When you think of bullying, the cliche is an older high school student bullying a younger one. And that definitely happens all over the United States, despite the onset of rules and even laws to prevent it.
But do not assume that it ends there. Workplaces have bullies, too. One study claimed that 19% of people in a survey said they had seen others get bullied at work and another 19% said that they had personally been victimized by bullying.
In fact, some experts compared it to sexual harassment. It may be based on gender in some cases, but even when it’s not, they noted that both bullying and harassment are:
- Uninvited
- Undeserved
- Unwarranted
Bullying can have a massive negative impact on your career. You may dread going to work. It may be stressful and emotionally difficult. It may sap your passion for your job. You may feel like it’s time to quit and look for a new job, even though you technically like the job you have, because you’re forced to endure a hostile workplace environment.
You also have to remember that bullying could focus on some very personal part of yourself that may also be within a protected class. This is true when you’re bullied because of your skin color, your race or your gender, for example.
If you’re in that 19% of American workers who have to deal with a bully on the job, rest assured that you do have rights. There are steps you can take to protect yourself and your job. Make sure you know what they are.
