Bullying in the Workplace

Did you know that up to a third of U.S. workers may have experienced workplace bullying? Workplace bullying ranges from being singled out for subtle manipulative behaviors (like someone habitually "forgetting" to give you messages or deliberately delaying getting back to you with information you need) to outright verbal abuse and practical jokes. Workplace bullying often goes unnoticed by those in charge and usually results in lower productivity, a tense or even toxic work environment, and higher employee turnover.

Recently I heard from a reader requesting more information about bullying in the workplace. I've gathered together some resources including websites and books that I found to be helpful. If you've found other resources to be useful to you, please share them in the comments below.
ON THE WEB:

• Site - Workplace Bullying Institute: FAQs for individuals who think they may be experiencing bullying at work. This comprehensive site also includes resources for employers, managers, and counselors as well as advocacy information.
• Site - Kickbully.com: Are you being bullied in the workplace? This site offers specific suggestions for understanding workplace bullies and manipulators as well as how to effectively deal with them. Includes what to say and when to say it.
• Article - Grown-up Bullying (Workplace Bullying Institute): Excerpt from a Counseling Today article featuring WBI counselor Jessi Eden Brown “In the U.S., there are deep connections between one’s career and his or her identity,” she points out. “Work-related stress is a common topic of discussion in the counseling relationship. With nearly half of all working Americans reporting direct experience or witnessing bullying in the workplace, it cannot be overstated how important it is for counselors in all settings to be aware of this phenomenon.”
• Article - When the Boss is the Bully (Psychology Today): "They verbally abuse you, humiliate you in front of others. Maybe it's because power hovers in the air, but offices tend to bring out the bully in people. We offer strategies for handling such bad bosses."
• Article - What makes someone a potential workplace bullying target (Minding the Workplace): "Potential workplace bullying targets usually stick out in some way to potential aggressors. By some characteristic or behavior, they unwittingly trip a wire that unleashes abusive behaviors." Be sure to browse the other articles on this site as well.
• Article - When good things happen to bad people: Disturbing news about workplace bullies  (TIME Magazine): Article highlighting the findings of a recent study on workplace bullying. "But many if not most are allowed to keep abusing colleagues because their bosses aren’t aware of their behavior, either because it goes unreported (many victims are too frightened or embarrassed to draw attention to their plight) or because the bullies are good at masking their behavior and/or fooling their superiors."
• Site - The Healthy Workplace Bill: Find out more about the grassroots movement to enact state laws promoting bully-free Healthy Workplaces. "Current discrimination and harassment laws rarely address bullying concerns. Bullying is four times more prevalent than illegal discrimination, but is still legal in the U.S. People deserve more protection against arbitrary cruelty that has nothing to do with work."
• Article - Six Ways You're the Workplace Bully Without Even Realizing It: With a reported 54 million victims of workplace bullying, somebody has to be doing the bullying. Perhaps some or all of us have at one time or another inadvertently gossiped, been sarcastic, or engaged in passive-aggressive manipulative behavior that may have been perceived by others as hurtful or bullying. 

BOOKS:

• The Bully at Work by Gary Namie and Ruth Namie - This book by the founders of the Workplace Bullying Institute is the go-to resource for understanding what workplace bullies do, how to find allies and stand up to the bullies, and when to leave a workplace because of bullying. (View at Amazon>)
• Toxic Co-workers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job by Alan A. Cavaiola PhD: Specific advice on how to deal with all kinds of dysfunctional co-workers (including bullies). (View at Amazon>)
• Mean Girls at Work: How to Stay Professional When Things Get Personal by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster: This book is full of specific strategies, examples, real-life stories and techniques for dealing with the mean girls at work as well as not becoming one yourself. (View at Amazon>)
• The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization by Gary Namie and Ruth Namie: A guidebook for employers and managers who want to recognize and prevent bullying in their organizations. (View at Amazon>)