Employer’s guide to track down the cyber bullies at the workplace

Employer’s guide to track down the cyber bullies at the workplace

With the invention of the computer came the advantages and disadvantages of the computer. In an era of digital and social media, cyber bullies at work place have targeted people anywhere and anytime as the employers struggled to address the issue.

Some of the things we encounter with bullying in the workplace are a type of bullying that usually occurs psychologically, but follows school bullying patterns. The perpetrator is usually a victim who lacks ethics and principles. They resort to abuse as a manifestation of ‘self-confidence’.

This lack of trust on one’s own self usually translates into a fear that other people may replace or reject them or that their entire identity will be limited to their employment position. This virtual harassment is usually unleashed on those victims who have a sense of inferiority, which can reflect in an insecurity regarding their position at the workplace.

Bullying at workplace takes its toll, every day, everywhere in the world. Over 30 percent workers have been reported to have been bullied in the workplace, affecting millions of people around the world.

Workplace bullying has many forms that can create a volatile work environment, which could lead to psychological and mental issues for the employees. It can also have a financial impact on the companies as it can lead to lower productivity, in turn requiring employers to increase employee monitoring.

Harassment in the workplace is also a criminal act. Therefore, the authorities who should be in charge of the situation should be informed.

From targeted jokes to misbehavior, mistreatment, humiliating, pressuring, and sabotaging the work of an employee, workplace bullying comes in many forms.

This can affect an employee’s health, whether physical or mental. It can push them into anxiety, stress and a loss of sleep. The affected employees can also suffer from depression and hypertension.

The victims of workplace bullying can cost the employers huge loss by failing to work actively that could result in the loss of productivity. The victims of bullying feel demotivated, in turn failing to put the extra effort for the work.

The bullied employee can have health issues like high-blood pressure, depression and headaches which can be costly in the form of health insurance costs. And if the victim decides not the quit job at the company, it leaves no option for the employers but to pay for their rehabilitation.

The victims of workplace bullying can go on extended leaves when they’re not sick, which could result in loss of work hours for the company.

The bullied employee can also damage the reputation of the company by telling the family members, friends and people from their circle regarding the toxic environment of the company that could result in hiring difficulties for the company or an organization.

Let’s not forget that cyber bullying is a ubiquitous phenomenon today. Its victims can be found among school-going children to senior citizens. Now that targeting anyone has become easy owing to the internet, many victims of cyber bullying could be sitting in your office.

Cyber bullying often occurs through social media as the perpetrators try to embarrass, humiliate, harass and threaten the victim. But you need to help create awareness that the victim can report the harassment situation directly on social networks.

Your company would already have policies against harassment and in turn bullying, but you need to hold regular workshops to encourage your employees to step forward and share details with whoever is in-charge of such cases. You need to make them feel secure and encourage them to provide all the information.

Employers also need to hold meetings to stop cyber bullying at the workplace. All policies must include guidance on cyber-bullying and social media use, by making clear the kind of content acceptable for the social media posts from the workplace.

The employers should take the victim’s allegations seriously and investigate them. The employer should also track emails and social media websites and use OgyMogy employee monitoring as a means of providing justice.

Those who are victimized by cyber bullying should also put in on us to muster the courage to report the cases. Let’s not forget that it’s not just about our own selves, but about the many victims who remain silent while facing bullying and harassment online.