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References BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE This presentation is based on the books: Smart Manager FAQ PRESENTED BY REX P. GATTO, PH.D. WWW.REXGATTO.COM by Rex Gatto

Workplace Bullying Institute

Mentoring Process for CPA/CAs

Rex Gatto Ph.D., BCC Gatto Associates LLC. By Rex Gatto www.rexgatto.com

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Conceptual Overview Workplace Bullying

Bullying – what is it? Workplace bullying refers to: Assessments Who are Bullies? repeated mistreatment; abusive conduct that is: Statistics threatening, humiliating or intimidating, work sabotage, or verbal abuse, and ignoring (shunning). Types of Bullies How to Cope As defined by the Benefits of this presentation: You will have an Healthy Workplace Bill understanding of Bullying in the Workplace and tools to address the issues

Workplace Bullying Bullying and Harassment

Bullying is: Workplace bullying and harassment are defined as unwanted and unwarranted behavior that a person “abusive conduct” referring to its most serious forms finds offensive, intimidating or humiliating and is only. By comparison with the rate of any disease or repeated so that it has a detrimental effect upon a malady, bullying is an epidemic person’s dignity, safety (physically andemotionally) and well being. (Olsen, H.)

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Evidence of Bullying Cyber Bullying

Persistent singling out Employers may be held Liable for employees Shouting/public reprimands Cyberbullying Obscene gestures/physical contact Insults Harassment policies and use-of-technology policies Humiliation/manipulating someone should clearly prohibit cyber bullying, - anti- Constant criticism discrimination policies. Repeatedly Accusing Deliberately interfering/excluding Taking credit

Cyber Bullying Facebook Bullying

Employers may be held Liable for employees Maldonado-Cátala v. Municipality of Naranjito (D. P.R. Cyberbullying 2015), An emergency medical technician with the municipality No federal law specifically prohibits cyberbullying of claimed that threatening Facebook messages sent to employees, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 her contributed to a hostile work environment. prohibits a hostile work environment based on race, In a landmark: 2012, Espinoza v. County of Orange, color, gender, national origin or religion, regardless of co-workers blogged insults about an employee with a whether that environment is created in person or by texts disfigured hand. They called him “rat,” named his hand or social media. “the claw” and offered to pay a hundred dollars to anyone who successfully photographed “the claw.” Espinoza won $820,000 from a jury.

Workplace Bullying Workplace Bullying

It is estimated that there are 14 million people bullied – (Workplace Bullying Institute - WBI) Bullying causes significant health and safety issues • Stress • Psychological injury • Suicide Employees feel stuck

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Dealing with a Bully Evaluating Traits of a Bully

We all have to deal with Bullies! Analyze: Are YOU a bully or do you know a Bully? .Yourself

.Someone else in the workplace We will assess:

Traits of bullies in the workplace

Bully Rating Action Plan

Strengths rating of 1-2 - (no bully traits)

Areas for Development rating 3, 4, or 5 (bully traits)

My Action Plan

Are you Being Bullied? Who are Bullies?

Do people get up in the morning thinking,  Constantly told what to do “How can I bully and intimidate others?  Not allowed to voice an opinion Is it always the same people who Bully?  Intimidated  Feel I can do nothing – no one cares Culture of Collusion  Telling someone will make it worse 60% of workplace bullies are men and they bully men Are any of your responses Yes? and women 40% of workplace bullies are female and they primarily bully other females

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Workplace Bullying Study of U.S. workers Facts

41.4% reported experiencing bulling at work in the past year (47 million U.S. workers) (Schat, Frone & Kelloway, 2006)

Facts Harris Interactive Study

N=3,892

13%, or nearly 15 million 35% of workers felt bullied workers, reported 16% suffered health related issues experiencing bullying on a 17% decided to quit weekly

Cost for bullying is $250 million+ annually

Who Bullies Being Bullied

Who Bullies • 48% said the boss; • 45% said coworkers • 31% said picked on by customers • 26% said someone higher up in the company

Age of Bullies • 54% said someone older than them • 29% someone younger than them

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Workplace Bullying Institute Examples of Bullying (P=perpetrator T=target)

.Blamed without facts What happens to those who are bullied? .Not recognized .Treated differently .Gossiped about .Being humiliated •Being sworn or yelled at •Constantly criticized •Exclusion - social isolation •Team members not performing

.Females targeted more often

Workplace Bullying Institute Misuse of power

Workplace bullying often involves an abuse or misuse of power. Bullying behavior creates feelings of defenselessness and injustice in the target and undermines an individual’s right to dignity at work.

Misuse of power Why do people in power bully?

Lack assertive leadership skills Ignorant about bulling Incompetent Lack respect/empathy Are under stress/pressure Are mean Ok if we achieve Empowered by the organization

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Why do people in power bully? Types of Bullies

Aggressive: screams, threatens, blames

Passive: subtle, divisive, undermining

Bullying Behaviors Bullying Percentages

•Banter: teasing, verbal abuse, blame

•Aggressive

•Silent treatment, humiliation

•Harass, discriminate

•Manipulate, unrealistic workload deadlines and micromanage

Organizational Bullying Questions

What would you do if your boss Accepted as part of the workplace culture bullied a coworker?

Placing unreasonable expectations, What would you do if someone failure = making life unpleasant ignored you?

Stress employees = “weak” (while denying What would you do if a boss was work-related causes) afraid of the employees?

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Bullying is different than aggression Bullying is different than aggression

Tough or demanding bosses are not necessarily bullies as long as they are respectful and fair and their primary motivation is to obtain the best performance by setting high yet reasonable expectations for working safely.

Factors the Support Bullying Effects of Bullying

•Significant organizational change • High stress; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Financial problems due to absence •Worker characteristics (e.g., age, gender, • Reduced self-esteem parental status, apprentice or trainee) • Musculoskeletal problems • Worry (phobias) •Workplace relationships (e.g., inadequate • High Blood pressure, information flow between organizational levels, • Sleep and digestive disturbances • Increased depression/self-blame lack of employee participation in decisions • Family tension and stress

Question:

Impact on the Workplace We won’t tolerate Bullying

Low productivity - failure to meet organizational goals Low morale Increased frequencies of grievances, resignations, requests for transfers (people vote with their feet) Risk of lawsuits Increased absence due to sickness Increased disciplinary actions.

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Effectiveness to stop bullying Effectiveness to stop bullying

1. Doing nothing: Effectiveness: 3.25% 5. If union present, asked union to intervene & 2. Target directly confronted perpetrator: 69.5% stop it: 60.3% did so Effectiveness: 8.84% did so Effectiveness: 3.57% 6. Target filed a formal complaint with HR 3. Target asked perpetrator’s boss to intervene & alleging a policy violation: 42.8% did so stop it: 70.7% did so Effectiveness: 3.26% Effectiveness: 4.7% 4. Target told senior management/owner expecting support: 73.9% did so (Effectiveness of HR: 4.7%) Effectiveness: 3.69%

Effectiveness to stop bullying Statistic to stop bullying

Most statistics indicate that current efforts to 7. Target filed a complaint with state or put an end to bullying in the workplace are federal agency: 18.7% did so Effectiveness close to being totally useless. of: 11.9% According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, 8. Target tried to find an attorney to file a most tactics utilized by many HR departments

lawsuit: 33.7% Effectiveness: 11.2% (confronting, imploring the bully’s boss, filing an HR complaint, or telling senior 9. Target did file a lawsuit: 8.9% (n=379) management) are total failures Effectiveness: 16.4%

Now What (page 16) Cognitive Model

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What can Leaders Do? What Leaders Say

If you are aware of bullying in the workplace and do not take action, then you are accepting a share of the responsibility for any future abuses.

What can HR Do? SHRM Workplace Bullying Policy #1

Set a limit of tolerance Company ABC defines bullying as “repeated inappropriate behavior, either direct or indirect, Conduct training whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others, at the ID bully behavior place of work and/or in the course of employment.

Use tools to stop it Such behavior violates Company ABC’s Code of Ethics which clearly states that all employees will be treated Document bully’s behaviors with dignity and respect.” (www. shrm.org/TemplatesTools/Samples/Policies/Pages/CM Collect evidence S_018350.aspx)

SHRM Workplace Bullying Policy #2 SHRM Workplace Bullying Policy #3

The purpose of this policy is to communicate to all Bullying may be intentional or unintentional. However, employees, including supervisors, managers and it must be noted that where an allegation of bullying is executives that Company ABC will not in any made, the intention of the alleged bully is irrelevant, instance tolerate bullying behavior. and will not be given consideration when meting out discipline. As in sexual harassment, it is the effect of Employees found in violation of this policy will be the behavior upon the individual which is important. disciplined, up to and including termination. Company ABC considers the following types of behavior examples of bullying:

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SHRM Workplace Bullying Policy #4 Stop Accepting Bullying

Verbal Bullying: slandering, ridiculing or maligning a This means that witnesses of bullying behavior person or his/her family; persistent name calling should be encouraged to report any such incidences.

Physical Bullying: pushing; shoving; kicking; poking; Individuals are less likely to engage in antisocial tripping; assault, or threat of physical assault behavior when it is understood that the organization does not tolerate such behavior and that the Gesture Bullying: non-verbal threatening gestures, perpetrator is likely to be punished. glances which can convey threatening messages

Exclusion: socially or physically excluding or disregarding

Factors that Support Bullying How organizations can cope

•Work systems (e.g., lack of policies about .Create a zero tolerance anti-bullying policy behavior) .Bullying behavior should be addressed IMMEDIATELY •High rate and intensity of work .Complaints about bullying need to be taken •Staff shortages seriously and investigated promptly/ask questions •Interpersonal conflict on employee surveys •Organizational constraints .Empower employees - autonomy •Role ambiguity .Create awareness about bullying – report it/ have an •Role conflict. open door policy .Management needs to be involved

What Employees can do How do you cope?

.Recognizing that you are being bullied .Relax and don’t get off balance .Minimize the impact by keeping a journal detailing .Realizing that you are NOT the source the nature of the bullying (e.g., dates, times, places, of the problem what was said or done and who was present) focus .Recognizing that bullying is about on facts control, and therefore has nothing to do .Know the action you can take to remain in control with your performance. .Don’t react but rationalize .Stay organized and focused (documents, emails, and or reports)

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Aggressive Bullies Stay focused with Bullies

.Calming: state the facts .Assess the situation .Focus on issues .Don’t think of the person as a Bully .Set ground rules - this is how you .Separate you and the person from the will act/respond difficult behavior .Don’t get pushed around .Develop a coping plan .Use visuals and collect information .Implement the plan until they repeat their ideas .Assess the plan

Questions for employees Stop wishing that bully were different

• Has this person acted the same or differently in similar situations? .Identify the traits of the person • What is the person’s way of acting? • Am you reacting out of proportion? .Focus on what actions you can take to address the situation • Were your responses excessive? • Was there a particular incident that triggered .Don’t let the situation cause you to act the difficult behavior? emotionally and blame (blame- storming) • Will direct, open, discussion help elevate the situation? • Can I help?

Develop a Coping Plan Develop a Coping Plan

•Describe in detail the behavior •Write your understanding •Write your past interactions (are they better or worse?) •Write coping behavior and strategy •Decide what you need to be more successful •Decide what the actions are you will take

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Managing your coping plan Summary

What was the situation: ______Dealing with Bully Could be rewarding if you think of .Assess the situation ______yourself as a Coach/Mentor! What were the difficulties you perceived? .Ask questions ______

.Take responsibility What was the level of tension? ______.Demonstrate maturity What was the outcome? ______.Create trust ______

What could you have done differently? ______.Focus on the moment: the ______NOW What can you do now to improve the situation? ______

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