An often unspoken problem: workplace bullying

By Pat Trottier
Former vice president, River East Teachers’ Association

You have been on staff for five years, are a hard worker, love your teaching responsibilities and relate well with everyone. This is the start of the school year and you find that your administrator is not putting you on any core school committees.

You are noticing that some staff are starting to stay away from you; you feel like you are being ignored. As a specialist, you notice that slowly your resources are being eroded and you worry about whether you will have enough supplies for next year. Later in the year it becomes apparent to you that your administrator is talking about your job performance with other staff members.

Whether you are a teacher or administrator, the above scenario could happen to you. You are in a situation where either a teacher or administrator is not following the Code of Professional Practice for educators.

For whatever reason, they are not happy with your performance and instead of speaking to you directly about their concerns they are talking to other staff or the community about you. This is ethically wrong and makes you a victim of workplace bullying.

The Code of Professional Practice states that a teacher’s professional behaviour must reflect the spirit as well as the letter of the code. A teacher/administrator first must direct their criticism to the colleague in private. They must tell the educator if they are planning to tell their superiors about their concerns related to the teacher as well.

Workplace Bullying is like the giant elephant in the room that everyone ignores. It’s there and keeps getting bigger as we continue to ignore it.  This type of bullying is not just the occasional disagreement that colleagues have with each other or with their administrator. This bullying behavior is deliberate, intentional and constant. It is personally directed to hurt, embarrass, belittle or ostracize the victim. “It can include harsh and constant criticism in front of others, withholding of resources needed to do the job or treating the target as an outcast. “

Schools over the last 10 years have worked hard with parents and their communities to develop programs to support the development of students being respectful, empathetic and tolerant towards their peers. School divisions have supported this development and provided numerous training opportunities. While teachers are working as teams in their buildings to encourage the development of these universal values, bullying can be ongoing among staff.

Nobody talks about this problem. Many people are too afraid or embarrassed to seek help. Sometimes the situation gets worse when the victim seeks help. The victim is further bullied by the bully. What can be done to solve this painful situation.

In the majority of workplace bullying incidents, educators do not report the incidents. Typically teachers will report the incident to their school administrator if they have been bullied by students, parents or guardians. Bullying by colleagues and administrators is less likely to be reported formally.

Workplace bullying is like a child bullying, in that individuals or groups use aggressive or unreasonable behaviour to achieve their ends. It has been said workplace bullies are able “to hide within the established rules and policies of their organization while maintaining control over the subordinate’s livelihood.”

We are told too that it is “part of the job, just accept it and develop a thick skin”. But in reality these behaviors are, in the words of a nationwide poll by the Employment Law Alliance, “damaging to the mind and body as if they were physical”.

The Advisory Council on the Status of Women (ACSW) says that, after conducting focus groups with bullying victims, it is convinced that workplace bullying is a serious occupational health and safety issue that must be addressed by legislation and public education. It is felt that “legal remedies to deal with bullying are needed, but prevention is also key.

Research has found that while bullying of all types has a negative impact on teachers, bullying by administrators exacts a heavy toll. Teachers in this type of situation will take the most time off work and will suffer from stress-related consequences. This in turn can affect the workplace by increasing absenteeism, staff turnover, stress and poor morale.  There are high monetary costs to employers as well.

Raising public awareness is key to making this a social rather than an individual problem. The victim does not cause the bullying. The bullying is a conscious decision by the bully to upset the victim on a regular basis.  Governments should legislate against workplace bullying, as they have done for sexual harassment and various forms of discriminatory or health issues in the workplace.

“Bullying is violence and we should see it as such,” says ACSW.  “Workplace bullying is where spousal violence was a generation ago: we are only beginning to talk about it and to name it.  The bullies rarely pay a price for their behavior.  The health and careers of the victims are sometimes changed dramatically by the experience.”

The Advisory Council has recommended “that the provincial government adopt legislation to recognize bullying as a workplace health issue, that it provide protection and assure redress for victims, including tough penalties for employers who tolerate it and follow-up to ensure the problem is rectified. It should assist private employers to develop prevention policies and launch a public campaign to educate employers and workers.”

What can you do if you find yourself in a situation where you are being bullied by a teacher or administrator? Presently you can take your concerns to your local teacher association and ask for guidance. You can also phone a staff officer at the Manitoba Teachers’ Society.  Educators can access counseling through the Educator’s Assistance Program (EAP) as well.

I believe education is the best place to be. Let’s make our schools safe and comfortable for all staff.