Workplace Bullying Q&A with Laurie Scop: What is workplace bullying and how do we combat it?
Laurie Scop, an Empower Work volunteer peer counselor, social worker and a member of the Board of Directors at the National Workplace Bullying Coalition (NWBC), shares a unique and informed perspective of bullying in the workplace and how to combat the crisis. Laurie oversees the Target Resources Committee at the NWBC.
The NWBC states in their vision statement that they envision a future where workers are assured their right to dignity at work. What does dignity at work look like and how can we support that?
Dignity in the workplace means that you are treated like a human being, and as an equal and valued member of the team, regardless of your role, title, status, position, or job responsibilities. It means that you are treated with respect, and given the opportunity to work in a safe environment where your inherent worth as a human being is validated. It means that you’re not seen as a project or an object, but rather seen as a person. This is why the work at NWBC exists—we focus specifically on abuse and bullying in the workplace. The word “bullying” can carry the connotation of a child being teased on the playground, but this is not that. Workplace bullying is targeted abuse, discrimination if you will, and regardless of reason, it is always an act of violence. It is a safety issue and public health issue most people have experienced, yet few are openly talking about. The ability to preserve the dignity of workers is all about keeping them safe and healthy in the workplace so they can perform the responsibilities of their job.
What are some of the ways bullying affects people at work and outside of work?
Workplace abuse has a dramatic effect on a worker and their life. Like any form of abuse, it is going to affect every facet of one’s life. It's not just about what happens in the workplace—not even close. It’s important to remember that most people spend at least eight hours a day at their job, which is more time than they spend with their families or elsewhere in their personal lives, and coming home with the traumatic effects of abuse occurring day after day, in large blocks of time, will affect a worker's home life. Workplace abuse is an attack on one’s nervous system, as well as one’s financial life, marriage, health, time spent with one’s children, other personal relationships, ability and/or desire to work for another employer, and even their faith. Many people experience PTSD and/or moral injury, some file for disability, and others take their lives.
More specifically, because there is no large-scale public dialogue for workplace bullying in the way that there is about other forms of violence like domestic violence or sexual assault, the silence only contributes to the isolation of the person victimized. Workplace bullying can also result in the termination of employment which triggers a domino effect of serious consequences, and a person’s level of privilege is very much a factor in how this issue is going to affect them.
Workers end up losing their health insurance. In addition to health issues created by the abuse, if a worker is reliant on medication or continuous medical treatment, it is much more difficult to receive it, if they can receive it. They will undoubtedly need counseling as well. For some, they may not be able to collect Unemployment Compensation, and others may not have time to wait for it. Trying to recover from the abuse and maintain what is left of one’s health, while simultaneously trying to meet basic needs and securing a new job is unbelievably taxing and profoundly unjust.
Some workers end up experiencing homelessness. If you have a ton of savings, are on your spouse’s health insurance, or have ways of getting health care, these supports will obviously help you. This is not to say that this situation is ever easy, but what happens to you if you don’t have a safety net? There is no law that protects you in this situation, and no one should end up destitute.
Who is the main target of workplace bullying and why does it happen?
I’ll share some of the more common things we see in the traits of targets, all which can be substantiated by research. First of all, these are highly skilled workers. These are also people with integrity who make ethical decisions inside and outside of the workplace. Sometimes, they’re whistleblowers. Targets are often people with a very strong moral compass and will risk everything to do the right thing, including speaking up when harm is being done to themselves or others.
Many times, these are people who are not a good fit for the work culture they’re in. Obviously, no one is a good fit in a toxic workplace environment, which 95% of our workplaces are, but there are other ways in which they don’t fit well within whatever set of norms has been established in their workplace. While targets may very well be the right fit for their job responsibilities, and are capable of excelling in their role, they are not working in an environment which will allow them to grow and thrive. As a target, you’re singled out because you are different in some way, even if the way that you’re different is positive. This is important to note because the propensity for a target to internalize the abuse and forget the truth about their identity and capability is high. Someone who does not possess the same level of competency may find you intimidating, and if they cause harm to you, they would be the classic bully. We are talking about people who are highly insecure and narcissistic. They feel threatened. Their relationships are often measured by their perception of another’s degree of or potential for power, and how it compares to their own. If the bully is already in a position of authority in the workplace, they will abuse whatever power they have to cause harm.
These situations escalate when the company supports the bully, and it is one reason why we need legislation. There are very few instances where companies step up and intervene in protection of the worker, and if they intervene at all, it is generally because they are investigating whether there could be cause for a lawsuit.
It’s often difficult for a target of bullying to know what kind of workplace environment they’re walking into and what type of company they are working for. Toxic environments are easy to mask with branding and marketing, creating a pseudo-reputability that isn’t always evident until you are working inside. Companies can create a facade, just like people can create a facade, and sometimes workplace bullying is compared to domestic violence for this reason.
You mentioned that people often compare workplace bullying to domestic violence. Can you elaborate on this correlation?
People like to compare these two relational dynamics, and there are both similarities and differences. The question that is often asked in situations of domestic violence as well as with workplace abuse is, “Why do they stay?” Let’s unpack this. Domestic violence is often generational, and the victim does not necessarily know how to identify a healthy partner. In domestic violence, the time couples traditionally take to get to know one another is often rushed on both sides and red flags of an unhealthy power dynamic are overlooked or missed altogether by the victim. The victim stays in the relationship due to need. In workplace bullying, there will always be an authority figure as opposed to a partner, and workers do not often have the opportunity to see the red flags until they are already in the job.
Probationary periods are formalities when it comes to bullying because the employee is still an employee, and bullying can, and often does, begin on day one. Sometimes a worker can see the red flags in an interview, but other times they won’t present themselves. They stay in the job due to need. Employment is a relationship too, but where does one turn to if there are no sources of support or supplementary income, and no services to fall back on if they wish to terminate the relationship? For those who have a more challenging time finding another job, or they need their current health benefits, for example, what are their options? So they stay. And the abuse goes on, and on, and on… Workers eventually end up losing their jobs, being physically harmed, or becoming too ill to work.
With domestic violence, sometimes people on the outside of the situation will speak up and express a concern to people they know who are going through this experience. Other times, they won’t get involved and they say it’s none of their business. When it comes to abuse in the workplace, it’s very similar. We call this being an upstander or a bystander. Are you willing to speak up and say “I see what you’re doing to this person,” “I see what’s going on,” “I don’t condone this,” “I’m concerned about this,” “I want this to stop”? Are you supporting the worker that’s being abused or claiming it’s not your problem? Who is it that is willing to speak up in situations like that, and what kind of harm is done in any situation where violence exists when we stay quiet?
I believe we should have a law that mandates employees to speak up, and that there be laws that protect those workers as well. We’re not going to stop workplace abuse by passing legislation because it is a behavioral problem, it’s not a policy problem or a political problem. But, passing legislation will impose consequences on the company and people who have control over the environment.
What is one step that we as individuals can take to make big strides in combating workplace bullying?
We need to talk about it. We need a public discourse about this issue. When I started talking about this, I couldn’t believe how many people I knew who had been through it. Sometimes even people I wouldn’t have suspected—those whose careers seemed to have been stable or blossoming, but of course, we don’t know everything that everybody is going through or how it's affected them. There are certain industries where we see this happening—nonprofit, education, health care, government—those are some of the more common industries where workplace bullying commonly occurs. We need a PSA that goes viral. We need people to speak to our legislators. We need people to understand that this is an act of violence. In fact, I believe that people who experience workplace abuse should collect victim’s compensation like survivors of other violent crimes.
What are some helpful tips to support people while confronting workplace bullying, even though it’s not their fault?
First, remind them that it is not their fault. As I had mentioned previously, companies often don’t protect workers, and from an ethical perspective, it makes no sense. When the people who should stop the problem refuse to do so, the harm inflicted on the target is often as severe as the harm of the bully, sometimes greater. This results in the target potentially feeling more isolated, more responsible for what the violence they have endured, and increasingly disempowered. Companies will sometimes protect a bully because that person has been loyal to the company, but no reason is justifiable.
Workplace bullying is a problem that gets progressively worse, and the company will often move from protecting the bully to perpetuating the cycle of bullying themselves. What started with one person can become mobbing, where others get involved (including HR, Administration, etc.) and there is now a group that’s targeting this person, which results in insecurity, fear, terror, and trauma for the target. Having support when this happens is paramount to the target’s ability to go from one day to the next, and eventually heal and move forward.
If you work for a company that is unionized, this is where a worker may have some power in confronting their employer—you will have job protection, you will have representation, you will have people who will support you and have your back. In a union, they can’t stop the bullying but can often protect you from termination. Companies can become very aggressive, and they know a lot of ways to get around our existing labor laws. They also know how to indirectly bully an employee. Their interests are always the business—they’re interested in their profit, their capital, their bottom line. They are intentionally neglecting to pay attention to the needs of their greatest commodity and asset, and that’s the worker.
*Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions. If you believe you were discriminated against in violation of the law, we recommend you seek legal advice.
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