Bullying
Bullying is any behaviour which is:
- offensive
- abusive
- intimidating
- malicious
- insulting
It is also a misuse of power, which makes the 'target' feel:
- upset
- threatened
- humiliated
- vulnerable
- undermined
It is challenging to recognise bullying when it is subtle or not face-to-face. For example, bullying may take place through social networking sites or via text messages. It tends to be more than one single act carried out over a period of time.
Examples of bullying may include but are not limited to:
- persistent unnecessary criticism
- shouting at colleagues, whether in public or private
- deliberately isolating a person by ignoring or excluding them
- withholding information from a person
- removing areas of responsibility from a person without justification
- taking credit for others' work but never the blame when things go wrong
- spreading malicious rumours
- making inappropriate personal comments
- blocking leave or training applications without reason
- setting objectives with impossible deadlines to deliberately undermine a person
- intentionally misrepresenting the views of others, including senior management
- condescending behaviour or threatening treatment that humiliates, intimidates or demeans