You’re not excited at the idea of going to work. You feel like your colleagues always single you out, and you’re always out of the loop. They casually drop insults during conversation, and you feel uncomfortable whenever they’re around. Worse, their bad behavior seem to seep into your actual work, and people start to think that you’re incompetent because of “bad feedback.”
No doubt, this is a classic case of workplace bullying. You know anyone who has fallen victim to office bullying? Here are ways you can put an end to it:
1. Don’t bite
It’s reasonable to feel the urge to fight back when people malign you. But in so doing, you just might give them more reason to alienate and possibly boot you out of the company.
Stay calm and composed even if your boss or colleague always has something negative to say about you. Acknowledge with a smile or a nod, a statement or even the solution to show that you’re a reasonable individual. Never give into your baser emotions as it will just make things worse.
2. Stand up for yourself
While not fighting back promote peace in the company, it doesn’t always help your case. The bullies might torment you more if you just let them do whatever they want.
Stay in control of the situation. Tell the bullies that while you have no intention of going down to their level, you won’t take their attacks lying down either. Explain to the bullies about the possible things you may do. React strongly, but only if the situation requires it.
3. Know thy enemies
Although you’re the victim, it’s not prudent to end things by resigning from your job. Always strive for peaceful solutions without leading to such scenario. Knowing the causes and solutions is the only way to achieve that
One way to do this is by impressing everyone with your stellar performance. Boost your performance and ask suggestions for improvement if you’re not performing to their standards. At the end of the day, your goal is to end the bullying, not to punish someone.
4. Act on your options
Think of ways to deal with the situation better. Most instances of bullying are usually dealt through casual talks with the bullies. But there are also times where you may need more ammunition, such as your managers and company rules.
Record each instance of verbal or written bullying and report them to your supervisor. Bring your case to the higher management or HR officer if your boss is the culprit. Follow the laws as well as your company’s rules and procedures when dealing with workplace bullying.
5. Find support
It is physically and mentally exhausting to suffer and deal with bullying. Even if you’re blessed with strong faculties, it’s still better to have people around you to support your cause.
Surround yourself with people who accept and believe you. Having them around will make your life bearable despite your difficult situation. And who knows, they may even become your witnesses as you get rid of the workplace bullies.
There are people who will find ways to discredit others. There are also those who just want to pick on someone just for the heck of it. Whatever the case, the fact remains that workplace bullying is not something you should live with, not when it affects your health, character, and career growth.
You’re in control of your life even if you’re someone’s employee or subordinate. You have a right to be happy and fulfilled at work. Don’t let the office bullies ruin them.
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