For Employees - Transportation

Workplace BullyingFor EmployeesPresented to: FAA EmployeesPrepared by: AMC-9Date: May 20121

Objectives Define bullying and discuss the impact on theworkplace. Identify factors that contribute to bullying. Distinguish bullying from normal human conflictsand the difficult person. Review options for dealing with bullying behaviors. Discuss responsibilities for supporting anenvironment that is free from bullying behaviors. Identify primary avenues for addressing EEOrelated bullying/harassment.2

What Is Bullying?A pattern of inappropriate and unwelcomebehavior that a reasonable person wouldfind intimidating, humiliating, threatening,or harassing.33

A Bully Remains a Bully!QuestionWhat happens to the playground bully whenhis or her inappropriate bullying behaviorsare never addressed?AnswerA bully remains abully as an adult.4

Bullying or a Difficult Person Bullying is repeated deliberate, disrespectfulbehavior by one or more people towardanother for their own gratification, which inturn harms the targeted employee. Bullying is unreasonablebehavior. You cannotnegotiate with a bully tochange his or herunreasonable behavior.5

Bullying or a Difficult PersonCont’d Negotiation and change are more likely tooccur with difficult people. Not all difficult people are bullies!6

Workplace Bullying: An Epidemic 35% of American workers have been bullied.– 62% of bullies are men– 38% of bullies are women 68% of bullying is same gender harassment– 55% men target men– 80% women target womenSource: 2010 Workplace Bullying Institute & Zogby International7

Workplace Bullying: An Epidemic Cont’d Bullying is 4 times more prevalent thanillegal harassment. 25% of those bullied suffered significantphysical, emotional and otherconsequences. In 62.5% of cases, when employers weremade aware of bullying, the employer eitherescalated the problem for the targetedemployee or did nothing.Source: 2007 Workplace Bullying Institute & Zogby International8

Examples of Bullying BehaviorLanguage: Abusive, insulting, or offensive languageRaising voice, yelling & screamingConstantly belittling, humiliating & criticizingSpreading malicious gossip & rumorsBehavior: Harmful practical jokes & heavy sarcasmSetting unreasonable deadlinesDenying access to resources (emails, meetings, telecons)Removing areas of responsibility without causeBlocking requests for training, details, leave9

Who Could Be The Bully? ManagersEmployeesCustomersContractorsYou!10

Characteristics of a Bully ControlIntimidationDistort RealityUnpredictableCovertExclusionaryShrewd PoliticiansCompetent11

Who Do Bullies Target? Transparent, kind & tolerant people Well-liked Competent, effective, smart May be different than others Has something the bully values & thinkshe/she doesn’t have12

Factors Contributing to WorkplaceBullying Power Low Self-Esteem Differences Perceived Threat13

Not Every Conflict Is BullyingMOST workplace conflicts are caused by: Imperfect communication Human error Conflict in styles,personalities, training Varying levels of conflictresolution skills Stressed and over-stressed people14

You Have a Bully What do you do?Non-EEORelatedBehaviors?EEO-RelatedBehaviors?15

How To Deal with Bullying BehaviorsDon’t let thoughts of a Bully dominate you! Report the behaviorto management. Seek advice from the Employee AssistanceProgram, a counseling service, or mentor.16

How to Deal with Bullying BehaviorsCont’dDo not allow yourself to beprovoked—manage your anger.Establish &reinforce yourboundaries.Build your assertiveness skills& self-esteem.17

How to Deal with Bullying BehaviorsCont’dKeep an objective record ofwitnesses, dates, times, andplaces. Provide specifics.Exercisephysically– ithelps relievestress.18

How to Deal with Bullying Behaviors Cont’dDon’t let your job become your identity.Develop outside interests.Use more formal procedures as appropriate.19

Remember! It is not about You! Bullying is about the bully. The bully will findsomeone else to bully. If you are affected by bullying, you haveoptions.20

You Have a BullyWhat do you do?EEORelatedBehaviors21

When Bullying is EEO-RelatedThe FAA has a zero tolerance policy.“We have a zero tolerance for discrimination inthe workplace on the basis of race, sex, color,religion, national origin, age, disability, sexualorientation or reprisal for participating inprotected EEO activity.”FAA Policy on Non-Discrimination22

HarassmentHarassment becomes unlawful where:1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes acondition of continued employment, or2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough tocreate a work environment that a reasonableperson would consider intimidating, hostile orabusive.23

Harassment (cont’d.)Must involve discriminatory treatment on thebasis of: race, color, religion, sex (includingpregnancy and gender identity, as well assexual advances), national origin, age (40 orolder), disability (mental or physical), sexualorientation, genetic information and reprisal.24

Summary Most workplace conflicts are not caused bybullying behaviors. Bullying behavior could be non-EEOharassment. Both non-EEO & EEO-based harassmentshould be reported to your manager.25

References Cade, Valerie, CSP, Bully Free At Work,(The Performance Curve International Corp,2008) Namie, Gary & Namie, Ruth, The Bully AtWork (Sourcebooks, Inc. 2003) The Workplace Bullying Institute, U.S.Workplace Bullying Surveyhttp://www.bullyinginstitute.org/zogby200726

FAA Office Of Civil Rights Mamie Mallory, ACR-1, Assistant Administrator forCivil Rights and FAA Diversity Advocate For EEO Training Contact EEO Training Institute:– Gail Puckett, Director, EEO Training Institute, at(405) 954-8672 or Gail.Puckett@FAA.Gov, OR– Thomas C Harris, Trainer, at (405) 954-5536 orthomas.c.harris@faa.gov– your local Civil Rights Office27

2 Objectives Define bullying and discuss the impact on the workplace. Identify factors that contribute to bullying. Distinguish bullying from normal human conflicts and the difficult person. Review options for dealing with bullying behaviors. Discuss responsibilities for supporting an environment that is free from bullying behaviors.