For many of us who believe that bullying ends with school are in for a harsh surprise when they step in to the workplace. Bullying is a very common occurrence in workplaces and might play havoc on a victim’s career and peace of mind if not tackled at the early stages.

An employee can be bullied either by one or a group of employees or by the management. There is no clear-cut definition of workplace bullying. However, any behavior directed to an employee with the purpose of harming him professionally, emotionally or physically can broadly be included under bullying. This can include defamation, insults in public, boycott, unfair criticism, denial of credit for work done, blocking promotions, threats, privacy invasion, stalking, sexual harassment, any form of ill behavior, and, in extreme cases, physical assault.

Bullying needs to be nipped in the bud. Ignoring or tolerating bullying, to avoid sticky confrontations would only encourage the bullies to accelerate their unacceptable behavior. Victims should confront them politely and try talking things out; find out if the victim has somehow instigated the behavior. They should not appear weak or on the verge of breakdown, this often encourages the bullies. They should also take extra care to maintain clear communication with the superior and colleagues about work and other issues to avoid defamation.

Bullies would rarely show their true colors in the presence of the management. So it is upto the victims to report to the HR or the management with detailed and accurate account of the incidents and the management’s duty to delve deeper when presented with complaints of bullying against a person or group and keep out a sharp eye on the accused persons(s) and their mode of behavior with the alleged victim(s), and finally take necessary actions to put a stop to it. Sometimes, a formal warning is enough. Sometimes, stricter steps are necessary. Gently trying to find out if the bully has any problem or frustrations he is venting through bullying is often useful. If and when a problem is pinpointed, the management should do its best to provide adequate guidance and aid. Sacking a bully should always be the very last resort, when all else fails. The management must remember that no reason is good enough for a person to bully another. So any excuse from the perpetrator is unacceptable.