Unusual timing of the decision to punish apart from the annual performance review.
Shared conviction that the target needs some kind of formal punishment, “to be taught a lesson”.
Collective focus on a critical incident that “shows what kind of person they really are”.
The target is not invited to meetings or voted onto committees, is excluded or excludes self.
Rumours and gossip circulate about the target’s misdeeds: “Did you hear what she did last week?”.
By standard criteria of job performance, the target is at least average, probably above average.
He has developed this checklist of indicators. Ken Westhues, a sociologist at the University of Waterloo is survivor of academic mobbing (bullying in universities) and has become a recognized expert. The reason why they have been singled out for this upsetting and unfair treatment is due to the needs and personalities of the persons who are doing the bullying. The victims or targets are usually highly competent, accomplished, experienced and popular. It is very important to understand that the people who are bullied are not to blame.
blocking applications for training, leave, awards or promotion.
undermining or interfering with a person’s work.
spreading malicious, untrue rumours, gossip, or innuendoes.
Bullying creates a horrible, hostile and poisonous work environment that leads to severe problems.īullying can be obvious and subtle and may take the form of any one or more of these behaviours: It is estimated that as many as one in every six workers is bullied at work and it occurs more frequently than sexual harassment. It is not new but has become what some have called a silent epidemic because it is happening frequently but isn’t always reported. It usually involves verbal comments and incidents that are intended to hurt, harass, isolate, intimidate, or humiliate a person. Workplace bullying is like bullying on the playground except that it occurs in the workplace.