Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/138130
B U L LY I N G Dr. Robert Sutton of Stanford University notes exists in 66 percent of workplaces and most bulthat in business and sports it is assumed that if lies don't act alone. Bullies experience negative you are a big winner, you can get away with being consequences less than 25 percent of the time for a jerk." This can be tied to pressure for scoring their actions. well on standardized tests. Sutton notes bad There are "primary" bullies, and "secondary" OF BULLIES behavior affects the bottom line through increased bullies who think that by joining in, they may turnover, absenteeism, decreased commitment avoid being targets later. It's difficult to know how and performance. "The time spent counseling to react when experiencing such bad behavior. ARE BOSSES or appeasing these people, consoling victimized "I didn't know what to do," is a common phrase employees, reorganizing departments of teams and of those who witness workplace bullying and fail arranging transfers produce significant hidden to act. CTA's training provides some options. costs for a company." Or a school. Bullies may abuse others when nobody is lookThe Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) ing and can be nice in public. Many are smart, defines workplace bullying as "repeated mistreatmaking valuable contributions to the workplace, ment: sabotage by others that prevented work and their behavior is overlooked. from getting done, verbal abuse, threatening conWorking in a bullying environment takes duct, intimidation and humiliation." Also known a toll. Bad behavior causes more than job transOF TARGETS as psychological harassment or emotional abuse, fers and resignations. One study showed that a Psychology Today article notes bullying involves workers stressed by bullying performed 50 perconsciously causing serious harm to another cent worse on cognitive tests. person "not with violence, but with words and Forty-five LEAVE OR LOSE THEIR JOBS related healthpercent of targets experience stressactions. Bullying damages the physical, emotional problems such as anxiety, panic and mental health of the person who is targeted." attacks and depression. Swedish researchers When bullying focuses on race, gender or sexual orientation, it is found that employees who had managers who were incompetent, inconsidharassment. Without a focus, it's just bullying. While there are laws against erate, secretive and uncommunicative were 60 percent more likely to suffer harassment, no laws exist in California against bullying in the workplace. a heart attack or other life-threatening cardiac condition. Seventy-two percent of bullies are bosses and 55 percent of those bullied are staff. In 77 percent of cases, targets leave or lose their job. Bullying 72% 77% What you can do • emember the Union Code of Conduct: If a co-worker is being criticized or gossiped R about in your presence, ask that it stop. Do not participate in any conversation with an administrator that criticizes or negatively speculates about a union colleague. If you have issues with a colleague, try to work it out with that individual before complaining to higher-ups. • f a colleague is a target, be a friend. Make time to listen. Don't judge or discount. I Educate yourself about bullying. Knowledge is power. 12 California Educator June/July 2013 Educator 06 June 2013 v2.0.indd 12 6/14/13 9:30 PM