The 'Dear Diary' Phenomenon Will Not Appease the Impact of Workplace Bullying

Those who write journals or diaries often say they practice the ritual because putting their thoughts to paper helps them sort through feelings. Or they may say it helps them to vent and then move on, leaving an incident behind. They may even say that putting an idea to paper is a way of putting it out into the universe for whatever the wrong was to be righted.

These ideas may all be nice in theory, but none apply when it comes to workplace bullying.

Not a Magic Salve

The act of reporting workplace bullying will not make you feel better.

It takes bravery to put a hard truth to paper and it takes even more bravery to submit that report through proper channels. Reporting workplace bullying may actually make you feel somewhat insecure, or even a bit more vulnerable.

What can make you feel better is knowing your report will trigger an action. And what can help you work through feelings is understanding that there are actions and processes in place to initiate a change.

Venting will not Help you Move on

Describing an incident of workplace bullying, even if you were to actually vent instead of just stating facts, will not help you move on. The act of stating a truth is one step but until the problem is addressed, no one will be able to move on.

It is the follow-up actions that will deliver consequences to change the environment.

Organizations that have mechanisms for reporting workplace incidents but then lack the supporting infrastructure to follow through do no one any favors. When reports are filed, incidents are documented, and they die there, the message to employees is clear – there is no recourse.

The Universe is not in Your Corner

The notion that putting something out into the universe to make things right may offer comfort of a sort but it rarely happens that way. Filing a workplace bullying report will never catch the eye of the universe and nothing will ever be righted simply through the act of writing it down.

The only team you want in your corner in this instance is your leadership. When it comes to instances of workplace bullying, an organization needs to be structured for follow through. Leadership needs to take it seriously and be ready to both model the right behavior, and to act when there are deviations.

Dear Diary

Dear Diary, over the past several months I have been bullied at work and I don’t know what to do.

• Diary – You need to find a way to tell someone at work.

Dear Diary, I know someone on my team is being bullied by another leader and I don’t know what to do.

• Diary – You need to find a way to report the incident.

Dear Diary – As a human resources leader I have heard stories of workplace bullying and I don’t know what to do.

• Diary – Your company needs to put policies and practices in place to allow people to formally report bullying, and for consequences to be laid out. Find senior leaders who understand and believe as you do and make it happen.

Telling your truth when it comes to workplace bullying is not enough.

Writing about it will not make it someone else’s problem, will not make you feel better and will not make it go away - unless there are actions and consequences in place to follow through.

Vanguard Voices is on a mission to bring psychological safety to the top of workplace agendas. Join our growing not-for-profit movement: www.vanguardvoices.com

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