8 Ways to Deal With a Bullying Coworker
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Are you being bullied by a co-worker at your workplace? Don’t take the matter lightly because this is a matter of your performance at work and your career. Here are ways in which you can deal with a bullying co-worker in a professional manner.
1. Don’t respond to the bully’s behavior
Bullying in your office will be slightly different from bullying in school because there will be a line which the bully will hopefully never cross for the fear of losing his or her job. That line represents physical violence. Most form of workplace bullying will happen verbally or even through office communication modes like email. The best stance you can take to deal with a bullying co-worker is to not respond. Allow the bully to make a fool of himself or herself in front of other colleagues, boss and the management.
2. Document everything in a diary
You will not be able to prove the signs of bullying if you don’t keep notes of your experience with the bullying co-worker. An easy way to do this is to document everything in a diary. Keep a written log of even the smallest bullying acts, like a co-worker calling you by certain names. Keeping a log of such events will help you prove your case to your boss or any other higher authorities.
3. Ask your colleagues if the co-worker has a history of bullying
If a co-worker is bullying you, he or she may have a history of bullying. That person may have bullied other people in the office. Ask your colleagues and find out if anyone has had similar experiences with him or her. If the bullying co-worker has a pattern, it will be relatively easy for you to talk to your boss and ask him or her to bring an immediate solution.
4. Save all the co-worker’s emails
Is a co-worker bullying you on email? If that is the case, then save all your email conversations. Be sure not to write anything that can malign your image and avoid sending a reply to each communication. If you must reply, don’t use more than a few words and used controlled language. Use all the emails as evidence when you present your bullying case to the management.
