Bullying: 'It’s all a power game. Other reasons are envy and fear'

‘Adults feel too weak and ashamed to admit they’re being bullied because they think an adult should be able to cope with it,” says Dr Genevieve Murray, a specialist liaison officer for workplace mediation with the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland (MII).

The MII is the professional association for mediators in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

While bullying in schools is often discussed, Murray conducted research in schools but focused on staff rather than students. She examined workplace bullying in post-primary schools and says bullying can come from any direction – superiors, peers or subordinates.

What emerged from her research was that disputes usually started over something small and eventually got out of control. Mediation came too late, if at all, after bitterness and resentment had already set in.

“By that time, there was far too much anger between the two and far too many people involved,” she says.

A member of staff might have withheld information, not given someone credit for their work or shouted at a colleague.

Severe criticism, hurtful teasing, setting unrealistic work targets or depriving someone of responsibility are other ways co-workers bully each other. One of the most common ways, according to Murray, is spreading rumours.

“It’s all a power game. Power is a huge element of workplace bullying. Other reasons are envy and fear.”

Bullying can leave employees feeling depressed, anxious, sleep-deprived, unable to concentrate and socially isolated.

“Studies have shown that workers who experience bullying over a lengthy period may develop symptoms similar to those of post traumatic stress disorder,” Murray says. “People isolate themselves when they feel that uncomfortable. That’s a very lonely space for an individual to be in.”

Interpersonal conflicts

In situations like that, absenteeism increases. Employers might not realise the impact interpersonal conflicts have on productivity, she says.

“When a teacher is out sick due to the stress of bullying, a substitute teacher has to be brought in. Therefore, they’re paying two people for one job. There is also a break in the continuity of teaching. Students would have to adapt to another teacher. What a waste of money and resources. These are some of the hidden effects of workplace bullying.”

It stresses out not only the victim, but the entire workplace, causing a “psychological ripple effect. It affects everyone. Therefore, if mediation was brought in at an early stage, where both people could have at least communicated with each other before it became too fraught, we feel the psychological damage wouldn’t be as great.”

Early intervention

Murray says providing basic mediation training to managers – in this case, school principals – would resolve a lot of interpersonal conflict before it becomes bullying and results in a stressful aftermath. They would learn to improve communication, narrow outstanding issues, defuse emotions and set out areas of agreement.

Her research showed that managers frequently mishandle conflict.

“A lot of people find it very difficult. Managers might be good at their jobs, but when it comes to interpersonal relationship issues that arise in the workplace, they can find that very difficult to handle,” she says.

“There are skills and language one uses to come across as a neutral party, even though you know both people very well.”

Murray’s work with the MII focuses on intervention and prevention. She wants to make employers and employees aware of what workplace bullying is, how to identify it and what to do if they feel something is wrong.

She advises employees to learn what they are entitled to and talk to their employers. Often, mediation is written into an employer’s workplace harassment policy.

Workplace Relations Bill

Her advice is topical. The Workplace Relations Bill 2014, an overhaul of the workplace dispute resolution process, is due to take effect on October 1st.

Instead of the five existing venues for labour disputes, including the Labour Relations Commission and the Employment Appeals Tribunal, all employment disputes will go to a new Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The Bill also introduces optional mediation. Instead of heading straight to court, people can reach a less adversarial, legally binding mediation agreement.

Of the Bill, Murray says: “It will be necessary that a panel of qualified and experienced mediators is soon appointed by the WRC. It is also crucial these mediators undertake appropriate high-quality mediation training and are certified as having achieved the standards necessary to become effective mediators.

“I am concerned that to date there does not appear to be clear guidelines regarding the training and standards that will be required of the mediators who will be appointed by the Workplace Relations Commission.”

Workplace bullying: a definition and five things to look out for According to the Health and Safety Authority, workplace bullying is defined as repeated inappropriate behaviour, direct or indirect, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others, at the place of work and/or in the course of employment, which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual's right to dignity at work.

Five categories of bullying behaviours:

1. Threat to personal status (for example, belittling an opinion, professional humiliation in public, accusing someone of a lack of effort).

2. Threat to personal standing (for example, namecalling, insults, intimidation, devaluing with reference to age, gender, and so on).

3. Isolation (for example, preventing access to opportunities, physical or social isolation, withholding information).

4. Overwork (for example, being put under undue pressure, impossible deadlines, unnecessary disruptions).

5. Destabilisation (for example, failure to give credit when due, imposing meaningless tasks, removal of responsibility, repeated reminders of blunders, setting someone up to fail).