Workplace Bullying....Who will Bell the Cat?
Workplace Bullying....Who will Bell the Cat?
While workplace bullying is not generally discussed as an issue in the Caribbean, it is, however, very prevalent. It is in fact, a major cause of workplace mental health issues, and can lead to a number of very serious conditions including anxiety, panic attacks, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
If for no other reason, employers should be interested in addressing this ongoing pandemic called workplace bullying because the state of employees’ mental health affects their job performance and therefore productivity. According to Benenden Health, a UK based not-for-profit society, in their article ‘Workplace Mental Health Problems - Causes And Solutions’, companies that promote mental health and support employees with mental disorders are more likely to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and benefit from associated economic gains.
Here are some of the ways workplace bullying affects employees:
Health problems - under high levels of stress some tend to neglect their physical care including exercise, proper diet and rest. This could result in weight gain and general poor quality of life, but also illnesses such as high blood pressure.
Insomnia – stress and anxiety could lead to many sleepless nights. With extreme lack of sleep, the body’s immune system becomes less effective, leading to increased risk of illness.
Behavioural changes – employees may turn to unhealthy substances to try and deal with these situations. More frequent smoking or heavy drinking not only have a negative effect on their health, but can worsen their situation, potentially making their problems worse.
When employees face mental health challenges this can lead to higher levels of absenteeism and staff turnover, a lack of concentration, costly mistakes, accidents, lower self-esteem and an inability to work as effectively, which ultimately lead to lower productivity and economic losses.
Benenden Health, in their article, shares the following ways good mental health can be supported at the workplace, by addressing workplace bullying.
Lead by example – demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach to bullying by having senior team members set the standards and deal with any issues identified. If bullying behaviour is unacceptable at the top level this should help establish an anti-bullying culture throughout the business.
Write a formal anti-bullying policy – make it crystal clear that bullying isn’t acceptable by writing out a formal policy and circulating it amongst staff. Include relevant procedures, expected standards and the consequences of bullying. And then stick to it.
Raise awareness – show your commitment to creating an anti-bullying culture by raising awareness about the issue. This could be achieved through your workplace newsletter or hosting an anti-bullying event.
As you can see, mental health, and therefore workplace bullying is the company’s business. In fact it is everyone’s business. What will you do to stop workplace bullying and support good mental health in your workplace?
