The Problem of Workplace Bullying

Name: The Problem of Workplace Bullying
Author: KnowledgeCity

Learn to recognize bullying in the workplace.

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Course: On-Demand

(gentle music) What is workplace bullying, and how and where does it happen? And what should you do if it happens to you or to someone else? In these lessons, we'll look at the dynamics behind workplace bullying, why it happens, and how bullying is different from harassment. You'll also discover what counts as bullying behavior and what to do if the bully is a coworker or someone in a position of authority over you. Every workplace has its own unique environment that affects how and when bullying occurs. Here's how to assess workplace environments, to understand dynamics, culture, and power structures. Workplace dynamics refers to how the people in an office interact with each other. This could be any of the relationships between individuals at a company, including interns, employees, supervisors, managers, and bosses. These dynamics can minimize or maximize the potential for tension and bullying behavior. To better understand the dynamics at your workplace, ask yourself these questions. Is your supervisor involved with the everyday tasks of their employees? Do you work closely with your peers? Or do you mostly work alone? And how much do you know about your coworkers' lives outside of work? Workplace culture describes how people function within a work environment. These are the unspoken beliefs and behaviors that established employees expect from new hires. An employee's ability to adjust to their workplace culture can affect whether they are respected by their peers, superiors or subordinates. To assess the culture at your workplace, consider these questions. Do employees have a competitive spirit, or are they more collaborative? What's the general attitude toward the work you perform? Are you and your peers invested in the company mission? And does your office encourage social interactions, like birthday celebrations and happy hours? Workplace power structures refer to how power is distributed throughout a company. Power structures are a key element in workplace bullying, because they can affect how bullies behave. For example, a supervisor may take advantage of the power they hold over an employee, or encourage coworkers to compete against each other. To identify power structures at your workplace, explore these questions. Do you work with people who have the same authority as you? Or do you have coworkers with different levels of office authority? What kind of power can you hold over others, and what kind of power do others hold over you? And does anyone control how your performance is perceived at work, or have an influence on your general wellbeing? It's important to understand how dynamics, culture, and power structures interact with each other to create a positive or negative work environment. All three of these elements can determine how and why bullying may occur in the workplace. For example, some individuals may bully their peers in an overly competitive work environment. In other cases, a supervisor may bully subordinates into taking on more work. Understanding your environment and how people function within it is the key to identifying the risks for negative work situations.

Beginner Provider : KnowledgeCity 7 Lessons · 22m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

What does bullying look like in the workplace? In this module, you will discover how to distinguish workplace bullying from workplace harassment and understand why it happens in the first place. You will also learn how to respond to bullying behavior from a coworker, supervisor, or boss.

What You'll Learn

Identify the workplace factors that can influence bullying, including dynamics, culture, and power
Understand why bullying happens in the workplace
Distinguish between workplace harassment and workplace bullying
Recognize and differentiate between different types of bullying behaviors
Respond appropriately when the bully is a coworker
Handle situations when the bully is a boss or supervisor

Key Takeaways

Workplace bullying is shaped by workplace dynamics, culture, and power, and the module examines the factors that can influence it.
Workplace harassment and workplace bullying are distinct, and the course explains how to tell them apart.
There are different types of bullying behaviors that can be identified and distinguished.
How a person should respond to bullying depends on whether the bully is a coworker, boss, or supervisor.
The module builds skills in handling confrontation, crisis management, and workplace relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn what workplace factors can influence bullying, why bullying happens in the workplace, how to distinguish harassment from bullying, how to distinguish between different types of bullying behavior, and what to do if your bully is a coworker, boss, or supervisor.

How is workplace bullying different from workplace harassment?

The course includes a lesson on distinguishing workplace harassment from workplace bullying and explores the difference between harassment and bullying as a learning objective.

What should I do if the person bullying me is my boss?

The module covers how to respond to bullying behavior from a coworker, supervisor, or boss, including a dedicated lesson on when the bully is the boss or supervisor.

What skills does this course help me build?

This course helps you build skills in handling confrontation, crisis management, and workplace relationships.

What topics are covered in the lessons?

Lessons cover workplace dynamics, culture, and power; defining bullying and why it happens at work; distinguishing workplace harassment and workplace bullying; bullying behaviors; when the bully is a coworker; when the bully is the boss or supervisor; and a test your knowledge section.