EFFECTS OF BULLYING
The effects of bullying on the person can be manifested by any or all of the following:
- Emotional effects (severe anxiety)
- Cognitive (concentration) effects (making mistakes, having accidents)
- Behavioural effects (smoking, excess drinking, overeating)
- Physiological effects (contributing to raised blood pressure, heart disease)
- Reduced resistance to infection, stomach and bowel problems and
- Skin problems.
The most serious effects remain fear, anxiety and depression, which can lead (and have led) to suicide. The effects on the organization as a whole can include:
- Increased absenteeism;
- Low motivation;
- Reduced productivity;
- Reduced efficiency;
- Hasty decision-making;
- Poor industrial relations.
People who are prone to bullying:
- Older employees
- Low status employees
- Employees who are unduly shy, lack education or learning ability, have physical disability or sensory impairment, or are known to be unwilling to complain
- Employees of a different gender or sexual orientation
- Employees who are members of a trade union which is not accepted by management or which is perceived by colleagues as not being the right trade union to be in.
- Employees who show a willingness to challenge harassment, (which can lead to victimisation)
- Employees who choose not to be a member of a trade union and as a result suffer harassment by colleagues
- Former prisoners
- Employees suffering from poor physical or mental health
- Employees with very noticeable physical characteristics
- Employees with religious or political beliefs not shared by their colleagues
- Employees of a different race, ethnic origin, nationality, or skin colour
FORMS OF BULLYING
The form which any of these kinds of bullying may take are:
- Physical contact
- Verbal abuse
- Implied threats
- Jokes, offensive language, gossip, slander, offensive songs
- Posters, photocopied cartoons, graffiti, obscene gestures, flags, bunting and emblems.
- Isolation or non co-operation or exclusion from social activities
- Coercion for sexual favours
- Intrusion by pestering, spying and stalking
- Repeated requests giving impossible deadlines or impossible tasks.
- Repeated unreasonable assignments to duties, which are obviously unfavourable to one individual.
- Vandalism of personal property (destroying clothing, scratching paintwork on cars).
Blogger Templates
