Nine signs of bullying at work

Bullying can be a repeated pattern or a serious incident. These nine behaviours should be taken seriously:

• Name-calling. Abuse in messages, meetings or the office is not acceptable.

• Ignoring, isolating or excluding. Deliberating ignoring someone, or excluding them from relevant meetings are ways of intentionally making someone feel isolated.

• Belittling. Equally, if someone contributes only to be made fun of or have their opinions discounted as bad or false, it can be considered bullying. This kind of undue criticism is unnecessary, as any good manager should be able to provide feedback in a constructive way.

• Scapegoating. Repeatedly blaming one person for wider mistakes can form part of a bullying pattern.

• Manipulation of roles. Making threats about job security or purposefully blocking someone’s progress at work, by removing their responsibilities without good reason, is a misuse of power.

• Setting you up to fail. Being set unachievable tasks or targets, designed to see an individual fail, is an example of workplace bullying.

• Spreading rumours. This kind of playground behaviour can have a huge impact on the general well-being of the victim.

• Giving you meaningless tasks. Everyone has to take their turn to make a round of hot drinks, but if you keep getting set all the worst jobs, it could be a sign of bullying.

• Aggressive behaviour. Shouting or intruding on personal space is unacceptable. Employees should not feel scared at work, including when they have made a mistake.

Bullying is not part of your job. Some people worry that they are being oversensitive, but repeated mistreatment can affect work and life outside it. You do not have to accept excuses for it.

First steps when bullying happens

• Get to know your company’s policy. Your employer should have a policy on behaviour in the workplace, including information on bullying. Find out all the details you can, including processes for informing supervisors and the steps you can expect them to take.

• Start informally if it feels safe. The person may not understand the effect of their behaviour, but you are not obliged to confront them.

• Tell management, HR or your trade union. Use the route that is safest and most independent.

• Keep evidence. Record dates, times, places, details and witnesses. Save relevant messages and emails.

• Find someone to talk to. You should not have to experience bullying alone.

• Make a formal complaint if the behaviour continues or the informal route is not appropriate. Your employer’s grievance procedure should explain the process.