Although there is not much talk about it, workplace bullying is a reality. Harassment at work happens when someone takes advantage of their position of superiority to humiliate someone else. It is estimated that in Europe there are 8% of cases. For this reason, it is an issue that should not be taken lightly and that, in case of detecting a case of harassment in the company, it is necessary to act as soon as possible.
Today we are going to answer all the questions about this problem.
First, you have to know exactly what workplace bullying is. It refers to any hostile or humiliating treatment that one person gives to another within the work environment. This hostile treatment is prolonged and causes psychological and work problems.
There are several cases in which workplace bullying can happen. On the one hand, from the boss to the employee, on the other hand, from the employee to the boss. Also among the employees.
Companies must detect and stop any type of harassment that is taking place in their offices. Apart from having the obligation to protect their employees, they also have the interest that these types of situations do not occur because they also affect the productivity of the company.
To make it easier to spot workplace bullying
Witness an attitude or act that violates the dignity of the person. Either punctually or repetitively. These acts can be: verbal, written or even gestural abusive attitude.
Reduces the worker’s labor productivity. For example, if we see that a worker who used to give the most but in the last few weeks has fallen noticeably, it may be harassment at work. Good communication with the team will be the key to finding out if it is about that or not. It is best to talk to him in a comfort situation or with his co-workers.
Humiliating comments are heard or seen. On many occasions, those who harass other workers take advantage of the fact that there are other colleagues nearby to do so. So they feel superior to them while dwarfing them. Another sign is when they criticize systematically, want to discredit the worker or defame him.
There are other indications that can make us suspect that a case of harassment at work is occurring, the most important thing is to be alert and take the necessary measures.
These measures can be to notify the bosses or report to the police if necessary. If the bosses are the ones who produce the workplace bullying, they should go to the labor inspection or resort to criminal proceedings. The most important thing is to gather enough evidence to prove that the harassment has occurred, it is often complicated but not impossible. For example: gather witnesses, save WhatsApp conversations, emails, record conversations where harassment is heard, or even medical reports.
What are the consequences of workplace harassment?
As we have said before, these are criminal offenses, so the harasser can serve a prison sentence if it is a serious crime (between 6 months and 2 years).
For less serious cases, employment law is used, which will determine compensation for damages. If the harassment has occurred between workers, it will be the social jurisdiction that deals with the case.
At the labor level, there are also a series of consequences, such as a disciplinary dismissal, which does not give the right to unemployment or compensation. If the company knew that a situation of harassment was taking place at work and does not take the necessary measures to prevent it, it may be subject to an administrative penalty.
If the person who was harassed was a boss, the worker can receive compensation and the company an administrative penalty.
Bullying at work is a very serious issue and with real consequences for those who do it and for the company. We hope that after reading this article, companies will be able to detect any type of harassment and take the necessary measures. In case of doubt, it is better to contact a professional who will advise you.