Well up the list among the most important characteristics of high performing teams is the culture created by management; a sense of belonging and respect for all involved, regardless of job description or pay grade. Such teams have no place for bullies and harassment is punished quickly and severely, with termination a very real possibility.

On the other hand, to many small business owners and corporate managers, it may seem that there is too much focus being placed on workplace harassment and bullying. After all, virtually everyone has dealt with boorish behavior, rude comments, and hurt feelings yet, we grow out of these things, right?

Not necessarily.

As mentioned in a previous post on workplace bullying, the problem is very real, with serious consequences for the targets of bullying behavior – as well as for the business – in terms of lost production and employee retention. Further, harassment in the workplace, whether verbal, sexual, or physical, may be illegal if the victim is part of a protected class.

While not all workplace bullying can be legally defined as harassment, all workplace harassment can surely be described as bullying. As a result, lawsuits for both bullying and harassment proliferate in the current climate and juries have shown a strong tendency to hold businesses and business owners financially responsible for such behaviors in the workplace.

What can be done to prevent such behaviors? According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), an organization “dedicated to creating better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together by addressing issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces”, prevention begins at the top, with leadership, guidance, and a clearly defined civility policy.

How to Create a Harassment-Free & Bully-Free Workplace

Creating a harassment-free environment at work, where bullying in all its forms is not tolerated, begins with leadership. This can only begin by creating and enforcing a policy statement declaring that all people, regardless of race, gender, background, belief system or position in the company, will be treated with respect, dignity, and civility.

Of course, such a declaration is meaningless without enforcement. It must also be made clear that “any type of bullying that demeans, diminishes, defames or belittles a person through rumors, lies, devious and selfish acts, unilaterally boastful comments about self and derogatory comments about others, antisocial or aggressive behavior, or any acts that create a hostile work environment will not be tolerated.” (emphasis added)

This includes what has come to be called “microaggression”, defined by Merriam-Webster as: “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group”. More broadly, microaggression appears in three forms: micro-assault, micro-insult, and micro-invalidation and may be quite subjective.

Regardless of its subjectivity, the perception of attack by the target can lead to extreme discomfort, an inability to engage with team members, and reduced performance levels. Education and training are the only real solutions for such an environment and leaders must be involved, showing their commitment to creating a civil workplace.

Strategies to Eliminate Workplace Bullying, Harassment & Microaggression at Work

So, what can a team leader do to ensure a positive work environment for all involved? Again, according to SHRM, there are effective strategies for managing bullies to get them out of your workplace:

• As a leader, examine your own behavior to ensure that you are setting a good example. Remember, as a leader in your organization, you are a role model who can influence others, like it or not.
• Discuss bullying behavior and its consequences openly with your team. Review the most appropriate ways of addressing it and eradicating it.
• Do not stay silent if you experience bullying or see it. Remember, when someone exhibits bullying behavior and gets away with it, it reinforces the behavior.
• Designate points of contact so employees know where to turn for help.
• Take a stand for yourself. Stay calm, but refuse and rebuke the bad behavior in a forthright way.

Few people set out to be bullies and much of the harassment in the workplace is unconscious. Yet, as mentioned above, there simply is no place for bullies when it comes to characteristics of high performing teams and management must lead the way in eliminating such behavior or it will persist, to the detriment of all.

I can help you improve the leadership skills required to end workplace bullying while building high performance teams, work to improve emotional intelligence for all, and improve both the personal and professional relationships in your life. Click here to schedule your FREE Discovery Call.