Workplace mobbing is understood as actions with which a worker is intimidated, harassed or degraded. It is harassment that is carried out with insults, humiliation, isolation, threats and even the spread of rumors that affect the worker.
Therefore, it can also be conceptualized as psychological or verbal violence, which can even lead to physical attacks and sexual harassment.
Generally, workplace mobbing is used to force the worker to resign and not obtain compensation, or to force him to work under unfair, oppressive and suffocating working conditions. But it can also be carried out without any objective other than to humiliate the worker. Mobbing is distinguished from workplace discrimination both in the causes and in the objective it pursues.
Signs and Symptoms
Identifying workplace mobbing is crucial for early intervention and prevention. Some common signs and symptoms include:
1. Isolation and Exclusion:
Individuals experiencing mobbing may find themselves isolated from workplace activities and social circles. Colleagues may purposefully exclude the targeted person from meetings, gatherings, or team events.
2. Verbal Abuse:
Mobbing often involves the use of derogatory language, insults, or offensive comments directed towards the targeted individual. This can occur in person, through emails, or via other communication channels.
3. Spreading Rumors:
False and damaging rumors about the victim may circulate within the workplace, tarnishing their reputation and undermining their professional standing.
4. Undermining Work Performance:
Mobbing may extend to actions that sabotage the victim’s work, impede their progress on projects, or create obstacles that hinder their professional success.
5. Psychological and Physical Health Issues:
Targeted individuals often experience stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. In severe cases, workplace mobbing can lead to physical health problems, such as insomnia and hypertension.
Impact on Individuals
The consequences of workplace mobbing can be profound and far-reaching, affecting both the targeted individual and the broader workplace dynamics.
1. Emotional and Psychological Toll:
Mobbing takes a significant emotional and psychological toll on the targeted individual, leading to feelings of isolation, despair, and a decline in self-esteem.
2. Professional Damage:
The victim’s professional reputation may suffer, potentially impacting their career advancement and opportunities for growth within the organization.
3. Physical Health Effects:
Prolonged exposure to workplace mobbing can result in physical health issues, contributing to a decline in overall well-being.
4. Decreased Productivity:
Workplace mobbing can negatively impact the productivity of both the targeted individual and the team as a whole, creating a toxic work environment.
Contributing Factors
Understanding the root causes of workplace mobbing is crucial for developing effective strategies for prevention and intervention. Several factors contribute to the emergence of mobbing in a workplace setting.
1. Poor Leadership:
Inadequate leadership that fails to address conflicts or sets a negative tone for the workplace can contribute to the development of mobbing behavior.
2. Lack of Policies and Procedures:
Absence or inadequacy of workplace policies and procedures for addressing bullying and harassment can create an environment where mobbing can thrive.
3. Competition and Scarcity of Resources:
Intense competition for resources or job opportunities may fuel animosity among colleagues, leading to mobbing as a means of gaining a competitive edge.
4. Organizational Culture:
A toxic organizational culture that tolerates or ignores bullying behaviors can foster an environment conducive to workplace mobbing.
Is workplace mobbing discrimination?
Job discrimination and job mobbing are two different concepts, although both are harmful and establish negative conditions in the work environment.
However, discrimination consists of giving different treatment to employees who have different physical or cultural conditions. This treatment is not related to job performance, but rather arises from prejudices due to age, gender, beliefs, sexual orientation, among other aspects.
On the other hand, workplace mobbing does not originate from these types of differences, but any worker could be a victim.
How to prevent workplace mobbing in your company?
Below are some recommendations that will serve to create a workplace mobbing prevention system, and that the Human Resources Department can implement:
Establish communication channels
The company must provide access to superiors or those in charge of ensuring that the work environment is positive and that harassing conduct or behavior does not manifest itself towards and among employees.
These communication channels must be transparent and secure, so that workers have confidence in using them, knowing that the company will ensure their well-being.
Promote a positive work environment
It is not necessary to start receiving complaints or reports of workplace mobbing to foster a good company culture, in fact, this will help obtain more productivity from workers and meet business objectives more effectively.
Norms and rules must be established that aim at healthy coexistence during work days.
Reward good behaviors and practices
One way to motivate both teams and their leaders to behave well, and thus avoid workplace mobbing, is to reward good behavior.
This will serve as an example for everyone and will accelerate the establishment of a positive organizational culture that is beneficial for the mental and emotional health of all workers.
Meetings and follow-up
So that negative behaviors and sudden harassment do not arise that can be perpetuated among the practices of leaders, supervisors, and even employees among them, it is necessary for the company to develop a monitoring plan.
With this plan, periodic meetings must be established to evaluate the work environment, and identify possible outbreaks of workplace mobbing to immediately eradicate them from the company.
Likewise, the Human Resources Department can also conduct surveys in the different departments for constant monitoring.
Can a psychologist help your company prevent workplace mobbing?
Behaviors that manifest themselves in harassment, verbal and even physical violence usually have a source that must be addressed to help people overcome them and show more positive behavior.
In the same way, those who are victims of workplace mobbing generally need support and help to overcome the consequences.
This is why it is convenient for companies to have psychologists and mental health professionals who can guide managers, leaders and teams regarding the prevention of workplace mobbing.
It is also important that those who are or have been victims or perpetrators attend psychological therapy sessions in order to have professional help to reach a level of development and personal improvement that allows them to function effectively both in their work days and in other areas of life. So, a psychologist will always be a good help for companies to prevent workplace mobbing, and will even serve as a consultant for the development of a positive organizational climate.
Conclusion
Workplace mobbing is a pervasive issue that can have detrimental effects on individuals and organizations. By understanding the signs, addressing contributing factors, and implementing preventive measures, workplaces can create a healthier and more productive environment. It is crucial for leaders, employees, and organizations as a whole to actively work towards eradicating mobbing and promoting a culture of respect and inclusivity. Through collective efforts, workplaces can become spaces where individuals thrive, free from the harmful impacts of mobbing.