40% of Canadians experience workplace bullying: report
Back in May, we discussed workplace bullying in this space.
It’s a tough subject, and we wondered: who could blame victims from fearing retribution should they speak up? As one commenter put it, “If you report the problem, you become the problem.”
Indeed, as in schools, bullying has no upside in the office, yet just how many Canadian workers might be affected by workplace bullies?
As many as 40 per cent, according to the latest estimate.
By the guess of Jacqueline Power, an assistant professor of management at the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business, 40 per cent of Canadian workers have experienced one or more acts of bullying on the job each week over the past six months.
*Bing: What should you do when faced with a workplace bully
That’s a “serious problem,” Power notes, and for the sake of keeping score, it’s a notch higher than the 35 per cent figure similarly cited by this blog earlier in the year.
What’s of particular interest with Power’s forecast on bullying, however, isn’t her numerical projections but what she recommends victims do when faced with abuse.
“The no. 1 piece of advice is to stand up to bullies. But research tells us that’s the very worst thing you can do,” she tells the CBC. “If you stand up to a bully, their behaviour escalates.
“Your best bet is to quit your job. If you absolutely can’t do that, be passive. If you actively work (against) a bully … it will get worse.”
Whoa. Talk about the exact opposite lecture you’d give your child about bullying in the schoolyard.
Regrettably, though, Power may be right; in its feature on workplace bullying, which mentions that old adage that reporting workplace abuse often falls on deaf ears, the CBC highlights one Canada Border Services Agency worker who was run out of his job.
“I was forced to retire,” says the employee, who is seeking damages for being chased from his job, leading to a smaller pension from early retirement. “The harassment was so bad that I couldn’t take it anymore.”
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Wilson | Dec 7, 2021 2:45:14 PM
You should always stand up to a bully.If their behaviour escalates, then you haven't "stood up" hard enough. There are ways to "eliminate" the bully permanently, without getting caught.
Posted by: keith | Dec 8, 2021 4:41:09 AM
You must always stand up to a harrasser at work, bullying is actually known as violence in the workplace. When you take your last breath on this planet I am sure your peace of mind will be the most important thing you could have. The regret of being a coward, and toadying to these jerks will haunt you till the end. QUIT YOUR JOB!!! Is this person insane? The border services agent mentioned is out of luck. He [she] voluntarily quit their employ. That is it and that is all. Take it from an old Labour activist my friends, take it to your Union. Take it to your lawyer. Contact the Labour Relations board or the Human Rights commission. One thing your employer REALLY hates is spending money on arbitration hearings and even more, the embarassment in the community. Keep fighting if you are being harrassed, it will get better. If they fire you that is when you have a wrongfull dissmissal claim. If you quit, your sol.
Posted by: Shyrock Duffy | Dec 8, 2021 6:01:25 AM
Seometimes it does not work that way. My place of employment did not have a union, I could not afford a lawyer, they would have the supervisor on their side due to lying about you, and your side of the story never got told. Most times I found the bullies or bully, they would spend time outside of the workplace. The lead hand or your boss and the bully-bullies.
It goes on more than you know. I think it is worse for women. It happened to me and even when you do get a hearing, they all stand together and lie againest you. Most times for the sake of your stress level and health , believe me it is better to move on!!
Posted by: Darryl | Dec 8, 2021 9:02:36 AM
Depends on what the definition of a Bully is these days.
Years ago it was no problem picking out a bully everyone knew who he/she was. It seems to me the workplace has now evolved to a place where no one has to do anything they don't want to and when confronted with poor work or the lack of ambition they immediately cry foul and they are being picked on. Make sure when you identify a bully you have not mistaken their actions for the the accepted workplace performance level. Instead of direct confrontation I would suggest a negotiating attitude which could lead to compromise on both side of the situation.
If everyone develops these skills eventually the Bully will have nobody to pick on and will have to relent or quit.
Posted by: John Gaul | Dec 11, 2021 4:56:44 PM
Although the record of dealing successfully with bullying in the workplace may be low, I cannot accept that there are not ways of doing it. Documenting abuse, enlisting the aid of fellow workers and taking the evidence to HR or another manager (if yours is the bully) is a common sense solution. If it fails try the courts. Bottom line is that if man can fly to the moon companies can figure out how to deal with bullies.
Posted by: Nancy | Dec 11, 2021 5:53:24 PM
Companies will only find a way to deal with bullies if the people in power at them WANT to deal with the bullies. It's easier to ignore it or deny it than to admit they made hiring mistakes. Trying to compromise with a real bully will only get you more abuse, because bullies thrive on having more power over you. It's all about control. I was the senior member of my department, well respected in it and within my company and happy in my job until a new manager took over. I documented the abuse by the new manager over a period of months, took it to the VP of HR and got nowhere. Another manager who tried to speak on my behalf was told by same VP to butt out. The other employees were afraid to speak up because they knew they could be next. I was being set up for failure and a reason to fire me, so I had no choice by to leave while I still have my good record. It's not so easy as "Stand up to them." It's worth more to me to have my health and a job where I believe I am doing good work than to be ill and know I bested an insecure, unfair bully (if I ever could have, in that company and the management's mindset). I was not a member of a union, but not all unions are usefull, either.
Posted by: Bob | Dec 11, 2021 6:18:59 PM
Dealing with a bully in the workplace is difficult under the best of circumstances and well nigh impossible unless your entire group of colleagues is willing to stand up with you to put a stop to it. If they dont wish to be involved then you are done. Best to leave the job and move on. The bully will also move on to his next victim.
Posted by: MIKE | Dec 11, 2021 8:40:04 PM
RECORD, REPORT, MY IPHONE HAS A RECORDER APPLICATION THAT WORKS VERY WELL. OR THERE ARE MANY AFFORDABLE DIGITAL RECORDERS. USE THEM!!! I TURN MINE ON EVERY TIME I GO IN THE OFFICE. COLLECT EVIDENCE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME TO SHOW A "PATTERN OF BEHAVIOUR". IF YOU ARE WEAK, FIND A WAY TO DEFEND YOURSELVES OR THE BIG ONES WILL EAT YOU.
Posted by: Eventually Gone | Dec 11, 2021 10:52:46 PM
I agree with Nancy-
I was bullied and harassed after my first surgery with a written warning. Fought the warning and felt that I had 'won' the battle. One year later, I had another surgery and was terminated a few weeks later. As per my lawyer, harassment and bullying is not illegal in the workplace, UNLESS, it
violates one of the 16 factors- age, race, religion, disability, etc....
An employer can terminate someone WHENEVER THEY WANT AND FOR NO REASON- BUT they have to pay proper severance.
So, my thoughts to all those bullied- if you fight back, you will still eventually lose your job if the bully is higher up than you.I even went to the top for support, but all the managers 'ganged' up against me. I think the only way to keep your job, (if the bully is your boss), is to have a real heart-to-heart meeting with the bully.(& hope for fairness, empathy) Otherwise, it's better to start looking elsewhere.
I realize too that all my documents are useless; recordings won't help either as they would be 'inadmissible' if you ended up in court.
Posted by: George Tsoukalas | Dec 11, 2021 11:53:59 PM
Always stand up to bullies! Why? Because if you do not then they will believe that you are weak, and won't put up a fight. If you stand up to bullies and assert yourself, then you will earn the respect and admiration of your colleagues and co-workers. Take it from someone who has over 9 years of private security experience under their belt: DO NOT LET ANYONE PUSH YOU AROUND!!!
Posted by: Al-man | Dec 12, 2021 1:46:58 PM
A buddy of mine had a workplace bully. He like many, had no union and couldn't afford a lawyer. he had to deal with it on his own.
The cool part is that once the bully got out of the hospital, all seemed to work much better around the workplace. "Gosh, he must have slipped when he went for a smoke".
I really hate hearing stories where people have to go that far just to have a nice work enviroment. But there are times where what do you do? Many companies, schools, jobsites, would rather hide the problem or deny it happens at "their workplace" or "Thats not happening here". You hear about violence in the workplace investigations. But do the investigators really look at what might be the cause of the problems?
The world is becoming a terrible place and it seems the bad people of the world are getting more and more of the rewards with less people standing up to them.