Presented by Group E:

Charlotte Baker, Janice Battinelli, Laycee Gaul,

Crystal Haines, Carlyle Morel, Cladise
Slaughter, Ashley Teyechea, & David Woods
Social Responsibility
SOCI 4080-10
Instructor: Professor Ginger Devine
 What is workplace bullying?
 How does workplace bullying occur?
 What motivates the bully?
 What types of people are at risk for becoming targeted?
 What are its effects on victims, observers, & businesses?
 What can be done about it?
 How can social change agents help combat the problem?
 What is  Too complex to have a universal
definition
Workplace
Repeated stress inducing
Bullying?

actions toward another

 Passive, active, overt, or covert

actions that intimidate, degrade,
humiliate, or undermine
another

 Creates feeling of
defenselessness
 Spreading malicious rumors, gossiping
 Undermining or intentionally impeding
another’s work
 Blame or unwarranted criticism without
factual justification
 Exclusion, social isolation
 Excessive monitoring, micromanaging,
unwarranted punishment
 Blocking training, leave or promotion
 A strict supervisor
 Consequences for poor work
performance
 Warranted demotion, discipline,
counseling, or termination
How Does  Ignorance of the issue
Workplace  Bully supported
Bullying through action or
inaction of management
Happen?  Stressed employees
taking frustrations out
on others
 No system of reporting
or protection for victims
 Lack of recognition and
anti-bullying laws
worldwide
How Do Targets Handle Bullying?
 Targets accept the bullying
behavior as part of employment

 Victims fear retribution or losing

position for making waves

 75% of victims end bullying

behavior only by leaving the
company entirely
 Bullies work to
psychologically &
Work Environments
systematically wear the Can Perpetuate
target down to:
Bullying
 Ensure own job
security

 Further own career

 Exert or gain a sense

of power

 Instill fear in the

target or observers
Personal prejudices harbored against others

Prevent advancement opportunities for target

Create a scapegoat for workplace stressors such as

company downsizing, unreasonable work
demands or work overload

Create social isolation for target

Top-down:
 managers and supervisors
who bully subordinates

Horizontal:
 peers who bully co-workers
in similar job positions

Bottom-up:
 workers who bully
supervisors or managers
 Perceived as threat to job
security or advancement
Diversity Issues:
 Negative interpersonal
relationships or role  Race, culture, ethnicity,
conflicts national origin,
religion
 High risk job sectors or  Age, gender,
level of employment personality traits,
physical characteristics
 Sexual orientation,
 Viewed as weak or easy to gender identification
victimize
The following chart denotes the percentages of:
 men bullying men
 women bullying women,
 men bullying women
 women bullying men
Effects of Bullying on the Victim
3.6%  Stress & job dissatisfaction
9.8%

14.6  High absenteeism

49.4 %
%
 Hyper-vigilance
22.6
%
 Psychological and
Under 1 month
1-3 Months
psychosocial distress
3-6 Months
6-12 Minths
Over one year  Job loss
 Workplace Bullying
Suicide:
50% of surveyed individuals has devastating
reported contemplating
suicide; 20% later succeeded
effects on the target!
Victims of bullying are three
times more likely to
experience depression than
the average individual

The impact of bullying on

victims has been found to
correlate with the diagnostic
criteria of Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder and anxiety
 “Bystander effect" - the idea that observers stand
by, unwilling to assist someone in need of help

• 12% of observers report that they have witnessed

bullying

• Bystanders fear that the workplace bully will turn on

them

In order for bystanders to feel comfortable enough to

intervene, they need to know they can do something
about it. Witnesses need to feel empowered and
supported when they report bullying behavior.
Fear of becoming targeted
causes observers to join
forces with the
bully, resulting in
mobbing.

“Workplace mobbing” is
an issue in which a group
of people gang up on a
target without retribution
for their actions.
 Use of work computers &
Billions of dollars lost technology extends
behavior into
worldwide each year
cyberspace, sullying
due to: business reputation
 High employee turnover

 Decreased productivity

 Low job satisfaction

 High absenteeism
 Improved staff satisfaction, retention

 Enhanced reputation for the business

 Creates a culture of professionals, role models

 Improves work safety, quality

 Greater staff willingness to report

 Reduced liability, risk management

 A more civil, productive, desirable workplace

 Psychologically healthy workplaces have lower
turnover, less stress & higher job satisfaction
Sources: American Psychological Association, U.S. Dept. of Labor
Bureau of labor statistics, 2009

80
8%
70 Difference

13%
60 Difference

50
APA's 2010
40 11% PHWA award
Difference
30 winners
19% U.S.
20 32% Difference
Average
Difference
10
0
% employee % employees % employees % employees % employee
turnover reporting seeking work who would satisfaction
chronic stress eleswhere recommend
as a good place…
 Employees:

 NEVER become a bully under any circumstances

 Recognize when you are being bullied, realize it is

not your fault

 Alert management immediately

 Ask witnesses to testify that they observed bullying

 Employers:

 Provide conferences or workshops to educate

and empower

 Create & enforce a zero tolerance anti-bullying

policy

 Determine & enforce possible courses of action

for bullying behaviors

 Promote & endorse anti-bullying legislation

Employers must establish and enforce strict guidelines

 Have employees submit a signed statement

regarding commitment to abide by conduct rules

 Encourage reporting

 Have focus groups to “conduct surveys” to be

analyzed regularly
 Three levels of intervention for
bullies, victims, and observers:

 Informal Intervention: conduct interviews to discuss

events, listen to responses, get perspectives of all
people involved

 Awareness Intervention: Compilation and divulge

complaints from data in a supportive manner to raise
awareness

 Authority Intervention: specify behaviors that need

improvement, give timeline to improve behavior
 Employers can support
victims, observers, and bullies by:

 Offering healthcare
support, evaluation, treatment plans & wellness
programs

 Providing training on professional behavior

 Participating in the recovery of those who

experienced or witnessed disruptive bullying
behavior
 Recognize and report Workplace bullying when it
occurs

 Help educate others and create awareness

 Volunteer to help the State Coordinators enact the

Healthy Workplace Bill

 Become a citizen lobbyist or state coordinator

 Assist employers in creating a anti-bullying policy

 Endorse the Healthy Workplace Bill:

http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/
 Recent recognition of the problem and
increasing awareness are improving the future
outlook of this issue.
 Companies worldwide are establishing annual
training courses and codes of conduct regarding
workplace bullying

 A safe and comfortable work environment where all

employees feel secure and able to be productive is the
ultimate goal

 5-10 years will likely not see the eradication of this

issue, however, each individual commitment can
contribute to overall social change
“As a victim who was fired for being a victim, I am
absolutely incensed at the injustice and inhumanity of
executives and managers who let this continue!
As a victim who has suffered many of the debilitating
symptoms of bullying, I am sickened by the
hypocrisy of company "codes of ethics and conduct".

Signed, a victim
  Workplace bullying is a serious, yet
preventable, problem that results in harmful
effects victims, witnesses and businesses alike

 There are currently few laws against workplace

bullying but companies and individuals choosing
to take a stand can have a huge impact and work
toward its elimination
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