fact sheet 23/9/04 5:27 pm Page 1

FACTSHEET ON

THE HISTORY OF THE TRUST WHAT IS ? other work related stresses put together. Andrea Adams, broadcaster and journalist, One of the difficulties in approaching the Workplace bullying can range from extreme was the first person to recognise the problem of workplace bullying, is that it may forms such as violence and to significance of workplace bullying, and her be hard to recognise and its effects may be less obvious actions, like deliberately book entitled ‘Bullying at Work’ published by attributed to something else, for it creeps ignoring someone at work. Yet the disturbing Virago in 1992, remains a landmark in this field. up on you long before you are able to manifestations of adult bullying in this appreciate what it is that is making you feel particular context are widely dismissed. Andrea’s tragic early death in 1995 left a the ill effects. legacy of many people affected by her STRONG MANAGEMENT OR personality and her work. They felt deeply that Bullying is a gradual wearing down process BULLYING ? her contribution must not be forgotten and that makes individuals feel demeaned and Bullying is a sustained form of psychological that the work she had started must inadequate, that they can never get anything abuse and often emanates from a senior be continued. They became the founding right, and that they are hopeless, not only person taking what they feel is a ‘strong line’ members of the Trust in June 1996. within their work environment, but also in their with employees. There is, however, a fine line domestic life. between strong management and bullying. In setting up the Trust to carry on Andrea's That line is crossed when the target of work, it was their intention to fill the gap that EUPHEMISMS FOR BULLYING bullying is persistently downgraded with the she had left and to become the natural focus A good deal of workplace bullying can be result that they begin to show signs of being for the diverse needs the agenda inevitably overlooked or excused because of a number distressed, becoming either physically, elicited by this emotive topic which touches of euphemisms which are frequently used to mentally or psychologically hurt. It can be so many people. justify bullying behaviours:- distinguished from other work related problems, in that it is not the intention of the • The Trust was launched as a non-political, perpetrator, but the deed itself and its impact •Intimidation non-profit making charity in June 1997, on the recipient or target that constitutes • Aggression registered as a National Charity No. 1064539 workplace bullying. • Bad attitude and a Company Limited by Guarantee • Coercive management No. 03427802. Experts agree that bullying thrives where • Personality clash it is common behaviour across the • Poor management style The Trust works to reduce the incidences of management hierarchy. This is especially the workplace bullying through raising awareness DEFINING WORKPLACE BULLYING case in highly competitive environments where by:- many individuals consider bullying as the There really is no simple definition of bullying accepted method of motivating staff. In • Research & Publication because it can take so many forms, occur in organisations that pride themselves on strong •Training & Education a variety of situations and crosses gender, management, bullying can soon become part •Promoting good practice race, age and can involve one or a number of of the company’s culture and management will • Campaigning for effective legislation individuals. However, the Trust defines this be seen by their employees to have condoned behaviour as:- such behaviour simply through their inaction. The Trust enables those who have been • Unwarranted humiliating offensive behaviour bullied to receive immediate support and towards an individual or groups of employees. Employees may feel that they have to put up advice so that ideally, they can retain their with bullying behaviour as part of the , and stop the bullying. It does not see • Such persistently negative malicious attacks and may not wish to complain for fear of those who have suffered workplace bullying on personal or professional performance are further or of being labelled a as everlasting victims, but supports them as typically unpredictable, unfair, irrational and troublemaker they work to regain their self-confidence, often unseen. esteem and health. • An abuse of power or position that can Yet, what sort of workplace can really condone cause such anxiety that people gradually a form of behaviour which engenders fear in The Trust acts as a facilitator and co- lose all belief in themselves, suffering their employees. People cannot contribute ordinator, operating with other agencies and physical ill health and mental distress as their best when under fear of harassment, organisations where appropriate and offers a direct result. bullying or abuse. guidance and support both to employees • Bullying can be regarded as the use of and employers. position or power to coerce others by fear, BULLYING HAS BECOME A persecution or to oppress them by force PROBLEM THAT IS NOW TOO Our pledge is to help all those involved to or threat. It has been identified as a more COSTLY TO IGNORE. step back from this tangled and highly crippling and devastating problem for both emotional experience and see it with a employees and employers, than all the measure of detachment and objectivity. fact sheet 23/9/04 5:27 pm Page 2

EARLY WARNING SIGNS time. The more people experiencing the Talk to colleagues and see if they will THE EFFECTS OF BULLYING •High staff WHAT TYPE OF BULLYING How to tell if you are really being bullied. same type of conduct, the less likely any support you. BEHAVIOUR • Costly retraining BEHAVIOUR? complaint will be thought of as a personality This widespread phenomenon is one of • Low staff morale Bullies are often insecure people who do not If you feel:- clash on your part. So, check to see if any of If the bully has made any disparaging claims the most destructive forces eroding the • Demotivation trust others and see them as a threat to their your colleagues are experiencing the same against you then send them a memo refuting professional lives of men and women who •Increase in tribunal cases own positions. Their techniques range from • The working relationship feels different treatment as you. them. Any reply will add to your evidence, as have to go to work. The unpredictable •Civil action for stress outright aggression such as shouting and from any you have previously experienced will a refusal to respond. behaviour and the often unseen aggression • Costly law suits swearing and humiliating their victims in front •You are being persistently ‘got at’ Initial tactics recommended to deflect the of a bullying boss engenders fear and •Risk to public image of others, to psychological torture. bully are broadly to stand firm, remain Find out if your employer has a policy on paranoia in large numbers of employees. It • Damage to corporate image •Your work is being criticised even though confident and keep calm. Asserting yourself harassment or unacceptable behaviour, makes their working lives utterly miserable, • Loss of client / customer confidence Bullying can begin innocuously enough, so you know that your standards have not by keeping a detailed record of every verbal which may cover bullying. leaves people full of self doubt, affects that the victim is at first unsure of their slipped or other attack will provide sound evidence performance and is the source of both high Bullying in organisations is, therefore, not suppressor’s intentions. A bully will give •You start beginning to question whether to confront the bully with at a later stage. The Take evidence of your experience to and in many cases, prolonged only a problem for the individual but also for somebody tasks to do they know can not be these mistakes you are supposed to have need for proof is essential. your trade union, welfare officer, equal sick leave. the organisation as a whole. Where bullying achieved in the time given, designed to set made, really are your fault. opportunities, health & safety, occupational is accepted as good robust management, it up somebody to fail. They also remove If you feel you are being bullied at work you health advisers or personnel officers. Keep Bullying at work is the precursor of alarming filters from the top down. Regardless of the responsibilities, giving somebody very trivial If this is an accurate picture of what is should not suffer in silence but should seek your complaint as objective as possible so and unimagined misery for its recipients and long term effects on employees, the tasks instead, or they constantly change happening to you at work, reflect on what immediate advice from your union or that you cant be accused of filing the is synonymous with tragic consequences. emphasis here is short term success. instructions, persistently nit pick or freeze has happened in the recent past and ask personnel/health and safety officers. Those complaint out of malice or ambition. There are documented cases of major the target out. yourself, if everything was alright before, then who are the prime targets often feel physical impairments of health and many Profit is what matters, regardless of the fact why not now ? ashamed to talk about it with colleagues Stand calm and firm and do not allow more cases involving nervous breakdown, that it is people’s efforts that make it These are covert things that are not because they feel their professional yourself to be a victim but do not take action psychological distress and personality possible. In general, staff are not listened to, seen by outsiders and the victims of • What has changed ? credibility is being called into question. Be alone if you are afraid of losing control. change, besides the intolerable pressure of valued for the contributions they have to this behaviour do not realise what is •Do you have a new boss ? strong, it is not your fault. acute financial repercussions and the total offer, or respected as individuals and happening to them until they are so drained Sick leave need not be a sign of weakness, it fracturing of careers. It has a devastating therefore, treated with dignity. In this type of and weakened they haven’t the strength to • Has pressure on your current boss Loss of confidence, the confusion of can be a strategy to take time over decisions effect on the bullied persons family. hostile atmosphere, paranoia will prevail as fight back and start to stay away at work. increased ? professional and personal characteristics and about what to do next. staff think of little else other than the bully’s • Have you recently changed jobs ? abilities, the feeling of shame and degradation, People who find themselves being bullied – next outburst. Not surprisingly, people lose OBVIOUS BULLYING BEHAVIOUR is all part of the victim experience. Make sure you keep all those you have and this is a subjective test – often suffer their ability to concentrate or to be creative. • Repeatedly shouting or swearing in public •Are your objectives being repeatedly asked for help informed of all developments. from the following symptoms:- or private altered ? Do not become isolated, seek support • The effects of workplace bullying are • Public • Have you been asked to do things and remember you also have a position Follow the company grievance procedures PHYSICAL estimated to be responsible for between outside your job description ? of power because your ability or with the help and support of your union or • Sleeplessness one third to a half of all stress related • Persistent criticism popularity threatens the bully – that is personnel officers. • Nausea illnesses. UMIST •Are you under more personal scrutiny ? • Constantly undervaluing effort why you are the target. •Migraine/severe headaches • More than two million people at work •Are you feeling less involved ? If you do decide to resign, let your company •Palpitations • Personal and consider themselves as being bullied. One Bullying is a severe offence which must know that you are leaving because you have •Skin complaints in four people report to have been bullied • Persecution through fear or threats Something about you may make the bully be taken seriously by all employers. Your been bullied. It may well help others in future. • Sweating/shaking within the last five years. UMIST feel threatened and want to get rid of that complaints must be believed and dealt with •Stomach problems • Dispensing unfair punishment out of the blue threat, intentionally or otherwise. The bully swiftly and sensitively. All too often however, If you wish to pursue a legal claim against • Backache • Unofficial estimates put the cost of stress • Increasing responsibility whilst decreasing will be looking for any reason to accuse you this is not the case. your employer for constructive or a • Loss of appetite related illness in the workplace as high as authority of poor performance which could lead to personal injury claim, seek advice from your •Lethargy twelve billion pounds or more. your eventual dismissal. It is essential at this THINGS TO REMEMBER TO DO union in the first instance, for if you have a • Being overruled, ignored, marginalised or • 18.9 million working days are lost each stage to maintain your self-respect. Make sure that you know exactly what your well founded case they will take it up on EMOTIONAL excluded year as a direct result of workplace bullying job description is so that you can check your behalf. • Acute anxiety UMIST. With 30 times more days lost to WHY ME ? whether the responsibilities you are given • Feeling isolated LESS OBVIOUS BULLYING industry than those lost through industrial A victim is usually selected on the basis that match it. Talk to friends and family for emotional • Loss of confidence/self esteem BEHAVIOUR disputes. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH they are either more attractive, competent, support. Find out from your GP if counselling • •Setting individuals up to fail successful, popular. It is a sad fact too that the Keep a record of all incidents which cause is available and make an appointment. • Panic attacks • 3.6% of salary budgets (national average) is • Setting uncontracted tasks victims of bullies are often usually above you distress or are undermining, and any •Anger paid to people absent from work due to average performers, efficient and often better disparaging attacks on your character Remember that you are the most important • Mood swings stress related illness. DEPARTMENT OF •Setting unrealistic deadlines for an at what they do than those who bully them. or personal competence – log dates and person in all of this and to look after yourself • Lack of motivation HEALTH increased These reasons stand well above the usual details and write down your feelings after is of paramount importance. •Suicidal thoughts • 43.5% of employers do not have a policy • Removing areas of responsibility and reasons for being targeted, such as standing each such occurrence together with your to deal with workplace bullying. 93.1% of imposing menial tasks up for a colleague who is being bullied, being own response. Many individuals who bully will excuse such all Personnel practitioners say that bullying highly qualified or experienced, inability to REMEMBER THAT BULLYING behaviour as a necessary means of motivating •Deliberately sabotaging or impeding is occurring in their own organisations. fight back, vulnerability, low assertiveness, Keep copies of all annual appraisals and IS NOT YOUR FAULT! an employee in the highly competitive work performance 82.2% say that weakness in management whistleblowing, being ‘different’ etc. correspondence relating to your ability to do commercial environment of today. However, is the prime reason for bullying. •Constantly changing guidelines the job. the impact on an organisation can be PERSONNEL TODAY/ ANDREA ADAMS TAKING ACTION devastating:- •Withholding work related information TRUST SURVEY 1999 Before you decide to take action through Try to get witnesses to bullying incidents •Increased sick absence official channels, it is worth considering an – try to avoid situations where you are alone •Increased absenteeism informal approach. Bullying at work usually with the bully. • Reduced productivity affects several members of staff at any one fact sheet 23/9/04 5:27 pm Page 4

The Andrea Adams Trust Hova House, 1 Hova Villas, Hove East Sussex BN3 3DH Tel/Fax 01273 704 900 [email protected] www.andreaadamstrust.org

HELPING YOURSELF RACE RELATIONS ACT 1977 Mechanisms to deal with bullying are very Perhaps the most common piece of SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 hard to identify but nevertheless are required advice given to those being bullied is in an attempt to work towards good human CONFRONTATION. However, this apparently The Employment Act 2002 states that from relations at work. straightforward and common sense approach 1st October 2004, ALL employers must is more likely to enrage than to persuade the have statutory minimum dismissal and ENDPIECE person to see reason. It will almost certainly disciplinary procedures in place. These Raising awareness is the primary aim of result in an increased vindictiveness towards procedures give any employee the right to this factsheet, however, until organisations the accuser. begin a formal grievance to investigate their react in a positive way towards bullying complaint. However, the formal grievance at work, professional survival is down to Confrontation is too unsafe an approach to be procedure must have taken place before any three opinions:- made by the individual alone. GET SUPPORT complaint is made to Employment Tribunal. •Leave to escape the problem altogether AND ADVICE. Speak to your working •Accept what is happening because of colleagues who may also be suffering the For further detailed information, The Andrea financial commitments and your desire effects of the same bullying behaviour. Contact Adams Trust Legal Report is a unique report to work your union representative, occupational health written by the Trust together with the help of officers, welfare and counselling officers. Take leading Barristers from Cloisters Chambers. •Stand firm and take action the matter up with your line management or This has simplified the current legal position personnel officers. Obtain a copy of your on workplace bullying and made it the We hope that this factsheet has helped you employer’s harassment / bullying policy and definitive legal guide available on the subject. to understand this comprehensive subject, grievance procedures. Please see our Publications List for purchase. however, if you would like any further information or support, please contact us. If objectives or instructions are unclear, ask REMAINING IN EMPLOYMENT for written clarification. Explain that this will An employee can remain in employment provide an aide-memoire to help you achieve while making a claim for either Personal the aims within the given time. IF THINGS Injury, Sex / Race / Disability discrimination, A 10 POINT SURVIVAL PLAN DO NOT IMPROVE, YOU ALSO HAVE Sexual / Racial / Disability harassment or 1 Make an appointment with your VERY IMPORTANT EVIDENCE. Intentional harassment. doctor and tell him / her what is happening to you at work. Check with previous work appraisals to LEAVING EMPLOYMENT confirm that it is not your performance that has In addition to the above, an employee could 2 Follow medical instructions and get altered. Ask your colleagues for their honest claim either:- Constructive Dismissal, Unfair signed off if necessary. assessment. It may well be that without Dismissal, Personal Injury or Breach of 3 If counselling is available at work realising it you have allowed the bullying to Contract. make an early appointment to talk go on for too long. Without any other clues to through your experience. recognition, the clearest indicator that Employers have a ‘duty of care’ to look after 4 If no workplace counselling is something is seriously wrong is your health the health and safety of all their employees, available then check to see if your and the levels of stress that you are under. this is required by:- medical practice has a counselling THE LEGAL POSITION • Statute – the Health and Safety at Work service. If not, then find a service in your area. There is no specific legislation in the UK Act – 1974 dealing with the issues of workplace bullying, • Common Law – under the law of 5 Make a conscious effort to eat a well but a number of areas of law may be relevant negligence and balanced diet. and applicable. • Contract Law – it is an implied term in the 6 Learn to relax. contract of employment that the employer 7 Maintain contact with friends outside CRIME AND DISORDER ACT 1998 will ensure the employees health, safety work. You will need a good listener. CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC ORDER and welfare. ACT 1995 8 Make time to do the things you enjoy outside work. DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998 SUMMARY The Andrea Adams Trust asks:- DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 2004 9 Give yourself treats and keep your (amends the Disability Discrimination “Does the courtroom really have to be the sense of humour. Act 1995) appropriate battleground?” 10Get in touch with The Andrea Adams EMPLOYMENT ACT 2002 (Dispute Trust or a similar organisation who Resolution) Regulations 2004 Surely in reality the ideal place to solve the can advise and support you. problem must be in the workplace itself. EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT 1996 Recognition and awareness of workplace HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT 1974 bullying is essential if we are to move forward. PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT 1997