communicating under pressure - part two

WHEN THINGS GET OUT OF HAND

Sometimes behaviour in the workplace – our own or others’ – oversteps the mark of what is reasonable and fair, and has the potential to affect the wellbeing of others. Maybe when the pressure is on we get frazzled and less able to cope, or maybe we just don’t have the tools, skills or experience to handle the situations we find challenging and we end up acting or communicating inappropriately. And getting it wrong may constitute bullying.

​Intentional or not, workplace bullying is a significant hazard in New Zealand according to WorkSafe, so it’s important that you understand what bullying is in order to recognise if it is creeping into your workplace.
 

​In a nutshell
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​Workplace bullying is unwanted and unwarranted behaviour that a person finds offensive, intimidating or humiliating and is repeated so as to have a detrimental effect upon a person’s dignity, safety and well-being.
Source: Workplace Against Violence in Employment (WAVE)   
​

Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that can lead to physical or psychological harm.

• ​Repeated behaviour is persistent (occurs more than once) and can involved a range of actions over time.
• Unreasonable behaviour means actions that a reasonable person in the same circumstances would see as unreasonable. It includes victimising, humiliating, intimidating or threatening a person.
• Bullying may also include harassment, discrimination or violence.​ 

Workplace bullying is not:

• One-off or occasional instances of forgetfulness, rudeness or tactlessness.
• Setting high performance standards.
• Constructive feedback and legitimate advice or peer review.
• A manager requiring reasonable verbal or written work instructions to be carried out.
• Warning of disciplining workers in line with the business's code of conduct.
• A single incident of unreasonable behaviour.
• Reasonable management actions delivered in a reasonable way.
• Differences of opinion or personality clashes that do not escalate into bullying, harassment or violence.

Source: WorkSafe

Examples of what bullying behaviour might look like in the workplace​
​

• Constant put-downs, especially when done in public
• Frequent nit-picking and fault-finding
• Always discounting what the other person says
• Using threatening language
• Refusal to acknowledge the target's contributions and achievements
• Refusing to allow an employee to take the breaks they are entitled to
• Making embarrassing comments about an individual's appearance
• Being singled out and treated differently (worse) than work colleagues
• Being overloaded with work, or having most of it taken away
• Making threats about job security

 Source: Citizens Advice Bureau
  

What can you do?

The effects of bullying on individuals and the workplace at large are always detrimental, with negative impacts including disengaged staff, low morale, reduced productivity and quality, and increased attrition. All of which, of course, have the potential to negatively impact an organisation’s bottom line.
 
While the issues can be complex and the solutions equally so, they are more likely to exacerbate than to go away if not addressed, so taking action is imperative. We suggest a risk management approach.

• Identify the risk – Be alert to what is going on around you; what people are saying and how they are acting. Consider your own behaviour as well as others’.
• Assess the risk – talk to the parties involved, listen and document.
• Control the risk – create or review organisational policies and conflict resolution processes. Be sure to include practical positive interventions such as training, coaching and EAP.
• Monitor effectiveness and adapt accordingly. Managing workplace issues successfully is an ongoing process.

 

​You don’t have to go it alone​

EAPworks is here to help you at every stage of the process. Talk to us about what’s going on in your workplace and how we can support you and your team to recognise, be prepared for, and get through the tougher times. From one-on-one support through to training for managers and teams, EAPworks provides a wide range of support services that can be adapted to meet your needs.

Get in touch via 0800 SELF HELP (0800 735 343) or enquiries@eapworks.co.nz.
 
Recognising that bullying is happening in your workplace can be confronting, and it takes a self-aware person to recognise when their own words and behaviour are also stepping outside the bounds of what can be considered reasonable. But recognising that there is an issue and dealing with it, no matter how unpleasant, will ultimately make yours a more enjoyable and productive workplace to be in.​

​Get the EAPworks app.