This document provides three significant but interrelated factors for developing an anti-bullying culture in a formal or bureaucratic organization. It suggests that legislative reform, through education, mediation, and restoration or restorative justice, once instituted, can go a long way toward reducing the incidence of workplace bullying. However, legislative reform is central. Education, mediation and restoration are the pillars on which the reform must be based. Legislative reform arguably requires promoting a national anti-bullying agenda that results in an anti-bullying culture in all workplaces. Additionally, by examining law reform, education, mediation, and restoration, you will define workplace bullying and identify three effects of workplace bullying, namely individual, social, and economic or financial.
This article agrees with international scholars that bullying implies an abuse of power in labor relations between superior and subordinate personnel. However, it recognizes that bullying can take place when co-workers or peers collaborate to intimidate, threaten, or harass another person whom they perceive to be different or deviant in some significant way from their group. For example, some working-class men have been known to bully colleagues whom they perceive as physically weak and unsuited for the physically demanding tasks they are expected to perform. Additionally, it may have to do with his perception that deviants violate masculinity norms of toughness and possession of physical strength.
Workplace bullying can take many forms. They include verbal and physical threats, sexual harassment, ostracism or isolation, petty tyranny, public humiliation, unfair blame and shame, or baseless accusations of incompetence. Overworking employees by assigning tasks unrelated to their job description is another example. Harassers or higher-ranking employees may be motivated by their favorable relationships with higher-ranking people in the organization, such as the CEO, chairman of the board of directors, or even their immediate supervisor. Bullying will take place when bullies feel insulated from opposing action if a jury of their peers finds them guilty.
It is stated that the effects of workplace bullying can be extremely serious with catastrophic consequences for the individual, the family and the organization or workplace. Individuals suffer whether they are victims or perpetrators. However, it should be noted that victims suffer significantly more than bullies. They include mentally, emotionally, psychologically, or physically, depending on the severity of the bullying. The families of the victims also suffer when the bullied withdraw socially or beat them up and make them scapegoats. Workplace bullying can lead to strained social relationships as co-workers often take sides. Most often side with the supervisor for fear of victimization. The financial effects can negatively affect the organization. It’s well known that employees who are persistently harassed take more time off work, whether due to illness or business. This puts additional pressure on their colleagues who have to replace them. It also means fewer man hours and lower productivity. The net effect is lower production efficiency and capacity. The negative effects of bullying in the workplace make it imperative that a strong anti-bullying culture be developed in every workplace.
The state or government must take a leading role in developing an anti-bullying culture. Convincing and effective legislation should be reformed only after the collection of empirical evidence collected by scientific research on workplace bullying is carried out. Crucially, there must be collaboration between organizations and the state to ensure valid and reliable data is collected in a short time. The Ministry of Labor or its equivalent should be responsible for collecting quantitative and qualitative data on workplace harassment. Data should include frequency, social characteristics of the victim and aggressor, management or reduction strategies, and anti-bullying education for employees. The Ministry of Labor should ensure that national anti-bullying programs, policies and procedures are reformed and re-implemented in accordance with the reformed legislation. Within organizations, a bottom-up approach should be adopted through meaningful consultation involving all stakeholders such as management, workers and union representatives. They should be mandated to formulate mechanisms to implement state policies, programs and procedures within their industry or organization and working groups.
Education is the main catalyst for cultural change. All employees, including new hires, must receive training on recognizing, reporting and managing bullying, i.e. established complaint procedures. The primary goal of anti-bullying education is to ensure that reports of bullying are taken seriously and that no employee who alleviates victimization is subject to further victimization as a result of their report. In addition, all employees must attend at least one annual anti-bullying seminar to raise awareness of the harmful effects of bullying and the best ways to manage, contain, reduce or eliminate it in the workplace. In addition, all workplaces must clearly display literature and images that effectively promote anti-bullying.
Mediation should be an accepted alternative dispute resolution technique in developing an anti-bullying culture that emphasizes fair treatment and the freedom to report bullying. Mediation should be the first step. If it fails, litigation should be the next course of action. Highly trained, skilled and independent mediators should be hired to assist in dispute resolution where attempts at resolution within organizations have been unsuccessful. Sessions must be well structured so that the victim and perpetrator can respectfully communicate in an atmosphere of trust and mutual goodwill.
Finally, depending on the severity of the bullying, the parties to the dispute must agree on an appropriate form of restorative justice. There should be several options available. Apologizing is the main option. A meaningful apology can go a long way toward repairing broken relationships blighted by workplace bullying. However, depending on the extent of the victimization, the parties to the dispute may have the power to decide whether financial compensation or counseling is most appropriate. Financial compensation may result from an agreement between the disputing parties if it is established that the harassed suffered financially as a result of the victimization. Alternatively, the victim should have the right to seek redress in a labor court where labor disputes are arbitrated. Counseling will assist perpetrators and victims. They may need self-esteem building and therapy. Cognitive, solution-focused, or person-focused therapy can be tailored as appropriate to help achieve emotional or psychological health. In cases involving family and work group trauma, appropriate group therapy should be conducted at no cost to the victim.
This paper sought to examine the development of an anti-bullying culture in the workplace. Although there is legislation against bullying, it needs to be reformed and applied effectively in a consistent manner. All workers must be made aware of the individual, social and economic dangers of harassment. Workplaces must become safer places for everyone, regardless of gender, rank, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other socioeconomic characteristic that leads to the perception that a worker is vulnerable or disadvantaged.
