Bullying Experienced at the Workplace by the Members of Staff - Term Paper Example

ESSAY, ENGLISH THESIS-DRIVEN ESSAY Introduction: It is important to highlight that this paper delves onthe topic bullying at the workplace. Bullying can be defined as the act of using force as well as threats to oppress others thereby making them to do as commanded by the bully. In a nutshell, it is therefore the subjective use and advancement of pressure on the weaker people. In this paper, it is important to reiterate the fact that the paper has focuses on the bullying that is experienced at the work place by the various members of staff in different organization (Stale, 2003). In the recent cases that have been reported on the cause of many workers opting for self employment, it was noted that nearly 93% of the people would prefer to establish their own businesses. There were no other reasons that they gave apart from the reason that they are subjected to intensive bullying at their places of work. This is therefore a proof for the bullying that the workers are faced with at their working environments and probably go unreported or even not handled effectively (Stale, 2010). Thesis statement Workers are subjected to bullying at the work places. Role and objectives of the research To identify the causes of bullying at the various work stations or places of work. To determine the reasons for the individuals opting to quit jobs at the places of work that they are posted. To ascertain ways that can be employed in combating the high levels of bullying at the places of work. To identify better ways to handle and eradicate bullying at the work place. Background of the study It is important to highlight once again that the paper is a research essay that focuses and discusses on the bullying at work place. At the place of work, it is clearly evident that bullying in many cases occur to the female workers who could be bullied by the fellow male workers who could possibly make them to overwork or even be in need for certain sexual relationships especially in the case where the bully is in a state that could make the bullied worker be promoted on the job grouping. Other people who could as well be bullied are the male workers who could be bullied by the female workers or even the female bosses who could probably be seeing them to be quite beautiful in a way and would prefer if they satisfy their sexual desires (Andrea, 2003). In many cases, it is always so rampant to find that this behavior is more subjected to the new employees at their various places of work as well as the employees who are in internships as well as the attachments for the case of the students who go to the various areas to gain exposure and experience. This is in many cases propagated by the senior staff or the staff who have been at the workplace for quite some time forcing them with excess work. It is important to highlight that bullying is a rampant problem at the various work places (Charlotte, 2001). Under this, it is important to highlight that bullying can adversely affect the work place or a company. In this case, the following are the effects of bullying at the work place: Reducing the staff morale It is important to note that the workplace environment should be conducive and that favors the attitude as well as the psychographic profile of the staff members. Under this, it is clearly noted that in a case where one goes to a place of work and instead of the working environment is quite stressful because of the bullying that the worker is subjected to, the morale and the derive for such a staff will axiomatically be lowered thereby leading to the reduced productivity of such a worker. This is so because the psychological input of the worker and the mind will be stirred hence cannot deliver the normal way as anticipated by the other staff (Carrie, 2012). Gives a bad reputation, image and impression of the company or the place of work It is important to highlight that a working place that is always affected by bullying and that the workers are subjected to the bullying problem has a bad impression. This would adversely affect the business or the company in the essence that very few or no worker would be willing to work in such kind of environment and thereby leading to a shortage of workforce at the work place hence there would be no productivity in the place (Carrie, 2012). Poor teamwork and coordination It is clearly known that in a work place that the workers are subjected to bullying, the workers will not be in good relations amongst themselves and this would on the other hand not effectively initiate proper coordination among the workers. This is because the workers would develop some kind of bad feeling and attitude towards each other especially the ones that are bullying the others. This would therefore make integration of the workers quite difficult and thus each would be alone in terms of executing their roles (Christine 2007). Poor coordination in a work place that is attributed by the poor teamwork by certain individuals would therefore make the performance of the place of work to be poor. It is always advisable for the various employers at their work places to ensure continued unity in the organization throughout the working and operation of the organization. This can be well enhanced by conducting parties, get together as well as taking the staff for trips together (Cheryl, 2004). It is important to highlight that setting up anti-workplace bully policies significantly contribute to reducing the workplace bully incidents. The company policies include setting up departments and agencies to reduce workplace bullying incidents. The merit of the paper is ensuring the reduction of workplace bully attacks including the bully victims’ seeking the helping of the labor unions, human resource department, counseling department and the external agencies such as the courts of law. This paper scrutinizes the anti-bullying strategies (Andrea, 2003). One counterargument states the fear of the workplace bullies’ retaliation prevents the successful implementation of anti-workplace bullying policies. One strategy shows Kathryn Crouss emphasized a Massachusetts hearing was conducted to get the response of all sectors, including the companies, bullies, and bully victims regarding a proposed anti-workplace bullying law. This paper is there quite vindictive as it is going to prove that the company’s anti-workplace bullying policies will reduce bullying incidents. It is also important to note that this kind of problem art the workplace can be regulated and eventually eliminated. In the reduction as well as elimination of bullying at the work place, the following should therefore be put into practice: Establishing of policies at the places of work places It is important to highlight that the establishment and setting up anti-workplace bullying policies will significantly reduce the workplace bully incidents. Related studies indicate anti-workplace bullying policies can positively contribute to the reduction of the workplace bully attacks. According to Kathryn Crouss, she highlights that the employers must institute internal anti-bullying policies. From her suggestions, she envisages on the policies such as preventing anti-bullying languages within the workplace (Carrie, 2012). In fact, Kathryn Crouss reiterated that the employers must seek the legal advice of employment law attorneys in the crafting and implementing of workplace bullying acts. The company policy must encourage the employees to file bully charges to effectively lessen bully attacks. The company may conduct a bully seminar. The seminar will encourage the employees to file bully charges against abusive workplace individuals. The seminar will boost the bully victims’ confidence to file the appropriate bully charges against one’s workplace superiors or fellow workers (Charlotte, 2001). Further, the company policies include conducting regular seminars leading to the reduction of the company’s bully occurrences. The seminars will discuss anti-workplace bully attacks. In the seminar, everyone is taught ethics in the workplace. The ethics seminar details what is ethically right and what is prohibited in the workplace. The seminar will discuss the companies’ policies on reducing and eliminating workplace bullying (Andrea, 2003). Second, the bully victims must seek help to reduce workplace bully attacks. Recent researches prove bully victims can seek help to reduce the workplace bully attacks. The responsive organizations and departments must persuade the employees to seek the organizations’ help to prosecute workplace bully culprits. Some bully victims fear that reporting the bully incidents equates to insubordination. The bully would warn the subordinate bully victim that any bully complainant will be treated as an insubordination (Christine 2007). One research conducted among the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union showed that one third of the respondents encountered face to face bullying in the workplace (Privitera, Carmel, and Campbell 395). This clearly shows that two –thirds of the respondents escaped from the workplace bully attacks. The victims can learn how the two thirds escaped from their workplace bully attacks. There are organizations honed to preventing workplace bullying. The labor union, external entities, as well as the workplace internal entities can come to the rescue of the beleaguered bully victims (Carrie, 2012). Thirdly, there is the need to conduct worldwide if not nationwide exercise that educates the various employees on bullying effects to the workers at the work place. Under this, the employees will be able to understand the adverse effects of this kind of misconduct to the fellow employees. This would be quite dangerous especially in a case where the employee had some wrangles back and again find the workplace quite not conducive. They would therefore opt for negative decisions such as committing suicide thereby leading to deaths. This would in turn impact economically, politically as well as socially (Charlotte, 2001). In terms of counterarguments, I emphasize the counterarguments are untenable. The counterargument that the workplace bullies’ retaliation prevents the successful implementation of anti-workplace bullying policies is erroneous. By constantly holding seminars, the seminars persuade bully victims to seek the help of the proper agencies, departments and other internal departments. Further, Jacqueline Gilbert espoused one of the normal work procedures is the male workers’ discriminating the female employees. This is tantamount to workplace bullying. Women workers are forced to tow the line within the workplace (Christine, 2007). The seminars will persuade the female bully victims to come out in the open to stop the male chauvinistic culture. Furthermore, the company anti-workplace bullying seminars will train the female workers to stop the abusers. Charlotte Rayner conducted a research affirming workplace bullying is a significantly reality. I reiterate that the counterargument stating the lack of organizational support discourages the bully victims from seeking help is likewise erroneous. The seminars pinpoint the bully victims to contact the corresponding organizations with the capacity to help the bully victims stop future bully attacks. The companies’ management officers can beneficially allocate both time and money to stop anti-workplace bullying. One of the benefits is increased workplace productivity (Cheryl, 2004). There are many ways to stop workplace bullying. The anti-workplace bullying policies trim down the workplace bully incidents. The related studies indicate anti-workplace bullying policies and departments helping bully victims by penalizing the workplace bullies. The bully victims should ask the organizations’ help to prevent the workplace bully attacks. The counterargument stating the fear of the workplace bullies’ revenge reduces the successful implementation of anti-workplace bullying policies is incorrect (Andrea, 2003). Similarly, the counterargument stating the lack of organizational support discourages the bully victims from asking help to reduce workplace bully attacks is flawed. In terms of the so what issue, the essay will show the bully victim’s reporting bully attacks and the consequent punishment of workplace bullies definitely contributes to the elimination of workplace bullying. Evidently, the relevant workplace policies will significantly decrease workplace bully attacks (Charlotte, 2001). In a statistical research that was conducted in five places of work (offices) concerning the level of bullying, there was a proof that vindicated the validity of the thesis statement. The offices were offices of: land, water, security, finance as well as health. It is also important to note that ten employees were sampled randomly from each office. In this, ethical issues were as well put into consideration to avoid biasness in the findings. This therefore is graphically presented below to show the actual results of the exercise. From the chart, it can be clearly noted that most of the workers in the various offices proved that there is high rate of bullying that is done in the various offices to the employees. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be said that bullying at workplace has negative repercussions on the welfare of the employee. It is therefore important for the employers of the various firms to put into consideration key measures that they can put into use to combat this kind of misconduct at the places of work. This is a negative behavior that can adversely affect the staff concentration in an organization and thereby the organization gets negatively retarded in regards to the productivity (Carrie, 2012). Good staff concentration and proper morale is an effective weapon for the success of the organization. This is because the employee’s attitude will be that that can help in the proper interaction with the customer in the event that the customers are involved and that is welcoming thereby selling the business or the name of the organization as well as the image as better as possible. A good reputation is all that all organizations yearn for. This would therefore improve the organization as the staffs who work in an environment that is conducive according to their taste and perception are always seen to be people who are propagating and giving quality services to the recipient (Aryanne, 2009). Recommendation It is recommended that the organizations should try to work effectively by sensitizing their staff as well as through working closely with the human rights activists as well as the other government bodies in ensuring that the staffs are not bullied at the workplaces. Bullying in real sense is a violation of the rights of other persons and they too need protection by the human rights bodies (Andrea, 2003). References Andrea, W. Workplace Bullying: The Costly Business Secret, Penguin Group New Zealand, Limited, 2003. Aryanne, O. Managing Workplace Bullying: How to Identify, Respond to and Manage Bullying Behaviour in the Workplace, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Carrie, G, Bullied: What every parent, teacher and kid needs to know about ending the cycle of fear, HarperCollins, 2012. Charlotte, R. Workplace Bullying: What we know, who is to blame and what can we do? CRC Press, 2001. Cheryl, E. Bullying: Implications for the Classroom; Educational psychology series, UK, Academic Press, 2004. Christine, N. Bullying; Introducing Issues With Opposing Viewpoints, Boston, GREENHAVEN Press (CA), 2007. Stale, E. Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International Perspectives in Research and Practice, Taylor & Francis, 2003. Stale, E. Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace: Developments in Theory, Research, and Practice, Second Edition, CRC Press, 2010. Read More