Opinion: Workplace Bullying
An emphasis on the Not For Profit Sector
It was after a couple of conversations in the last months with people with whom I was able share experiences about bullying in various workplaces, that I have decided to make research in this area one of my ongoing topics.
As I have spent most of my working life in the Not For Profit sector I am including this sector as part of the main focus of this research.
This line of research and subsequent comments will be a ‘work in progress’.
Another shock for me, being a non sports person, was some of the conversations nationally around the sledging that apparently is part of the everyday practice within international cricket. So much for the sport of gentlemen. It was reported that an English player succumbed to the pressure of all the on field verbal abuse and had to return home. Much of the discussion was about just how much of this sledging, let’s call it bullying, should be allowed for.
Simple answer I thought. Nil. Zero. Absolutely None.
But no, on went the debates. And so this elite sport, with so many younger followers is setting a standard for behaviour when things get tough or go not according to your reality. I think not. Let’s ban this sport if any level of bullying is to still spoken of as being acceptable to those who run the show. 🙁
Here’s a view from sports writers. Click here. I would alter their last paragraph to read:
It is not acceptable to excuse this behaviour. Instead, it is time to accept that maltreatment would not be condoned in any other area of society, and therefore has no place on the sports field or any workplace or place where people interact.
More on this to follow.
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a few links of interest
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Bullies at work by Ann Andrews
28 November 2013: National bullying definition is a welcome start – now let’s act
13 February 2013: Prevention, resolution and recourse: responses to the workplace bullying inquiry
21 August 2013: New workplace bullying laws: Impacts for the not-for-profit sector
8 October 2013: New Workplace Bullying Laws and How They Affect NFPs
Bullying in the nonprofit workplace
Hello,
How is your research going? Ive worked in mental health for over fifteen years and have done employment relations for eight years. I would be interested in your findings.
DC
Dear David
thanks for your response
The subject of bullying remains of keen interest. At the moment there has been no further immediate research by myself given that so many other things have been happening.
But over the last months I was assisting a colleague who had been writing a draft policy on equity that included the emphasis on bullying. She recently presented the draft to a not-for-profit organization that she works for and it was accepted as a draft policy to be discussed with their membership.
One aspect of bullying I am interested in and hope to do more on one day about is bullying that happens to people who hold office in the public arena.
I have been noting cases of bullying through the media when a public person or high ranking individual becomes the target and the media and others make the person the subject of the story rather than focusing on the issues involved.
The same in the not-for-profit arena, as I have seen cases whereby a senior official, or board members come under pressure from bullying by sections of their membership; again the target becomes the person rather than the issues. A complex topic.
There remains so much to be researched in the arena of NGOs and from what I have observed too many membership organisations go through this at some stage.
watch this space
Paul