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Insidious acts of bullying at work are leaving employees with a ‘sustained feeling of discomfort, anxiousness or dread’ (Picture: Getty Images) Reports of workplace bullying are on the rise, with UK employees seeking therapy to deal with nightmare bosses and unsustainable work culture. A survey of almost 3,000 accredited therapists, shared exclusively with Metro, found 41% had seen an increase in clients wanting to discuss problems related to bullying at work.The research, from the British Association for Counselling (BACP), suggests office bullying has evolved from school-like taunting to more insidious acts that leave employees with a ‘sustained feeling of discomfort, anxiousness or dread’. This comes ahead of the release of BACP’s annual Mindometer Report on November 13 – a survey that measures the opinions and attitudes of the British public towards mental health. Workplace bullying is on the rise in the UK, according to therapists (Picture: Getty Images) BACP accredited therapist Jodie McCormack tells us it’s ‘mostly bosses and managers’ that are the ones bullying their employees, as they let their own ‘pressure’ and stress around deadlines trickle down to those they oversee. ‘Everyone seems to be under an increasing amount of pressure,’ Jodie, an integrative counsellor, says. ‘Managers feel the strain of their own workloads and this is filtered down to employees who are expected to complete a lot in a short amount of time whilst feeling undervalued and unsupported. This leads to poor communication and tension that can quickly escalate.’ What's the difference between bullying and harassment at work? There’s currently no legal definition of bullying, but ACAS (The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) says it can be described as ‘unwanted behaviour from a person or group’. This behaviour is either: Offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting An abuse or misuse of power that undermines, humiliates, or causes physical or emotional harm to someone They state that bullying can be a one-off incident or a regular pattern of behaviour and it’s possible someone might not know their behaviour is bullying. However, it can still be bullying even if they do not realise it or do not intend to bully someone. Meanwhile harassment does have ‘protected characteristics’ by law (Equality Act 2010). If the bullying relates to any of the following, it could be harassment: Religion or belief Sexual orientation Gender reassignment ACAS adds: ‘Bullying that’s not classed as harassment could still lead to other legal issues. For example, severe bullying might contribute towards constructive dismissal.’ When it comes to the ways in which her clients are bullied, Jodie tells Metro some have been excluded from important meetings, decisions and social activities, been given ‘unrealistic workloads’ with no assistance, been spoken to in a ‘demeaning manner’, ‘threatened’ with job loss and blocked from applying for promotions. ‘A number of people also mention being treated differently due to prejudice or bias, and many comment on the misogyny they face in the workplace, often highlighting the lack of understanding management have and having their needs overlooked when requesting reasonable adjustments,’ the expert explains. ‘There are also reports of inadequate support when returning after sick leave.’ Jodie acknowledges that there is still ‘obvious and overt’ bullying taking place at work, with people being undermined and criticised in front of others, but it’s the ‘insidious’ behaviour that causes the ‘most upset’, as it can be harder to prove it’s happening and takes longer to resolve. The subtle bullying manifests both in-person and online and not just during the 9 to 5 – some employees have told her they feel ‘harrassed and overwhelmed’ by communication they’ve received outside of their working hours via private messages. BACP therapists claim managers and bosses are ‘more of than not’ the bullies (Picture: Getty Images/Image Source) But perhaps the saddest part of it all is that many of Jodie’s clients who have raised the issue of bullying at work have found their concerns being ‘dismissed’ by senior staff members as merely ‘management style’ or ‘banter’. ‘People describe management being friendly with each other both inside and outside of the workplace, leaving employees feeling they have nowhere to turn and are too afraid of job loss or things not improving to speak up,’ she says. As such, it’s no surprise that two thirds (63%) of BACP therapists had noted an increase in clients taking time off work for ‘stress and burnout’ – two words that are often used to describe bullying, according to workplace counsellor Pallvi Davé. ‘Both men and women report bullying at work, but sometimes the language used can be different. In my experience, women tend to name it explicitly, while men bring it to therapy in terms such as burnout or stress.’ Women explicitly name bullying behaviours during counselling sessions, but men tend to refer to it as ‘burnout or stress’ (Picture: Getty Images) It’s not only bosses who are bullies… While Pallvi agrees with Jodie that workplace bullying is more often than not ‘manager led’, some of her clients have reported peer to peer bullying as well. The majority of these peer issues have been due to exclusion and workplace cliques, which Pallvi says often starts because of ‘perceived favouritism’ or colleagues feeling threatened by someone outperforming them. And those in very senior positions aren’t exempt either, as ‘upward bullying’ can occur from subordinates to seniors, as ACAS states on its website. Examples of this include staff being disrespectful to management, refusing to complete tasks, spreading rumours, constantly undermining someone’s authority, making them look unskilled or unable to do their job. Therapists said some clients had been made to feel unsupported and unappreciated at work (Picture: Getty Images) What to do if you experience bullying at work ACAS advises thinking through what you’re experiencing and working out whether the behaviour is unintentional bullying or deliberate bullying. ‘Sometimes, what seems like bullying might not be. Before you take any other action, you could talk it through with someone you trust. Talking it through can sometimes help you see the situation in a different way,’ they advise. If you come to the conclusion that you are being bullied, Pallvi urges people not to dismiss it. ‘We so often dismiss ourselves when we feel treated badly and overlook unacceptable behaviour by providing our own justifications for it. Call it out to yourself first.’ Next she recommends becoming familiar with your workplace’s policies and workers’ rights, and documenting every incident. Jodie seconds this, saying: ‘I would advise anyone to keep a dated, written record of any incidents that take place and any witnesses that may have been present.’ She knows that bullying will leave many feeling powerless and afraid, but states the importance of taking some of your power back. Comment nowHave you ever experienced or witnessed bullying in the workplace?Comment Now ‘It can feel frightening, but I’d encourage speaking out and seeking support. Sometimes, with issues like communication, people can be unaware that they aren’t communicating effectively, and an early conversation can go a long way to resolving any issues and helping them to see how they can improve.’ She adds: ‘It’s also a good idea to contact your Union Representative and anyone else who can offer support within your workplace. You can begin to consider what you would like to do going forward and your Union Rep will be able to support you in any informal or formal meetings you have and guide you through next steps if you wish to make a formal complaint.’ In addition to getting support from your union and telling HR, Pallvi suggests people also confide in ‘someone’ so they don’t feel so alone, be it a friend, relative or even a therapist. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
