How to stand up to workplace bullies
Bullying in the workplace isn’t always overt. In some cases, it may involve being tasked with an unreasonable amount of work or not being given fair access to opportunities for promotion. In fact, workplace bullying may not even occur face to face. It could take place on social media or via email, text message, phone call or letter.
If you’re being bullied by a co-worker, the first thing you should do is try to address the situation. Make sure to firmly let the bully know how their actions are making you feel, and ask them to stop.
If this doesn’t work, compile evidence you can present to your manager. Save all email threads and text messages, and keep a log of all incidences of bullying, including the dates, times, locations and names of anyone who witnesses your co-worker bullying you.
If your manager can’t help diffuse the situation, it may be time to file a formal complaint. To do so, you should first find out if there are any workplace policies or procedures in place to report bullying. If so, follow them. There may also be designated representatives in your human resources department who are trained to deal with these types of issues.
On a personal level, remember to not take bullying personally. If someone harasses you, it says more about them than it does about you. Try not to dwell on the situation, get support if you need it and remember to look after your mental health.