Managing Conflict and Bullying Behavior in the Workplace.
Conflict and bullying behavior in the workplace can be stressful and negatively impact employee morale, performance, retention, and company culture.'
Both conflict and bullying have the potential to negatively impact team dynamics. However, there are several ways that organizations can proactively manage these risks before they escalate into more serious problems.
Whether you work as a supervisor or lead a team, being able to identify the early signs of conflict or bullying behavior is crucial because it allows you to take action before things get out of hand.
This guide will give you tips on how to manage these risks effectively so your team members can stay productive while remaining happy at work.
What is bullying behavior in the workplace?
Bullying behavior refers to any repeated, unwanted behavior that creates a hostile or intimidating work environment for another employee.
Workplace bullying can happen in any industry, and it can occur between peers, subordinates, or even supervisors and employees.
While verbal and emotional abuse are common types of bullying, harassment, intimidation, and sabotage can also be forms of bullying. Even if the behavior is subtle, repeated actions can amount to bullying if they create a hostile work environment.
Although bullying behavior can occur in almost any work environment, certain industries are more susceptible than others. Healthcare, construction, and technology are just a few examples of industries where bullying is more frequent.
Examples of bullying behaviors in the workplace include:
Verbal abuse (sarcasm, insults, name-calling, threats)
Intimidation, sabotage, or destruction of property
Humiliation (public shaming, inappropriate touching, sexual harassment)
Interference with work or withholding critical information
Psychological or emotional abuse (excessive monitoring, withholding praise or feedback, undermining self-confidence with excessive criticism)
Physical abuse
Discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected categories
What is conflict in the workplace?
Conflict is a natural part of any workplace environment. However, when conflict becomes bullying and creates an uncomfortable work environment, it can have serious repercussions for the company, team members, and supervisors.
Like bullying, conflict can happen in any industry, although certain fields are more susceptible, such as healthcare, construction, and technology.
Conflict is a disagreement that escalates into an argument. It can happen between any two individuals, groups, or departments within the organization.
Conflict can be constructive or destructive, and it can be caused by many factors, including personality clashes, miscommunication, poor organizational structure, and financial concerns.
Although conflict can negatively impact productivity, it can also be used as an opportunity to create positive changes in the organization and improve employee engagement.
What should you do if you observe bullying behavior?
If you observe bullying, you have a duty to report it. Depending on your company’s policy, you may be required to report any bullying behavior, regardless of whether it has escalated to the point of creating a hostile work environment.
There are several signs that indicate bullying has occurred, such as a one-sided pattern of negative interactions between two employees and an ongoing pattern of resentment. If you observe bullying, you should report it to your HR representative or someone in a supervisory position.
You should also report any incidents that could lead to bullying. Examples include aggressive emails, verbal exchanges, or an employee who is critical of others but mostly gets away with it because no one wants to report it.
What should you do if you observe conflict?
First, you should assess the situation to determine whether it is a conflict or bullying. Conflict and bullying are not mutually exclusive, so if you witness some bullying as well as conflict, you should report both.
Before you address the problem, you should evaluate the situation to determine the best course of action.
Conflict is often situational, meaning it is triggered by an event, person, or situation. It can be helpful to note the circumstances that led to the conflict so you can address them directly. If the conflict is ongoing, you should encourage the individuals involved to address the issues directly. If they refuse to do so, you can facilitate a discussion to help resolve the issue. You may need to provide suggestions on how they can communicate without damaging the other person’s feelings.
If the conflict is coming from a few teammates, you might need to intervene before it escalates. You can try to resolve the conflict informally by facilitating a discussion between the individuals involved. If the conflict is between a few individuals and it’s starting to negatively impact the rest of the team, you should address it formally. You can do so by bringing the issue to the attention of your supervisor or HR representative.
Strategies to address workplace conflict and bullying behaviour
Be a mediator - If you observe conflict between two employees, you can use mediation to help resolve the conflict. Mediation is a voluntary process in which you assist the parties in resolving their conflict.
Be a facilitator - If two employees have already tried to resolve their conflict but are unable to find a solution, you can facilitate a discussion between them to help them find a solution.
Be a sounding board - If you’ve tried to help resolve the conflict but one employee just needs to vent, you can be a sounding board. Simply listen to the employee without trying to solve the problem.
Be an active listener - A lot of conflict can be avoided if employees feel they can freely discuss problems without being judged. If two or more employees are disagreeing, you can actively listen to what they have to say and give your input, but only when asked.
Be an objective observer - Sometimes, a conflict between two employees escalates to the point where it interferes with their ability to perform their job duties. In these situations, you can act as an objective observer and report your findings to your supervisor or HR representative.
Conclusion
Managing conflict and bullying behavior in the workplace is challenging, but organizations can take several steps to reduce the risk of these issues.
The first step is to recognize the signs of conflict and bullying so you can intervene before the situation escalates.
After you recognize the signs, you can use several strategies to proactively manage the issues. This will help create a healthy work environment where employees feel comfortable bringing up any problems they have so they can be resolved before they escalate into bullying or other serious problems.
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