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[ Definitions of Workplace Bullying ] [ Privacy Statement ]

If you are being bullied currently and exhibiting physical and /or psychological symptoms that typically accompany this stressful time, please call your EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) or Workplace Support number.

Bullying is a horrendous abuse issue in our schools and is now proving to be one of our best-kept corporate secrets. Bullying in the workplace is insidious, ongoing, and is quietly condoned by many individuals in management through non-action. They may not know what to do and so remain silent. Or, they truly believe that a bullying management style gets the best out of people.

Many in New Zealand management remain entrenched in industrial age positional power and control and it is their simple and proudly articulated belief that bullying is merely tough management. This belief is a naive stance and indicates a frightening lack of understanding of bullying and of leadership outcomes. Bullies are not managers tough or otherwise – they are simply bullies. Tough managers are fair, just, strong and results driven – not control driven.

Bullying continues to be accepted and seems to be escalating in New Zealand workplaces. The lack of action on workplace bullying ensures that it thrives on denial, misinformation, myth and, most importantly, the silencing of those who try to speak out.
A major issue seems to be that the targets -- individuals who are bullied -- are not believed. Responses from colleagues or senior management are often one of disbelief:

"I can’t believe that about George" or

"What did you do to upset him?" or

No – I’m sorry, I don’t believe that has happened. She would never say/do that" or

“Just toughen up – you’ll be right! She doesn’t mean any harm.” or

Disbelief by the Human Resources department and senior manager. or

Belief that this is no more than an autocratic manager squeezing the last drop of extra performance and production out of the employees.

Bullying in the workplace is described well by Tim Field in his book ‘Bully InSight'. His web site, http://www.bullyonline.org/, provides descriptions of all types of bullying including information on how bullies select their targets, psychological profiles of the serial bully, strategies to address the bully, and much more.
Other sites that provide useful information have been identified on the Global Links page .

This site will not cover the specifics of bullying at school however Global Links to helpful sites and information are provided.

Email Me with news and reports from your professional journals and/or newspapers with regard to Workplace Bullying.

The Definitions of Workplace Bullying

Workplace Bullying
The definition of Workplace Bullying developed by The Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute (WBTI) is as follows:

‘The Phenomenon of Workplace Bullying or Psychological Violence At Work:

is the repeated, health-endangering mistreatment of a person (the Target) by a cruel perpetrator (the bully).
is best understood through the bully's behaviours--acts of commission (hostile verbal, nonverbal communication and interfering actions) and omission (the withholding of resources--time, information, training, support, equipment--that guarantee failure)--which are all driven by the bully's need to control the Target.
involves the bully alone at first deciding who is targeted, when, where and how psychological violence will be inflicted. Later, others may be coerced to participate in the assaults.
is not "tough" management; it is illegitimate behaviour, unrelated to accomplishing productive work, so outrageous as to be the antithesis of what a good employer values and encourages.
escalates from 1:1 harassment after bullying is reported and the employer responds inappropriately and inadequately to engulfing an entire work unit in chaos, pitting co-workers, management and management's allies against the Target.’

Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute, WA, USA. This definition being used as the definition of Workplace Bullying in a bill that is currently going through the California legislature. March 2003

A Workplace Bully

‘A bully is someone who knowingly abuses the rights of others to gain control of the situation and the individuals involved. Bullies deliberately and personally use intimidation and manipulation to get their way. The key words here are knowingly, deliberately, and persistently.’ Sam Horn –author of ‘Take the Bully by the Horns’ 2002: 3)

A Target

A Target is an individual who by accident has the desirable qualities of competence, networking and emotional intelligence. This individual is selected as an object towards which the Workplace Bully can direct an unrelenting stream of harm - mainly subtle and some obvious - in order to reduce the Target’s performance and self esteem while increasing the Workplace Bully’s own view of her/his own self importance. For the Workplace Bully, the Target is perceived as a threat

Privacy Statement

Introduction
We have welcomed your willingness to provide stories for the website and for the first book on Workplace Bullying. To ensure the phenomenon of Workplace Bullying and the results of it are understood by all, we encourage you to continue to share your story in your own words and share your experiences of workplace bullying with us. However we want to ensure you are aware of our policies and procedures with respect to personal information received by us through this site and communicated to us by you, so that your decision to provide this information to us is an informed one.

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We will inform you in writing if we will be using your personal information in a book. You may, by written request, have access to and review the draft copy of the information relevant to you before it is submitted to the publisher. However we will not have control over any changes made by the publisher.

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While we are researching and writing any books, all personal information will be kept secure and stored in an (undisclosed) secure location at all times. Once the manuscript has been sent to the Publisher, we will place all personal information collected in the course of researching and writing the book in an envelope which will be sealed and lodged with our solicitors for a period of five (5) years, after which time all personal information will be destroyed.