Workplace Bullying: Tips to Protect Yourself in the Workplace

Linda Crockett MSW, RSW, SEP, CPPA

Do This For You, or Share It for Others

?Boundaries must be clear:

First, can you confidently define your boundaries? If you are wishy-washy about your boundaries, how will others respect them? If you need help with deciding, embracing, and stating what your boundaries are, there are plenty of counselors or coaches who can help you. Why? Because it is vital to clearly express personal and professional boundaries to colleagues and establish respectful working relationships. It is never too late for this!

Document incidents:

Keep a detailed record of bullying, lateral violence, or mobbing incidents, noting dates, times, and descriptions to ensure a factual account is available; be mindful of potential fatigue affecting memory. Sleep is often impacted when someone is experiencing workplace bullying; the details will fade, and with that, so will your confidence in remembering correctly. Document to protect your mental health.

Seek support:

Contact trusted colleagues, friends, or supervisors to share experiences and gain emotional support. Consider consulting a qualified trauma-informed workplace psychological safety consultant for external guidance. Workplace bullies want their targets to buy into shame, silence, and isolation. Fight back by having support in your corner! This abuse makes you feel crazy, sanity checks with people who respect you will ease your nervous system.

Report to superiors:

Report instances of workplace mistreatment to higher-ups, ensuring appropriate channels are used for addressing such issues within the organization. Or, explore alternative solutions if reporting directly is not safe. We have solutions for you.

Familiarize yourself with legislation and company policies:

Familiarize yourself with legislation and company policies: Understand legal requirements and organizational policies concerning workplace behavior and reporting procedures.

Attend in-depth training:

Engage in comprehensive workplace training programs covering bullying prevention, intervention, repair, recovery, and restoration, incorporating a holistic and trauma-informed perspective. This is about more than just policies and procedures. It is also about human beings.

Build alliances:

Cultivate positive relationships with like-minded colleagues and superiors who respectfully communicate and prioritize ethical standards, dignity, and integrity. Choose wisely and create a supportive network within the workplace.

Practice self-care:

Prioritize self-care by maintaining a healthy work-life balance and seeking professional help, especially when the stress overwhelms you. It is the long-term cumulative stress of this abuse that can cause you serious harm. Recognizing self-care as a crucial aspect of resilience. Self-care is your superpower.

Stay professional:

You can maintain professionalism in all interactions and refrain from retaliation or harmful behavior that may worsen the situation by aligning with the abovementioned tips listed here to help you.

Consult Legal:

If you utilize the accumulated documentation, knowledge of company policies, and support networks, you will more confidently determine when a legal consultation is necessary for addressing the workplace, and you will also address these issues more effectively.

Protecting oneself from workplace mistreatment involves setting clear boundaries, documenting incidents, seeking support, reporting appropriately, understanding legislation and policies, attending thorough training, building alliances, practicing self-care, staying professional, and consulting legal resources when needed.

Linda Crockett MSW, RSW, SEP, CPPA

www.instituteofworkplacebullyingresources.ca (for profit)

www.workplaceharassment.ca (not for profit)