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James MacKenzie

When bullies don’t grow up

Schoolyard tormentors found at work, too

Calgarian Anton Hout was bullied at work. He describes his experience as a “surreal nightmare” with a “bully or bullies orchestrating a campaign to ‘get rid’ of a targeted employee.”

Suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Hout was barely able to function.

As a result he was terminated. “After 22 years of loyal and exceptional service,” he said, “I was given nothing for a severance” from the company.

It was only after it cost him everything that Hout was able to put the pieces together. “We lost everything. Our home, our savings, our retirement, our health, and our home, we even had to give up our dog.”

He decided he wanted to warn others about workplace bullying and created the first website, mobbing.ca in 2003. He started overcomebullying.org in 2007.

People sometimes bully others when they feel threatened by coworkers who are better liked or more competent at their jobs, said Hout. Bullies also target those who will not play along with the bully’s agenda. Sometimes it is simply for the enjoyment of exercising power and control.

“Bullies will also instigate problems through subtle tactics and involve other coworkers in the abuse” including management and HR (human resources), Hout said. “Soon the target is getting it from all sides as the phenomenon of group mobbing escalates.”

No Canadian statistics exist for workplace bullying. But in the U.S. as many as 13 per cent of Americans are bullied at work, according to a 2007 Workplace Bullying Institute survey.

Lois Hayward, SAIT student development and counselling, said that students should talk to someone if they need help with workplace bullying.

“If the person in this situation is thinking ‘gosh, what do I do about this?’ the SAIT counselling department can help,” she said. “Often there are procedures at the workplace. A counsellor can give guidance and help with the emotions related with bullying.”

Hout suggested the first step should be to document and keep an accurate journal of daily events. Record the date, time and what happened in as much detail as possible, such as the names of witnesses and the outcome of the event. Keep copies of any letters, memos, e-mails, or faxes received from the person.

In some cases speaking directly with the bully – letting him or her know the behavior is not acceptable — will work. But you must remain calm and unemotional, Hout said. However, this might backfire. “It may even incite them to step up their attack.”

Approaching management may help depending on the level of commitment to a bully-free workplace, Hout said. If employers do nothing to stop the abuse or even participate in it, he said it’s better to find a new job as soon as possible. “It’s not fair or right. It’s the bullies that should be fired.”

Attending workshops, support groups or counselling is beneficial because the more knowledge about workplace bullying and mobbing the better, Hout said. Being bullied or mobbed can be overwhelming. Having friends and family to talk to is important but being able to speak with someone who understands and can offer advice and support based on real knowledge and experience is beneficial.

Victimization in the workplace:
The General Social Survey (GSS) examined the prevalence of violence for three offences: sexual assault, robbery and physical assault in the workplace.

According to the 2004 GSS report:
• 17 per cent of all self-reported incidents of violent victimization, including sexual assault, robbery and physical assault, occurred at work. This represents over 356,000 violent workplace incidents in Canada’s ten provinces.
• 33 per cent of workplace violence incidents involved a victim who worked in social assistance or health care services, 14 per cent of incidents involved victims working in accommodation or food services and 11 per cent of incidents were committed against those working in educational services.
• 71 per cent of all incidents were workplace violence. Compared to 57 per cent of non-workplace violent incidents.
• 57 per cent of violent workplace incidents involving male victims come to the attention of the police versus only 20 per cent involving female victims.
Source: Statcan.gc.ca

What is workplace bullying?

Bullying is usually seen as acts or verbal comments that could ‘mentally’ hurt or isolate a person in the workplace. Sometimes, bullying can involve negative physical contact as well. Bullying usually involves repeated incidents or a pattern of behaviour that is intended to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people. It has also been described as the assertion of power through aggression.

Source: Canadian Centre for
Occupational Health and Safety
website http://www.ccohs.ca

Examples of bullying
• spreading malicious rumours, gossip, or innuendo
• excluding or isolating someone socially
• intimidating a person
• undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work
• physically abusing or threatening abuse
• removing areas of responsibilities without cause
• constantly changing work guidelines
• establishing impossible deadlines that will set up the individual to fail
• withholding necessary information or purposefully giving the wrong information
• making jokes that are ‘obviously offensive’ by spoken word or e-mail
• intruding on a person’s privacy by pestering, spying or stalking
• assigning unreasonable duties or workload which creates unnecessary pressure
• underworking - creating a feeling of uselessness
• yelling or using profanity
• criticizing a person persistently or constantly
• belittling a person’s opinions
• unwarranted or undeserved punishment
• blocking applications for training, leave or promotion
• tampering with a person’s personal belongings or work equipment

Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website http://www.ccohs.ca

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