Such a phenomenon as mobbing is heard by people who once encountered it or are now experiencing its pressure. This is the psychological bullying of an unwanted person in the workplace by several colleagues or a collective leader. Is there a protection against mobbing? To cope with the enemy, you need to know him by sight.
Mobbing - what is it?
Teamwork brings satisfaction and a sense of being in demand, or is associated with negative emotions, when, thinking about it, a good mood instantly disappears somewhere. Reputable employees, whose opinions everyone listens to, can do egregious, shocking things to less fortunate colleagues. In psychology, this phenomenon has its own term. Mobbing is psychological pressure from several colleagues or the entire team in order to get an unwanted colleague to be fired from work.
Mobbing - psychology
People who have actually experienced moral pressure in the workplace will not have to explain what mobbing at work is. Memories of this period in their lives make them shudder. Colleagues first look closely at the newcomer at work, are interested in the facts of his biography. After evaluating all his merits and achievements in life, his future fate is decided without him.
This happens in teams where squabbles and scandals are not suppressed by the boss, and an employee who considers himself the most beautiful, charming, promising, talented becomes the leader among the subordinates. In fact, this may not reflect reality, but the way a person treats himself, this attitude is met by others. If the “outcast” belittles his own dignity, hates himself, it programs the people around him to act that humiliates him even more. This is the immutable law of psychology. Psychological terror is expressed in the following:
- A silent boycott in the presence of a "target for beating" and a heated discussion of the shortcomings and facts of his personal life in his absence.
- Taunts and unambiguous jokes.
- Making fun of external flaws, peculiarities of speech, gait, manner of dress.
- Artificial modeling of situations when an unwanted employee is put in an absurd position, and this happens in front of the superiors.
- Damage of things, documents, a computer at the workplace, which inevitably leads to the anger of the manager.
- Offensive words addressed to loved ones and loved ones by the "victim".
- Spreading rumors and gossip behind your back.
- Constant complaints to the bosses that the newcomer is not doing the job.
In fact, there are many ways to humiliate and ridicule a person, so the most dangerous thing when applying for a new job is a broken relationship with the group leader. He incites everyone else to bullying and humiliation. The team members try not to stand out from the crowd, so that the anger of the "narcissist" - the upstart does not fall on them. The "herd" feeling makes them keep silent and nod in approval in response to any decision of the leader.
Mobbing and bullying - the differences
Confusion often arises in terms of American origin. Mobbing means “crowd”, bullying means “offender, bully”. Although in some interpretations, for example, taken from Wikipedia, bullying is a psychological terror of the entire team or part of it. But then it turns out that there is no semantic difference between the two terms. Therefore, most people lean towards option 1:
- Mobbing- This is the pursuit of the "victim", in which all members of the team or several colleagues take part.
- Bullying- this is aggressive behavior towards an unwanted person on the part of one employee with the tacit approval of colleagues.
In a group of people engaged in collective work, you can observe the phenomenon - bossing. This is for the subordinate, the initiator of which is the leader. More often than not, this happens against the background of clear success in the work achieved by the beginner. Worried that he might be "hooked", the boss is looking for ways to get rid of the talented employee. When a director suffers from an inferiority complex, this is expressed in a rejection of criticism in his direction. If someone dares to speak impartially about his person, then he immediately begins to experience all the "delights" of bossing.
Mobbing - types
A strong blow is inflicted on the psyche of the person against whom the mobbing is carried out. The more colleagues are aggressively opposed to him, the more he feels his defenselessness and loneliness. Convincing the rest that it is necessary to get rid of the "victim" urgently is done by a reputable employee. This is horizontal mobbing.
When the leader does not have to make efforts and convince colleagues that the “outcast” must be punished, humiliation and criticism come from above - directly from the authorities. The best member of the team can only reap the "laurels" and continue to escalate the tense situation in the group. This phenomenon is called vertical mobbing.
Mobbing reasons
In most cases, an unwanted employee himself provokes the aggression of employees. This happens involuntarily or on purpose on his part (depending on the choice of methods of "maneuvers", how you can show your best side). The reasons for mobbing at work are as follows:
- A clear contrast and separation from the crowd (unusual actions, major achievements, competition with the superiority of one's own person). The prerequisite for psychological pressure is elementary envy of a successful colleague.
- Ignoring meetings, corporate parties.
- Compliance with the character traits of the "victim" (tearfulness, touchiness, whining, the desire to shrink into a ball, hide in a corner, avoid general attention).
Mobbing - signs
For the first time the term - mobbing - was mentioned by the biologist Konrad Lorenz. He observed the habits of herbivores and saw that they, instead of fleeing from the predator, attacked him in a group. At the end of the 20th century, psychologist Hantz Leiman conducted similar studies among people working in a team. The essence of mobbing is hostile, immoral behavior of a group of people towards one employee. There are 45 variations of this behavior. The main ones are:
- insulation;
- constant criticism;
- false rumors;
- ridicule;
- surreptitious actions (pour glue on an important document, break a chair, allegedly accidentally spilling coffee on clothes, etc.).
Phases of mobbing development in a team
If a beginner does something unwanted against the "leader", mobbing gradually gains strength. At first, these are cautious attempts (it is not known what else the "outcast" will answer). If there is no resistance or it is too weak, the aggression of the members of the "herd" is gaining momentum. The sequence of phases of development of mobbing in a team looks like this:
- Laughter and gossip behind the back.
- Cautious notes.
- Spiteful, aggressive criticism (the more employees are involved in this "show", the more productive results mobbing gives).
- Physical bullying (beat when returning home in the evening, provoke a fall with a footboard, burn with a hot drink, etc.).
How to protect yourself from mobbing at work?
A careful analysis of the current situation and mental replay of possible scenarios will help to avoid stupid mistakes. It should be assessed how the boss treats manifestations of mobbing at work. If patience, benevolence, respect for people are inherent in him, then it is better to immediately contact him with a request to understand the situation.
Mobbing in the team is stopped in the bud. If this does not help, then you must try to ignore the negative in your address and not notice the attacks of the offenders. They expect at least some reaction. If it is not there, the "hunters" get bored, and they look for another "victim". Staff mobbing is a fluid phenomenon.
Mobbing at Work - Leave or Stay?
The last sad scenario: to leave the hated job. The problem of mobbing in a team makes you lose moral and physical strength. Nervous exhaustion can reach the degree when the victim is frightened by every rustle, her, fear for his life appears. Therefore, it is better to change jobs than to try to change the attitude towards yourself, where it is useless.
But at the same time, you need to take into account previous mistakes and think over the course of action in advance. If the “victim” continues to struggle with the unfair attitude, but “things are still there,” mobbing can end up with prolonged depression and suicide. The problem of how to resist mobbing, in this case, is no longer being solved in this world.
Mobbing at work - how to fight?
It's another matter when mobbing at work occurs with the tacit approval of the manager. Here the “victim” is left alone with itself. An unmistakable course of action is to expose the leader in an absurd position, using his own weapon. The main thing is the ability to regulate relations in a team. The leader becomes the one who has more advantages in this regard.
How to be smart when mobbing?
Unlike overt, overt terror, latent mobbing is done on a subtle basis. More often it is social isolation and ignorance of the achievements of the “victim”. They survive slowly, but with enviable tenacity. This happens when the leader and the employee close to him act with insults and criticism against the outcast without the purpose of publicly defaming him. If the above methods of struggle do not help, you can be smart and make a video recording on your phone or record the conversation on a dictaphone. It is a very powerful weapon against offenders.
Mobbing books
Psychological terror can turn a healthy person into a disabled person or cause his premature death - these are real facts, which are reported from time to time by the media. Awareness in this matter, knowledge of the necessary psychological moves, the ability to abstract from the situation will help stop mobbing in the organization. Instructive books:
- Aydzha Myron “Why me? The Story of a White Crow ".
- Morrin Duffy, Len Sperry “Workplace bullying and how to deal with it”.
- Christa Kolodey "Psychoterror in the workplace and methods of overcoming it."
Good afternoon, dear colleagues.
My employees threw me the topic “Bullying in the team: how to prevent, and what should a person under pressure do?” So what to do? In the place of a person who fell under the persecution in the team, I would go to the mirror and ask myself a few questions.
Question number 1... What am I doing that is causing this bullying?
Question number 2. How can I change my style of behavior so that this bullying does not happen?
Question number 3. Maybe give change? Maybe a tough answer? Or maybe, on the contrary, not to react, to work better? Or, perhaps, sneakily snoop on a neighbor to the director? Or maybe this neighbor, who doesn't work a damn thing, should be grabbed by the collar, dragged to the director and said: "Son of a bitch, move?"
In any case, to begin with, I would look in the mirror and ask myself these questions: “What am I doing wrong or, on the contrary, what am I not doing? Why am I causing such antagonism on the part of the collective? "
You don’t have to be a team litter. Since the team does not perceive you, maybe you are the reason for this rejection? Let's say you've come to the conclusion that bullying isn't about being a bad person, but about being a bunch of bums. Maybe it is customary in the team not to do their job on the sly from the boss ... Maybe in the team it is customary to sneak around on porn sites during the working day, instead of work ... Maybe it is customary in the team to steal ... Maybe in the team it is accepted not to fulfill their duties properly ... And you are a "white crow": you work efficiently, make remarks to others. And the bullying occurs due to the fact that you are knocked out of this collective by your positive qualities.
In this case, I recommend going to the director and telling what is happening in the team. The director must hear you and change the situation by hiring productive employees who would not be idle, but work. Then you will do a good deed for the company and gain credibility for yourself. Or, if you do not believe that the director will hear you and change the situation, then ... do you really need such a team?
You are a capable person who works hard and efficiently. And you are being bullied because of this! Leave this team and find a team that encourages honesty, decency, productivity, and the ability to deliver results no matter what.
In any case, please, in order to maintain your psychological, mental, mental and physical health, do not stay in those places where unbearable conditions for life are created for you. Find the places where you are comfortable.
Thank you, good luck with your business.
(16 estimates, average: 5,00 out of 5)
Causes and Consequences of Bullying at Work - Tips for a victim of mobbing how to fight and resist
Every team and society has its own "scapegoat". Usually it becomes a person who is simply not like the others. And the team does not always need a special reason for bullying - most often mobbing (and this is what bullying is called, terror in the team) occurs spontaneously and without good reason.
Where do the legs of mobbing come from, and can you protect yourself from it?
Reasons for mobbing - how does bullying start at work and why exactly did you become a victim of mobbing?
The concept itself appeared in our country recently, although the history of the phenomenon is counted in hundreds of centuries. To put it in a nutshell, mobbing is bullying by a team of one person ... Usually at work.
What are the reasons for the phenomenon?
- Not like everyone else.
As soon as a "white crow" appears in the collective, such a person "without trial or investigation" is recognized as a stranger and, with a cry, "Atu him", they begin to persecute. This happens automatically, unconsciously. What if this "white crow" is a "sent Cossack"? Just in case, let's terrorize him. To know. This situation usually occurs in a team that is a "stagnant swamp" - that is, a group of people with an already established climate, communication style, etc. In new teams, where all employees start from scratch, mobbing is rare. - Internal tension in the team.
If the psychological climate in the team is difficult (illiterately organized work, a boss-dictator, gossip instead of lunch, etc.), then sooner or later the “dam” will break through, and the discontent of employees will spill out onto the first person who comes to hand. That is, at the weakest. Or on the one who, at the moment of the outburst of collective emotions, accidentally provokes the employees to aggression. - Idleness.
There are also such groups, no matter how sad it is. Employees who are not busy with work toil from idleness, focused not on completing any task, but on killing time. And any workaholic runs the risk of falling under the distribution in such a team. Like, “what do you want most of all? How can you creep in front of the boss, Judas? " This situation occurs, as a rule, in those teams where it is impossible to take off on the career ladder, if you do not go with the boss as favorites. And even if a person really responsibly fulfills his duties (and does not show himself in front of his superiors), then they begin to poison him even before the boss notices him. - Top-down baiting.
If the boss doesn't like the employee, then most of the team tunes in to the leadership wave, supporting the poor guy's pressure. Even more difficult is the situation when an objectionable employee is terrorized because of her close relationship with her boss. Read also: - Envy.
For example, to the rapidly developing career of an employee, to his personal qualities, financial well-being, happiness in family life, appearance, etc. - Self-affirmation.
Not only in children's groups, but also, alas, in adult groups, many prefer to assert themselves (psychologically) at the expense of weaker employees. - Victim complex.
There are people with certain psychological problems who are simply not able to “take a punch”. The reasons for "self-deprecation" are low self-esteem, demonstration of their helplessness and weakness, cowardice, etc. Such an employee himself "provokes" his colleagues to mobbing.
In addition to the main reasons for mobbing, there are others (organizational). If the internal atmosphere of the company is conducive to the emergence of collective terror
(incompetence of the boss, lack of feedback from the bosses or subordination, connivance regarding intrigues, etc.) - sooner or later someone will fall under the mobbing rink.
Types of mobbing - the consequences of bullying in a work collective
There are many types of mobbing, we will highlight the main, the most "popular":
- Horizontal mobbing.
This type of terror is the harassment of one employee by his colleagues. - Vertical mobbing (bossing).
Psychological terror on the part of the leader. - Latent mobbing.
A latent form of pressure on an employee, when by various actions (isolation, boycott, ignorance, sticks in the wheels, etc.) he is indicated that he is an unwanted person in the team. - Vertical latent mobbing.
In this case, the boss defiantly does not notice the employee, ignores all his initiatives, gives the most difficult or hopeless job, blocks career advancement, etc. - Open mobbing.
An extreme degree of terror, when not only ridicule is used, but also insults, humiliation, outright bullying and even damage to property.
What are the consequences of mobbing for the victim of terror himself?
- Rapid development of psychological instability (vulnerability, insecurity, helplessness).
- The appearance of phobias.
- Falling self-esteem.
- Stress, depression, exacerbation of chronic diseases.
- Loss of concentration and decreased performance.
- Unmotivated aggression.
How to deal with mobbing - expert advice on what to do and how to deal with bullying at work
Fighting terror at work is possible and necessary! How?
- If you are "lucky" to become a victim of mobbing, first understand the situation... Analyze and find out why this is happening. You can, of course, quit, but if you don't understand the reasons for bullying, you run the risk of changing jobs again and again.
- Do they want to squeeze you out of the team? Waiting for you to give up and quit? Do not give up. Prove that you are the exception to the rule, the employee who cannot be replaced. Ignore all attacks and barbs, behave confidently and politely, do your job without stopping to retaliate hairpins or insults.
- Avoid professional mistakes and be on the lookout- carefully analyze each situation in order to notice the "planted pig" in time.
- Don't let the situation take its course. It's one thing to ignore ridicule, it's another to be silent when they openly wipe your feet about you. Your weakness and "tolerance" will not pity the terrorists, but will even more oppose you. You shouldn't be hysterical either. The best position is in Russian, with honor, dignity and as polite as possible.
- Bring the main instigator of the persecution (the "puppeteer") into the conversation. Sometimes a heart-to-heart conversation quickly returns the situation to normal.
Dialogue is always smarter and more productive than any other way of resolving a conflict
- Carry a voice recorder or camcorder with you. If the situation gets out of hand, you at least have evidence (for example, to present it in court or to the authorities).
- Don't be naive and don't believe the phrase “the victim of mobbing is usually not to blame”. Both sides are always to blame, a priori. Yes, the situation was provoked not by you, but by the team (or the boss), but why? You should not panic, wring your hands and engage in self-criticism, but an analysis of the reasons for this attitude towards you will be very useful. It may well turn out that mobbing is actually just a collective rejection of your arrogance, arrogance, careerism, etc. In any case, the infantile position of the "ostrich" will not solve the problem of mobbing. Learn to speak less and hear and see more - a wise and observant person will never fall victim to mobbing.
- If you are an intelligent person, you are all right with observation, you do not suffer from arrogance and arrogance, but terrorize you for your individuality, then learn to defend it ... That is, just ignore someone else's rejection of your position (appearance, style, etc.). Sooner or later, everyone will get tired of clinging to you and calm down. True, this only works if your personality does not interfere with work.
- If the bullying is just beginning, fight back hard. If you immediately demonstrate that this number will not work with you, then, most likely, the terrorists will retreat.
- Mobbing is akin to psychological vampirism. And the vampires, terrorizing the victim, certainly thirst for "blood" - a response. And if no aggression, no hysteria, or even irritation comes from you, then the interest in you will quickly cool down. The main thing is not to get lost. Please be patient.
Firing is the way of a man who waves a white flag. That is, complete defeat. But if you feel that terror at work is gradually turning you into a nervous person with dark circles under his eyes, who dreams of a Kalashnikov assault rifle in his hands at night, then perhaps rest will really benefit you ... At least in order to treat stress, review your behavior, understand the situation and, having learned the lessons, find a more soulful community.
Relationships in the work collective are not always easy to build. A team is not always a group of people united by a common goal. Here ambitions of different people, habits and unwillingness to accept new things can collide. Everyone may have their own interests, often competing with each other. Different views on life, work and common cause.
Conflicts as a clash of different interests are, alas, not uncommon. But bullying (nagging, ridicule, defamation, isolation and boycott, and even damage to property and human health) and conflict should not be confused. Bullying is a form of psychological abuse, i.e. unilateral group aggression against one person.
This phenomenon is present in all cultures and in all countries of the world to one degree or another. Some European countries have even enacted laws to protect workers in the event of bullying at work.
In English, there is also the term mobbing, which has already begun to be used as a synonym for the word “bullying” in Russian (mobbing).
Mobbing can be directed from top to bottom, i.e. from the boss to the subordinate, or "horizontally" - i.e. bullying at work from colleagues who are approximately equal in position in the company.
Some researchers see bullying as a biological component.
For example, in nature, there is a similar behavior of animals, when a group of weaker individuals unites and attacks a stronger one. But in human society, of course, the reasons for this are more complicated, because many social factors play a role.
The reasons for bullying at work can be errors in the organization of the work process at the enterprise. In particular, a regularity can be traced: the more free time employees have at the workplace, the greater the likelihood of conflicts and even the emergence of aggression and bullying.
Organizational structure also affects. If responsibilities are not clearly spelled out, responsibility and workload are unevenly distributed (someone is overloaded, and someone, on the contrary, is relatively free), if employees do not see prospects for growth, both professional and career, then there are prerequisites for the emergence of hidden, and then open aggression. Internal tension in the organization grows and can result in bullying of one of the employees.
Sometimes teams with people who cannot tolerate change are prone to bullying at work. They can do everything according to established rules for years, and even if more effective ways appear, they will resist both them and any person who tries to introduce something new. Lack of flexibility, a tendency to be reactive and reluctant to accept something new or simply different from what everyone is used to can result in bullying.
The existence of family or personal relationships between employees or management can also contribute to manifestations of what will manifest bullying at work- but only if they become more important than professional responsibilities.
Also, teams are prone to mobbing, where all roles are predetermined and unchanged, where most employees are accustomed to strict hierarchy and subordination, to unquestioning obedience and lack of critical thinking and the ability to express their opinion, even if it differs from the generally accepted or the opinion of the management.
If there have already been cases of bullying in the team, then with a high probability they will be repeated. Therefore, if you find yourself in such a team, then you should bear this in mind. Or it may even be worthwhile to think about escape routes in advance to avoid getting into a mobbing situation - and it doesn't matter if you find yourself a victim or in a group of offenders or witnesses.
Both a novice and a long-term worker can be bullied at work. Often, smart and talented employees are the victims, against whom a group of less professionally successful people unites. Sometimes a person is chosen as a victim of mobbing who simply differs from others - in his style of thinking, behavior or appearance.
It is very important that the mobbing victim understands that bullying at work is a form of psychological abuse and is unacceptable. This will give confidence and strength either to fight or to get out of the traumatic environment in time.
Try to look at the situation soberly enough - is this groundless bullying at work or a conflict?
In a conflict situation, there is a mismatch of interests or views on some subject. Conflict is a natural part of social life, because all people are different and everyone has their own values and interests. In a conflict situation, you can conduct a dialogue, express your point of view, seek a compromise, make or not make concessions.
If the conflict turns into bullying, then the balance of power changes - for example, a team or a group of employees unites against someone. But if in a conflict situation both parties are interested in finding a solution, then in a bullying situation everything is somewhat different: the victim will look for a solution, but the bullying group is often interested in the process itself, and it is not at all interesting for the conflict to end.
Just one of the characteristic signs of bullying is its length in time: if the conflict drags on for a long time (weeks or months), and there is no dialogue, then there seems to be no way out. A person who finds himself in such a situation gradually loses his strength to defend his position.
If your boss scolds you for a poor job, it's a conflict. You can make excuses, you can discuss options for improving your work, or if you realize that you are not coping with responsibilities, you can discuss another position or reduce your responsibilities. This is an example of a dialogue you can have with a leader.
In the event of bullying, dialogue becomes impossible. You will be blamed anyway - no matter what you do. Your words will not be counted.
So, if you find yourself in a similar situation, then try to take a sober enough look at the situation - is it bullying at work or a conflict? You can discuss this with a colleague with whom you are as friendly as possible. Or describe the situation to your close friend to get an opinion not from the inside, but from the outside of the given situation.
Sometimes it seems that a person seems to provoke such an attitude towards himself. For example, a newcomer does not fit into the already existing atmosphere and routine, ignores the traditions of the team. This can lead to conflict, but it cannot be an excuse for bullying.
So, we examined what mobbing or bullying at work is. In the next part of the article we will try to find solutions - what to do to get out of this situation: “