Workplace bullying is any repeated, inappropriate behavior which may be directed towards anyone; a worker, a boss, a customer or client, or a third person at work, which threatens health and safety. It may involve verbal abuse or physical violence, and furthermore, it can be active or subtle, and can be carried out directly or indirectly. Nevertheless, bullying threatens civility in the workplace.
Even a single unacceptable act may constitute bullying, because it can develop into a repeated pattern which may become part of the work culture and hinders an organization from building a civil workplace. While people are bound by different opinion, conflict and problems may be part of the typical working life. However, if it turns to be unreasonable or offensive, then it constitutes workplace bullying.
It can be noted that workplace bullying can be stopped. How bullying is handled depends on the nature of bullying or a particular work environment. While every situation is different, there too, are many different ways on how to address bullying. Informal and formal procedures and workplace bullying solutions can be resorted to per se. The informal procedures include checking for an existing workplace policy, seeking advice, keeping a record of incidents, confronting the bully, or seeking counseling services. On the other hand, formal procedures include a proper grievance and redress system and legal complaints.
