Mobbing at the workplace
Mobbing in the workplace can occur at all levels. However, in the case of bullying, one of the persons is always the victim, who is inferior to the other or the other person(s). This can be physical and/or psychological.
Particularly difficult with bullying among adults is that the bullying victims usually do not dare to tell anyone about the harassment because they feel “weak” and do not want to admit this weakness. Unfortunately, those affected often cannot find a person who perceives the suffering accordingly and takes it seriously. The better leaders in particular are trained with regard to bullying, the better one can counteract this problem.
It would be important that an outside person can intervene in a mediatory way, or that the person concerned has someone to confide in. Many large companies even have mobbing officers who are specially trained and can then intervene in a mediating and advisory capacity. It is important that the well-being of the employees is taken into account, conflicts are dealt with openly and constructively and that from the outset conflicts are countered as far as possible to prevent bullying.
Mobbing in the workplace can range from social isolation to violence. The victim is often systematically excluded during excursions, breaks and meetings after work. Mobbing can also include verbal attacks, for example when the victim is insulted.
There is also the possibility that untruths are told about the victim, which can of course lead to social complications. It is important to distinguish that a one-time quarrel or sometimes a bad word does not mean that someone is bullied. Mobbing rather extends over a longer period of time and consists of different phases.
Bullying by the boss puts the person concerned in a particularly difficult situation, as he cannot defend himself so easily for fear of losing his job. Frequently also the colleagues are part of the problem, by offering an audience to the superior or even actively participating in the harassment, the person concerned often lacks a contact person. Nevertheless, the superior makes himself liable to prosecution with his behavior and can be called to account.
First one should look for however the discussion with the boss and address the problem, in order to clear possible misunderstandings from the way. Also the concerning should try to show a certain indifference and calmness opposite the boss and to take thus the fun away from the harassment. But if all this is of no use, the person concerned must turn to a higher authority, for example the staff council.
It is helpful to be able to show evidence of the bullying, such as e-mails or statements from witnesses. Ultimately, the boss could even be charged, but such a legal dispute requires a lot of money and time. Nevertheless, legal reappraisal can be advisable, among other things for compensation reasons, if the person concerned suffers from health problems due to the bullying.
