If you are new to management or have had a recent change in staff, you may not notice signs of bullying eroding your team's productivity. Find out how to nip workplace bullying in the bud and create a positive working environment and improve your productivity.
It is estimated that the UK loses up to £4bn per year in lost productivity, sick leave and law costs as a result of staff who have become victims of bullying. These figures are astoundingly high and prove that victimization is on the increase.

Managers are responsible for the welfare of their team. This means that staff should be happy, relaxed and comfortable working together. Sometimes it is difficult to spot someone who is being bullied as this sort of behaviour can often be difficult to detect. If the majority of people brush along nicely with the bully, it can be even harder to believe that someone is being singled out in a negative manner.

What is bullying behaviour?
Bullying is not always instantly recognised and sometimes the behaviour takes place behind closed doors or where there are no witnesses. Behaviour may include silent treatment, hurtful remarks and comments aimed to shatter the confidence and lower self-esteem of their team members. It may involve the victim being given menial tasks, to undermine their confidence in their work.

Signs of bullying
It is important that an efficient HR monitoring system is in place to spot signs of bullying such as staff taking more time off than usual or a higher staff turnover, as staff feel unable to work in such a negative environment. You may notice a staff member being less active in meetings, or their concentration may be poor and performance levels are falling.

Whilst the victim may appear to be coping, it is the emotional trauma which causes long-term damage. This includes stress, anxiety, disturbed sleep and lowered self-esteem Physical and psychological symptoms will also spill over into family life and customers or clients could suffer as a result of the victim's feelings. Many sufferers feel depressed and isolated. Some have caused themselves physical harm and others have even committed suicide.

Bullying will spill over into the working lives of other staff members and the company could suffer financial losses.

Act quickly
Act immediately and assertively if you notice behaviours and attitudes show little respect or concern for others. Make it clear that negative behaviour is unacceptable, and bullying behaviour will not be tolerated.

If bullying is reported to you
Managers have a legal duty to act the moment that bullying is reported and it is vital that procedures are carried out in accordance with the company's policy. Help to resolve the situation by asking how they would like the situation to be handled. If they are unsure, it is your duty to explain their options.

Prevent bullying - create a positive working environment.
The manager needs to create a work environment that encourages positive and supportive behaviour. This sets the standard for everyone to act with due thought and respect for their fellow colleagues. Assertive behaviour is acceptable, aggression is not.

If you are being bullied - Try to reduce the impact of bullying
If you take the sting out of spiteful words or behaviour, the bully doesn't get the same "reward". Keep an emotional distance from the comments. If you feel able, you could label their behaviour to show the bully that you will not accept this abuse. That may solve the problem.

If bullying continues - speak up
Silence is definitely not the best policy as keeping quiet can be perceived as an acceptance of bullying. If you feel unable to approach the perpetrator single-handedly, ask advice from your line manager, HR representative, union representative or member of staff. In this initial stage you are seeking a quick and respectful resolution of the problem. By showing that you are willing to handle the situation without embarrassing or humiliating the bully, you are demonstrating the respectful approach you wish to receive.

If this does not work, then it is time to discuss the situation with your manager as further action is required. You may be asked to make your complaint either in writing or verbally. If the situation still remains the same, you have a legal right to go through a formal complains procedure, or even take the matter to court. Therefore it is in the interest of management to stop bullying before it spirals out of control.

It does not matter whether you are the manager, the victim, the bully or an innocent onlooker, bullying causes social, economic, mental and physical damage so put an end to it now. If you are a manager and need some more support in tackling bullying behaviour, consider building up your skills to help you in your career. By developing your own assertiveness skills and those of your staff, you can improve working relationships and improve your team's productivity.