cut them down.

Adult bullies, like their
schoolyard counterparts, tend
to be insecure people with poor
or non-existent social skills and
little empathy. They turn this
insecurity outward, finding sat-
isfaction in. their ability to
attack and diminish the capable
people around them.

A workplace bully subjects

the target to unjustified criti-
cism and trivial fault-tinding. In
addition, he or she humiliates
the target, especially in front of
others, and ignores, overrules,
isolates and excludes the target.

If the bully is the target’s
superior, he or she may: set the
target up for failure by setting
unrealistic goals or deadlines,
or denying necessary informa:
tion and resources; either over-
load the target with work or
take all work away (sometimes

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ee see ce ae

replacing proper work with
demeaning jobs or increase
responsibility while removing
authority.

Regardless of specific tac-
tics. the intimidation is driven
by the bally’s need to control
others,

Bullicd employees waste
berveen 10 and 52% of their
time at work. Research shows
they spend time defending
themselves and networking, for
support, thinking about the sit-
vation, being unmotivated and
stressed, not to mention taking
sick leave due to stress-related
illnesses,

Bullies poison their working
environment with low morale,
fear, anger, and depression.
The employer pays for this in
lost. efficiency, absenteeism,
high staff turnover, severance
packages and law suits. In
extreme cases, a violent inci-
dent may be the wagic out-
come.

Workplace bullies create a
tremendous liability for the
employer by causing  stress-
related health and safety prob-
lems, and = driving good
employees out of the organiza-
tion,

The business case for strict
anti-bullying policies is com-
pelling. Potential — benefits
include a more peaceful and
productive workplace, with
better decision making, less
time lost to sick leave or self-
paperwork, higher
stal} retention, and a lower risk
of fepal action.

Identify bullying in your
staff handbook as unacceptable
behaviour. Establish proper sys-
tems for investigating, record-

HEALTH

lying gets closer scrutiny

Sunday, August 27, 2000 —- North Shore News - 24

ing and dealing with contlict.
Investigate complaints quickly.
while mainaining discreticen
and contidentialicy and protect-

iay the rights of all individuals
involved. [tis important: to
understand fully any incidence
of bullying and take the prob-

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