Most people expect to work in environments that allow them to fulfill their job duties without undue stress and with the support of their colleagues. Unfortunately, harassment in the places of work is not uncommon, and this may be evident in various forms such as verbal, physical, or even written.
If you suspect that you are being bullied at work, but you are unsure, here are some signs of harassment you need to watch out for.
1. Inconsistent Treatments
If your colleagues at work received preferential treatment but you don’t, then that is a sign of workplace harassment. Additionally, if everyone else is getting their requests approved but your requests along similar lines are denied without a good reason, then you are being bullied.
2. Your Progress is Disregarded
You have been assigned a project with certain objectives, a goal, and a timeline to accomplish it. You have worked very hard and went out of your way to ensure the goal of the project is being achieved, only to discover the project’s goal was changed without you knowing. Your achievement so far is not applauded and all your efforts are disregarded.
3. Every Decision is Questioned
In essence, every step you take is bombarded by excessive micromanaging. You feel like your choices or intuition are not being trusted and you don’t understand why that is the case. Your boss and colleagues are all over your space and you get the sense that everyone perceives you to be unreliable thus your ability to make decisions is significantly reduced.
4. You are Socially Alienated
All of a sudden, everyone at work excludes you from meetings which you used to attend. Reasons for that may be given but they don’t make sense to you. Your colleagues try as much as possible not to interact with you. You may also discover that you are excluded from the after-hours informal events.
5. You are Always Ganged Up On
More often than not when you make a suggestion or a comment, you get a pile of negative responses from all corners. It does not matter whether or not your comment is valid – the “gangs” are determined to make you feel that you are not of any importance to them.
6. Your Work is Publicly Diminished
Your boss never acknowledges your excellent work in public. Your superiors only give credit to other people for the work they do in a public setting and never mentions your achievements.
7. You are Unfairly Criticized
It appears that in your superior’s eyes, nothing you do is right. Feedback about your work is usually offered in a form of criticism and the delivery is done in a way to make you feel bad about yourself. Your boss offers no guidance, mentoring, or encouragement of any kind.
8. You are Presented With Unreasonable Obstacles in Everything You Do
In everything you do, roadblocks are thrown your way to prevent you from completing an initiative or a project successfully
What do you do?
If you believe that you are being harassed at work, make sure you seek help to avoid any serious physical or psychological problems as a result of prolonged bullying. An employment harassment lawyer will help you to file a claim against those who harass you so you can be compensated for the physical or mental torture you undergo.
