Feeling like you’re the only one having a bad time? That’s your heart’s important S.O.S.
This article explains the signs that you might be a target of workplace bullying, including changes in your relationships with colleagues and your job tasks. We will also provide tips to help you get through a difficult situation.
Common Examples of Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying comes in many forms. Here are some common examples:
Physical Assault
- Acts of violence like hitting, kicking, or pinching.
- Harassment of personal property or company equipment, such as hiding or breaking things.
Verbal Harassment
- Insults and teasing.
- Threats, harassment via phone calls or emails.
- Social exclusion, being ignored.
- Slander and libel on social media or chat tools.
Psychological Harassment
- Deliberately ignoring someone as a group.
- Intentionally excluding someone from important information sharing.
- Giving instructions that are designed to make someone fail.
- Spreading groundless rumors.
- Giving someone an excessive or a minimal amount of work.
Sexual Harassment
- Making lewd comments.
- Unwanted physical contact.
Cyberbullying
- Slander and libel on social media or chat.
- Posting private photos without permission.
- Impersonation.
What are Insults, Posts, and Slander?
Insults, posts, and slander are actions that mentally harm a person or damage their social reputation. Specifically, they include the following:
1. Direct Insults and Personal Attacks
- Words that demean someone’s work ability or character, like “incompetent,” “useless,” or “freeloader.”
- Words that deny a person’s existence, like “you’re a nuisance” or “just quit already.”
2. Spreading Baseless Rumors and Lies
- “So-and-so got a customer complaint.”
- “So-and-so is stealing company supplies.”
- “So-and-so talks bad about everyone.”
Spreading these kinds of lies can isolate someone or make them lose trust. Even if you write “it’s just a rumor,” it can still be considered slander.
3. Doxxing (Exposing Personal Information)
- Publicly posting someone’s full name, address, phone number, or photos on the internet without their permission.
- Posting someone’s social media account name and encouraging a group to attack it.
4. Harassment and Threats
- Threatening messages like “I’ll make you regret it if you don’t quit.”
- Deliberately saying insults loudly enough for a specific person to hear.
5. Cyber Harassment
- Impersonating someone to make problematic posts (e.g., posting inappropriate content on social media).
- Kicking someone out of a work-related chat group without warning.
- Editing and posting someone’s photos on social media without their permission.
These acts of verbal and cyber violence can leave deep emotional scars on the victim. Bullying is defined by how the target feels. Even if the perpetrator claims it was “just a joke,” it’s still bullying if the other person is hurt by it.
Signs You Might Be a Target of Workplace Bullying
Here are some points to help you recognize signs in your own mind, body, and behavior.
Signs in Your Mind and Body
- You don’t want to go to work: You might get stomachaches, dizziness, or feel sick before going to the office.
- You get irritated easily: You get angry or upset about things that wouldn’t normally bother you.
- You can’t sleep or lose your appetite: You wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, or you lose the desire to eat.
Signs in Your Relationships with Others
- You’re ignored or excluded: Your greetings are ignored by certain colleagues, or you’re left out of conversations.
- You’re insulted: People directly say things that attack your character.
- You’re left out of communication: You don’t receive notifications for meetings or work-related messages that everyone else gets.
Ask Yourself These Questions
- “I’m being forced to do things I don’t want to do.”: You’re being pressured into attending social events or personal gatherings you’d rather avoid, just because “everyone else is doing it.”
- “They’re laughing while saying something hurtful, but I’m not finding it funny at all.”: You’re being hurt by what they’re saying, even if they claim it’s a joke.
- “I told them to stop, but the harassment continues.”: You made it clear that you don’t like something, but the teasing or harassment hasn’t stopped.
If any of these signs apply to you, it might be bullying. The most important thing is how you feel. Don’t suffer alone; talk to a trusted colleague, a manager, an HR representative, or an external support service.
What to Do If You Feel You Are a Victim of Workplace Bullying
- Don’t carry the burden alone: Talk to a trusted colleague, family member, or friend.
- Keep a record: Write down the details of every incident—when, where, who was involved, and what happened.
- Seek advice: Contact your company’s harassment consultation desk, the HR department, or a manager you trust.
- Consider external resources: If your company has no one to turn to or the issue isn’t resolved, consider consulting with a lawyer, a labor union, or an external counseling service.
The pain you feel is not imaginary. Take the first step and act to change your situation.
