Office bullies are individuals who utilize direct and indirect methods of coercion to order to intimidate others and get their way in the workplace. An office bully may be a supervisor or manager, but more often the bullying is conducted by a coworker who is either attempting to advance in the ranks by any means possible, or someone who tries to force others to do his or her work. As workplace harassment has become more commonly recognized as unacceptable, many companies have implemented strict policies against this sort of behavior.
As with all forms of bullying, intimidation in the workplace can be very subtle or extremely overt. The office bully may assume a seemingly friendly demeanor while at the same time hinting of terrible consequences if his or her wishes are not honored. At other times, the approach may be very direct, with the workplace bully using such tools as a raised voice, standing too closely, and choosing words that are deliberately meant to cause fear and anxiety.
There are situations where office bullying leads to an eruption of workplace violence. In some instances, the office bully becomes so secure in his or her ability to intimidate others that the bullying strategies move beyond verbal threats. At this juncture, the bullying may begin to include well-timed nudges or even shoves. People who have reached their limit with the bullying may begin to respond in kind, which may in fact play right into the bully’s hands.
Often, an office bully is someone who is insecure in his or her ability to perform efficiently in the workplace. By intimidating others, the bully thinks it is possible to draw attention away from his or her lack of performance by causing others to look even more incompetent. Often, the bully will intimidate others into doing his or her work, creating the illusion of competence.
Because workplace bullying destroys morale and can lead highly competent employees to seek work opportunities elsewhere, the employer stands to lose a great deal by not recognizing that an office bully is among the staff members. Productivity will suffer and the turnover in employees will rise as long as the bully continues to intimidate others. Unfortunately, an office bully usually times his or her assaults so that employers do not see the bullying, only the aftermath.
While there are instances where several employees banding together to stand up to a bully will lead to an end of the intimidation, the action can also cause the bully to double the efforts in an attempt to bring everyone back into line. Rather than getting into an ongoing struggle with an office bully, the most effective solution is to begin documenting every encounter that can be classified as intimidating and present the findings en masse to an employer. When several employees provide testimony and specific instances of the bullying, it is very difficult for employers to not take some action.
Should an employer be presented with proof of the activity of the office bully and still do nothing, employees should seek the services of an attorney. Legal action against both the employer and the bully can lead to serious financial consequences for both parties. Once the reality of the situation settles in, the employer will often become cooperative and take steps to avoid the legal action, including the termination of the bully’s employment.
