An overlooked but dangerous form of workplace bullying
It’s bad enough when there’s one bully on your staff, but when this happens, it can have disastrous consequences for your organization.
When a single bully is able to get his or her co-workers to join in the bullying process, it’s know as group bullying or “mobbing.”
In cases of group bullying, the bully uses tactics like rumors and gossip to create a hostile work environment for the individual being targeted. And this type of bullying almost always ends with the targeted employee resigning or being terminated.
According to Drs. Gary and Ruth Namie, the authors of “The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job,” the bully who orchestrates mobbing behavior “gathers others to willingly or unwillingly participate in continuous malevolent actions to force a person out of [a job or] the workplace.”
Before it gets out of control
When a large group of employees is involved, it can be an absolute nightmare for managers and supervisors.
That’s why it’s absolutely critical for employers to spot and handle a workplace bully before that person is able to wield his or her power over other employees. One way: Offer training to front-line managers to help them identify the warning signs of bullying.
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