The word ‘bullying’ and ‘harassment’ are thrown about and sometimes as jokes – but what do those words really mean? How do you know if a behaviour really is bullying or harassment in the workplace?
A bully is not someone who is miserable. A bully is someone who is nice to some people but picks on an individual or group with the intent of undermining their dignity at work. A more complete definition is in the episode, but it is NEVER helpful to business performance. Sometimes the target is one of your most competent people, but the bullying eroded their confidence to the point that they become ineffective.
Denise Koster is a harassment and bullying expert based near Toronto. She has been working in this area most of her career as a member of the union and management and is now on her own. She shares her knowledge with us in this video.
