Some of the notable examples of workplace bullying include targeted practical jokes, denial of requests for days off without valid reasons, excessive performance monitoring, unjust criticism, and being misled about work responsibilities (Dean & Shepard, 2017). Studies have shown that constructive criticism, and disciplinary action related to workplace code of conduct do not qualify as bullying as long as it does not humiliate or intimidate the involved parties (Carbo, 2017).
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Psychologists argue that identifying workplace bullying can be a challenge owing to its subtle nature. One of the most effective ways of achieving such a feat is considering the views and opinions of employees about things that happen within the workplace. When most of the responses indicate a certain action or behavior as being unreasonable, then it may be identified as a form of bullying (Cobb, 2017). Early signs of workplace bullying include one being ignored by colleagues, being assigned duties outside one’s job description or training, a consistent pattern of personal or work-related items missing without a trace, as well as being asked to perform pointless tasks among others.
According to psychologists, workplace bullying has several effects on the mental health of employees, which in turn affects the ability of an organization to achieve prolonged success and remain competitive due to reduced productivity (Gattis, 2018). Some of the notable psychological effects of bullying within the place of work include increased risk of suffering depression, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, needing time off work, and wanting to stay away from the workplace environment as much as possible (Curry, 2016). Workplaces with high prevalence of bullying tend to experience a number of negative effects that include high turnover rates, reduced commitment by employees, increased absenteeism, poor team dynamics, as well as loss of revenue necessitated by bullying investigations and legal costs.
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