Words Will Never Hurt Me – But Actions Will Heal. Using Examples To Stop Bullying

I talked with Rebecca, who works for SpyTown.com, a group that sells spy/surveillance equipment. Not only do they have that business, but they also take an active part in the anti-bullying movement by sharing knowledge and information and helping to try to stop bullying. I offered and they accepted to guest blog on this site. Below is a guest blog from the folks at Spytown.com. ~Alan Eisenberg

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Bullying in the workplace is a serious issue that often goes unaddressed – the person being bullied often doesn’t report it, as bullying only happens in high school, right? Not so. Bullying must be addressed, whether we’re thirteen or thirty-three. Using example to stop bullying in its tracks is one of the most successful ways to halt it, so let’s take a look at how we can use example through action to peacefully rectify adult bullying.

• Distribute Responsibility – One of the chief reasons behind workplace bullying is insecurity in performance – the bully feels that she/he isn’t performing as well as others or isn’t given as much responsibility as the next team member. As a manager, identify your employees’ strengths and weaknesses, and publicly distribute responsibilities throughout the team. Your bully will see that she or he is being given increased responsibility, right along with the rest of the team.
• Get Out Of The Office – Ever notice the difference between team members in and out of the office? Take the bullying team member out to lunch and see how she or he acts. Try to connect on a personal level – the negative behavior may be stemming from office stress or issues at home. Show interest in the team member’s life to establish camaraderie, and you may just learn a thing or two about what’s causing the behavior.
• Regular Performance Reviews – Performance reviews should never come as a surprise. Hold quarterly reviews for your employees – it helps the bullying team member regularly see how they are performing, which can reassure them that they are performing at an adequate level (thus eliminating the insecurity), or are on the path to performing better. This is also a perfect time to address the bullying behavior, but be sure to always list specific examples and corrective action.
• Lead By Example – Management must always, always lead by example in the workplace. Statistics show that the majority of workplace bullies are actually in management roles, so for managers to effectively cut bullying out of the workday, this behavior needs to be stopped. Employees look to their managers for performance and behavior, just as kids look to their parents for life lessons. Follow this philosophy as a manager: Act the way you want your employees to act.

Bio: Bullying in any form is a serious issue, and it’s up to all of us to spread the message of bullying prevention. Here at SpyTown.com, we’ve helped many a business choose the right covert surveillance cameras and cctv security cameras to install so they can keep an eye on bullying in the workplace – after all, showing a bully exactly what she or he is doing is a very effective way to stop the behavior!