Bullying at work: mental, physical and economic costs. Mobbing in an organization

In any team there is a person whom not everyone accepts for a number of reasons. However, such rejection can be “peaceful”, when a person is treated calmly and even hardly noticed. It is much worse for those who are openly persecuted and are not allowed to work or study normally. This phenomenon is called mobbing, which implies the "survival" of a person from the team. What is mobbing and how to deal with it - learn from our article.

Description of the concept of "mobbing"

As we wrote above, mobbing is the opposition of the team to one person. In other words, an outcast is found in the team and they begin to poison him in every possible way. Unfortunately, this phenomenon spreads very quickly and occurs most often in labor collectives. It's not uncommon in children either.

What does it look like? For example, you found new job which you like very much. For several days everything went fine - the colleagues were nice and friendly and it seemed that you were accepted in the team. However, after some time, you began to notice that they forgot to remind you of the meeting, or your computer was missing important information, etc. Or has your child moved into new school, where he often begins to conflict with his classmates, although you did not notice this before him. All these cases are examples of psychological mobbing.

Other examples of mobbing at work include the following:

1. Hostility towards you from colleagues;
2. Colleagues do not greet you and do not discuss work issues in front of you;
3. Rumors are being spread about you that have no basis;
4. Your superiors underestimate you and question your professionalism;
5. A pregnant woman is bullied at work;
6. In your presence, colleagues allow themselves to make unkind jokes about you.

Surely you have encountered similar phenomena at least once. Mobbing of employees takes place with the aim of humiliating you or, worse, eventually getting you fired. Few people are ready to endure such an attitude towards themselves, therefore, in the end, a person has to look for a new job.

Types of mobbing

The most common types of mobbing at work are as follows:

1. Horizontal mobbing - the whole team chooses a "victim" and begins to put pressure on her;
2. Vertical mobbing - mobbing of personnel by the management;
3. Latent mobbing is a type of hidden pressure on a colleague when they try to isolate him from the team by psychological tricks (they don’t communicate, don’t say hello, don’t invite them to joint events);
4. Mobbing of an open type - a person is mocked in front of everyone, openly, mocked and humiliated, they allow themselves impartial expressions addressed to him;
5. Vertical latent mobbing - a subordinate does not receive the attention of his leader, he ignores his wishes, fills up hard work, does not allow you to rest and grow along the service line.

There is also such a term in psychology as bullying. How is mobbing different from bullying?

Bullying and mobbing: differences between concepts

There are similarities between these two concepts: both bullying and mobbing mean bullying in a team, psychological violence against a person. However, there is a significant difference. If during mobbing one person is opposed by a whole group of people, then during bullying - only one person.

Understanding the reason for such behavior on the part of your colleague is not easy. Perhaps you took his position, for which he applied before you. Or the reason lies in something else - in personal hostility. And, it can happen when the boss became a subordinate. In any case, you should be attentive to such situations, since even one person is able to ruin your reputation at work.

In general, the psychological climate in the team is very important. Even material values ​​recede into the background if you are very friendly with your colleagues. Therefore, bullying and mobbing can significantly complicate your professional activities.

The psychology of mobbing is not fully understood. It is still not clear why victims of emotional abuse at work are chosen. Below we will try to figure out what can be a prerequisite for such behavior of colleagues.

Stages of development of mobbing

Mobbing in the workplace has certain phases of development. If you are new to the team, then our information may be useful to you. So, the phases of development of mobbing in the labor collective:

The emergence of prerequisites for mobbing

The cause of bullying may be a previously unresolved conflict with colleagues, which led to a deterioration in the psychological climate in the team. The conflict can be both on the ground labor activity as well as personal animosity. Mobbing a beginner, according to statistics, is the most common phenomenon.

Search for "victim"

This is one of the very first stages. They find the culprit of the situation and begin to show aggression towards him. Of course, under such conditions, a person can experience an emotional breakdown, which plays into the hands of his colleagues. As a result, the situation is aggravated.

active stage

Increasingly, the "victim of mobbing" becomes the center of ridicule and cruel jokes, they are more and more regular. In whatever situation a person finds himself, the team still does not accept him and constantly criticizes him. The “victim” of psychological mobbing begins to feel depressed, and his health may even worsen.

isolation stage

At this stage, the “victim” is no longer perceived as a member of the team. A person is not invited to corporate events, birthdays, they communicate with him less and less. This leads to the emptiness of a person, his unwillingness to work. As a result, both emotional and physical health worsens, the “victim” begins to get sick more and more often and miss work.

Dismissal from work

At this stage, the employee himself does not want to stay at the workplace and quits. Under pressure from colleagues, it is difficult to force yourself to work.

Causes and consequences of mobbing

Mobbing in an organization, school or any other group is by no means uncommon. Quite often, the victim of psychological abuse needs the help of a psychologist to understand what is the reason for such pressure. Only by understanding what lies behind such behavior can you avoid repeating situations in the future.

What are the reasons for mobbing?

Consider some of the points that can provoke mobbing in a team.

Newbie

When the team comes new person- he can not avoid evaluation by colleagues. If he does not fit into the rules and norms of an already established team, then they begin to survive. Being a "black sheep" is fraught with complete rejection from others, because new employee does not stay long. Psychologists assure that in a team where everyone started their work from scratch, mobbing is excluded.

Difficult psychological climate in the team

At work, where there is an evil boss, low salary or non-payment at all, constant gossip and so on - in such a team one cannot talk about good organized work. Surely, people come here without a desire to work, because everyone's mood is rather tense. There are situations where employees constantly experience bullying by the boss, which makes the work simply unbearable. To relieve tension in the team, they find the weakest person and begin to suppress him. The victim eventually quits.

Lack of workload

Due to low employment at work (it happens sometimes), employees from boredom and idleness begin to spread gossip and rumors about colleagues. This often happens in women's groups. Where every person is busy with his work, and is focused on it to the maximum, mobbing is extremely rare.

Envy from colleagues

Mobbing at work is familiar to those who grow up career ladder. Some people are so arranged that someone else's success makes them jealous. And instead of being happy for their colleague, employees begin to interfere with him in every possible way. They also envy those who are smarter, prettier, earn more. Unfortunately, there is no escape from envy. Try in this situation not to boast of your successes and be as equal as possible with your colleagues.

Victim by definition

There are people who do not take root in any team. This is due to the fact that they do not know how to protect themselves and their interests, i.e. simply "take a hit." Such individuals are more likely than others to face professional mobbing.

What are the consequences of mobbing?

As a result of mobbing, a person becomes disoriented, he manifests the following psychological moments:

1. Lack of confidence in yourself and your professional abilities;
2. Phobias may develop;
3. Falling self-esteem;
4. Depression, stress, low mood appear;
5. Aggressiveness towards relatives may develop;
6. Decreased performance.

How to counter mobbing at work?

In any situation, before leaving, you need to try to find a way out. Mobbing in the workplace can be overcome by using the advice of psychologists.

Analysis of the situation

If you have become a victim of mobbing, then first of all try to understand why it happened. It's never too late to quit your job and find a new job, but what's the guarantee that it won't happen again?

Self confidence

If you saw that, according to all the signs of mobbing, you are the victim of psychological violence, then it's time to prove to everyone that you deserve to work here. Become not just a super employee, but prove to everyone that you are irreplaceable. More self-confidence and less attention to your "kind" colleagues.

Situation control

Never relax. The closest attention is being paid to you now, therefore there should be no mistakes on your part. This is out of the question. Be attentive to any words and actions of your colleagues - do not trust their unexpected good disposition towards you. Not so simple.

Ability to take care of yourself

It's one thing to ignore the grins and ignore the taunts. It is quite another to allow "to wipe your feet on you." Confidently and calmly discuss what you do not like. Quiet silence in this situation will not play into your hands.

Dialogue with colleagues

Often a frank conversation with your colleagues is the best help when mobbing. Directly ask what they do not like about you and try to get out of this situation together. It is up to you to build relationships with them.

Talk less - listen more

They never become a victim of mobbing out of the blue. Both sides are to blame. You - gave a reason, colleagues - took advantage of it. Be smarter and wiser - learn to listen more than talk.

The manifestation of rigidity

If you are a beginner, then colleagues are likely to test your strength. Apparently, this is how it is customary to “meet” all new employees. Do not allow yourself to be mocked, stop even attempts to do so. Sometimes a tough rebuff is more effective than silence. Put your colleagues right in their place.

job change

If nothing helps, and you are still a "white crow" in the team, then think - do you really need this job? Why would you waste your time on something that no one appreciates? It's time to find yourself another suitable place where you will be more respected. Do not be afraid to change jobs - psychological health is much more important than material values. Any psychologist will tell you that.

Mobbing at school

It is not uncommon for mobbing to occur among teenagers. At this age, children are quite cruel, because the victim becomes unsweetened. What is child mobbing, how to fight it and stop bullying at school - we will find out below.

Reasons for school mobbing

Mobbing in the educational environment has its own preconditions.

Bad family atmosphere

Disharmonious relations in the family, constant reproaches from parents, rejection of the child lead to the fact that such a teenager becomes anxious, prone to apathy and depression. With such self-doubt, it is easy to become a victim of ridicule and hostility.

Excessive computer time

The craze for computer games leads to the fact that it is more difficult for children to perceive reality. Psychologists have proved that the psychological state of such children can be assessed as depressive and often aggressive. Adolescents spill out all their negativity on classmates, plus there are difficulties with adaptation, which leads to “hermitage”. The best alternative computer game- book: both more useful and more informative.

Internet

Experts have long noticed that frequent spending time on the Internet does not carry anything good. For the subtle mental and not always fully formed organization of the child, this is fraught with mental disorders. Mobile phone also included here. In addition, it is often used as a means to bully classmates.

Psychological personality traits

The victims of school mobbing are most often children with low self-esteem, poor academic performance, and increased anxiety. Often, a national attribute is also included in the reason for mobbing.

Mobbing also happens on the way to school when a teenager is regularly beaten or taunted. Often a teenager asks his parents to take him to school, or does not want to go there. In any case, you should talk to your child if you see a similar situation.

Types of mobbing at school

There are the following methods of mobbing in the school environment:

1. Taunts, ridicule, cruel jokes and jokes - the victim of mobbing is exposed to negative speech effects and becomes a common laughing stock among his classmates;
2. Boycott - a teenager is not openly noticed, they shun him, do not want to communicate with him, do not help him, in every possible way isolate him from joint activities;
3. Physical abuse - common among boys, physically weak guys are more likely to be subjected to it;
4. Threats - they threaten physically or morally, use ultimatums, force them to obey against their will.

School bullying, at first glance, does not seem serious. However, psychologists claim that mobbing at school can also affect the feeling of being in school. adulthood. Such children grow up with a bunch of complexes, fears, experiences. In addition, mobbing often causes children's suicide. How to help your child avoid the fate of becoming a victim of mobbing?

Ways to combat mobbing at school

First of all, it should be said that only through the joint efforts of parents and teachers can you help your child avoid aggression from their peers.

Teacher control of children

This applies to lessons, and change, and after-school time. The teacher must notice everything that happens in the classroom and anticipate possible conflicts.

Extracurricular activities with the class

Only the competent work of the teacher at school will help to avoid mobbing. It is important to connect a psychologist when difficulties arise, communicate with the guys more often, become an authority for them. It is imperative to carry out Classroom hour, which will discuss all current issues related not only to study, but also to relationships in the team.

Attention to the child from the parents

It is very important to form a healthy self-esteem in a child from childhood. To do this, it should not be constantly monitored, but it is also not necessary to over-indulge. The task of parents is to raise a self-confident person. This is possible only with a trusting relationship between an adult and a teenager.

Ability to solve the problem yourself

If you see that your child has become a victim of mobbing, then give him the opportunity to resolve the conflict himself. Don't make things worse with your help unless your teen asks you to.

In situations where a child turns to you for advice, be sure to help him. Firstly, discuss the situation with a teacher and a psychologist, and secondly, talk with your child more often. Only a parent can give his child the necessary confidence, be his friend.

The above measures can be a good prevention of school mobbing. In any case, if the situation gets out of control and it becomes impossible to overcome mobbing, it is never too late to change schools. The psychological health of the child is much more important than the proximity of the school to home or its prestige.

In conclusion, we want to say that mobbing can and should be fought, after analyzing the reasons for this phenomenon. In any situation, there is a way out, which one you will have - it's up to you.

Greetings, dear readers! We will touch on such a painful topic for many children and parents as bullying: not everyone knows what it is. If you hear the word "bullying" for the first time, this does not mean that you or your child have not experienced this phenomenon in reality. Let's figure out what is meant by an unusual foreign name.

Surprisingly, there are no analogues to the word "bullying" in Russian. So collectively called conscious terror directed against a child by one or more children from his environment. Samo English word means "hooligan, fighter, bully", etc. In other words, these are moral or physical bullying that any student can be subjected to.

For the first time, bullying as a social phenomenon was noticed in England in 1905, although it cannot be said that the bullying of a single individual in children's and adolescent groups did not exist before that time. Since then, talk about him has not ceased among teachers and psychologists. According to statistics, from 4 to 50% of children experience bullying. It can be isolated cases or regular tactics.

Recently, bullying has taken place not only in primary school but even in kindergartens. Children are inherently cruel and do not yet know how to restrain emotions and find compromises. If they disliked someone, attacks and even beatings await the victim.

Teenage bullying can be even more severe because during this period, children are subject to less parental control. At the same time, relations between the sexes are developing, and for some children this process is painful.

There are several types of bullying within the same team:

• Physical. It can range from beatings to serious self-mutilation.
• Behavioral. They deliberately do not come into contact with the child, do not talk, spread gossip, steal or damage personal belongings, and slander.
• Verbal. It is expressed in jokes, nicknames, name-calling, insults.
• Cyberbullying. This is a social attack. networks, posting unsightly videos, photos, texts on the Internet.

Bullying can be caused by anything: appearance victims, behavioral patterns, manner of speaking, etc. Mentally or physically weak children who do not know how to defend themselves can also become the subject of bullying.

The aggressors, as is commonly believed, are children from dysfunctional families. But today the situation has changed. The situation of bullying can also be created by kids from wealthy families, where parents feel their own permissiveness and at the same time do little work on children and do not pay attention to them.

The question of how to deal with bullying is quite complicated, because the diagnosis of the phenomenon is difficult. It is one thing if the situation ended in beatings (as evidence, they can be presented in the children's room of the police), and quite another thing if the bullying occurs on the Internet or in conversations.

In the latter case, a face-to-face trial is required in the presence of the parents of the offender and the victim, teachers, and psychologists. If the fact of bullying is recognized by the majority, including specialists, urgent prevention is needed in the group.

The work should be carried out by teachers, psychologists, sometimes the intervention of other specialists, in particular doctors, is required. Bullying is not a problem of one person, but of a group. If your child is a victim, do not blame them in any way. The group is to blame, not the individual.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that parents and teachers themselves indulge the aggressors. If parents in the family suffer from narcissism, consider themselves successful and the best in everything, or are engaged in assault, their behavior will be copied by the child.

On the contrary, overly intelligent parents who do not know how to stand up for themselves, do not seek to resolve conflicts, but prefer to bypass them, potentially educate the victim.

Teachers also add fuel to the fire, highlighting the best students in the class or showing with facial expressions and behavior that some child does not suit them. Thus, a potentially children's group is divided into aggressors and victims.

Canistherapy as a prevention of bullying

IN Lately canistherapy technology is gaining popularity as a means of preventing bullying. This is psychotherapy, where the treatment is carried out by dogs under the guidance of trainers. To earn the respect of an animal, a person must respect himself and others, but at the same time not feel like a victim.

By communicating with dogs, children learn equality and recognition of the rights of other people. The technique has already received tacit recognition, although it has not yet been officially approved as a method of psychotherapy in Russia.

About myself and bullying

From myself I want to say that I experienced this phenomenon myself at school. From a classmate, I heard bullying in my direction, and the last straw was that she wiped her feet on my clothes. In the literal sense of the word. Of course, I had a panic and did not know what to do.

I came home and cried. And then my mother sent me to the karate section. You know, there were people there, coaches who showed that I am strong, I can do a lot, they respect me and this added 1000% confidence to me.

As I remember now, her last bullying was in the gym at a physical education lesson. I cracked it, grabbed it and said something very formidable. I don't remember the words. I remember that the boys separated us, and after that everything stopped. And the relationship in the class has become much better.

I was different, confident. I was no longer afraid of anything.

Many years have passed, remembering all this, I can say that such situations are very tempering. There is much more of this in life, and I passed this first life lesson already at school with excellent marks.

Mobbing and bullying

Mobbing is a concept very similar to bullying. They are often confused, because their essence is really hard to distinguish. Drawing a line between concepts, psychologists say that mobbing is collective bullying, and bullying is carried out one on one.

What is the difference, only a specialist can say, since today the concepts are often confused in use and bullying is used instead of mobbing as it is more popular and widespread.

Speaking of mobbing, they often mean the persecution of colleagues at work. But the phenomenon also occurs in the student group. There is another notation. Mobbing is a confrontation directed against a group that enjoys an advantage, is weaker or has distinctive features. There is also racial mobbing if children of different nationalities study at school.

The causes and technologies for preventing the phenomenon are closely interrelated. The school team should regularly conduct conversations with parents and children, in which professional psychologists participate.

Teachers themselves should exclude all sorts of individual students in the class and promote a lively, direct atmosphere of communication.

Parents should take care of the warm atmosphere of upbringing in the family, exclude mockery and corporal punishment. Only a healthy, friendly attitude in the team can eliminate mobbing and bullying as social phenomena.

Dear readers, we have examined the consequences of bullying a person in a team. You should not endure this, you should always look for a way out and never feel like a victim. If you have comments, leave them on the site or share the article with your friends on social networks. networks.

To say that you cannot terrorize people at work means to say nothing, but simply to repeat the banal truth about what is good and what is bad.

One of the main factors triggering the mechanism of mobbing is the inner tension of the entire team, which is carefully hidden for the time being. It arises according to different reasons: from shortcomings organizational structure enterprises, from unclear goals and strategies, from an indistinctly defined circle of official duties, from psychological stress. Against the background of these problems, any mistake of an employee can provoke aggression against him. And although this may be an isolated case, however, against the backdrop of accumulated unresolved issues and general tension, the situation can turn into a real persecution (psychological terror): mobbing is not a single fact, it is a systemic phenomenon.

Psychological terror manifests itself both on the part of the team (mobbing) and on the part of one person (bullying). Bullying (from the verb bully - intimidation) is a regular (physical and / or psychological terror against a person. "Bulling" - this term is used mainly in the UK. For the first time, English journalist Andrew Adams used it to refer to this phenomenon in 1990. Then and the phrase "workplace bullying" appeared. European countries usually use the word "mobbing". Over time, experts appeared who began to talk about the difference between these concepts.

For example, that mobbing is a kind of intimidation of one group of another or a group in relation to one person. discrediting a colleague at work: from the usual intrigue and "substitution" to direct psychological terror. The term "mobbing" first appeared in 1984 and since then has been the object of study of a special section of psychology. Mobbing is associated with highly sophisticated activities such as social isolation, spreading rumors, intentional injustice, hiding information, etc.

Mobbing and bullying are forms of emotional abuse and are group rallying factors with the aim of "baiting" one of the workers in order to force him / her to leave the place of work or to "put" the victim in his place. Mobbing can be "horizontal" - pressure from colleagues and "vertical" - pressure "from above". In the case of vertical mobbing, the victim often encounters a psychologically flawed personality and an under-realized self-esteem of the group leader or formal leader.

Continuation

Mobbing and bullying

Of course, each of us dreams of working in a team with a friendly atmosphere, where employees understand and appreciate each other well. Psychological stress and conflicts periodically arise everywhere, and we usually deal with this as well in working order. However, there are such groups in which the atmosphere constantly reigns " cold war". Moreover, it thickens around a specific person, and what if you suddenly become this person? Let's look at two main examples.

MOBBING. Alien among their own

The psychological pressure of the majority on one is a notorious phenomenon that exists in various sectors of society. There is a short wording for it mobbing (from the English mob - crowd). Mobbing can develop according to different scenarios and using different moves, here are the most typical options:

• You feel socially isolated. People around pretend not to see you point-blank, defiantly communicate through you, as if you are an office partition, ignore your appeals and requests, etc.
• You are given to understand that you are compromised and have no authority. This may be the result of stuffing information that discredits you, gossip behind your back, in general terms - intrigues against you.
• They do all sorts of dirty tricks and “setups” to you, they inform you that it is not only psychologically difficult and interferes with work, but also, in turn, compromises you as an employee in the eyes of your superiors.
• You are under direct pressure. This is actually bullying, you experience constant and feel like a victim, driven into a corner.

What to understand

First of all, the situation must be analyzed. It is always worth remembering that the need for hostility is inherent in people. Especially in conditions when the division into "bar", "guardsmen" and "serfs", and more broadly - into friends and foes, is cultivated in every possible way in society. Contemporary Russian society, despite all the talk about liberal values, in fact is a prime example such division and bitterness of some against others. Moreover, when aggression cannot be directed to the “bar”, there is always a victim within the team.

Therefore, if you become a victim of mobbing, this may have both objective and subjective prerequisites.
Objective prerequisites include: the type and nature of the business, high staff turnover, low level employment and professionalism of employees, vicious traditions (“propiska”, hazing, etc.)
Subjective premises mean that there is a prejudice against you personally. For some reason, the team decided that you do not fit in and do not fit. Perhaps this is due to your image and behavior, perhaps there is an incomplete correspondence between you and your position, or maybe, on the contrary, they want to “knock you out of the fight” as a strong competitor.

What to do

Own line of conduct should be developed depending on the specific situation. And of course, the first question you need to ask yourself is: is this really the job that you desperately need and that you correspond to? If so, then you need to do everything possible to correct the situation and change the attitude of the team towards yourself. Sometimes it’s enough just to have self-control and take a wait-and-see attitude. If you are a new person in the team, and hazing flourishes there, then with your correct behavior, everything will change over time. If this is not the case, you still have to earn respect.
The following is up to you:

• Do your job flawlessly.
• Do not succumb to provocations and strengthen self-control.
• Contrast bad intentions and bad behavior with good intentions and good behavior.
• Protect the feeling dignity under the motto "I protect myself, but I do not attack others."

BULLING. The object of aggression of a particular person

In the workforce, one can encounter another unpleasant and depressing phenomenon - bullying (from the English bully - a bully, a bully, a rude person). It means that it treats you, oppresses you - in general, takes out its aggression on you special person. How it might manifest:

• Constant, often unfair and unconstructive criticism, while in response to requests to explain what exactly the essence of the claims is and how to correct this or that, nothing specific is said.
• Nagging and criticism, rudeness, the manner of sharply (sometimes obscenely) answering any questions and raising his voice.
• Discrimination based on gender, which is expressed in derogatory remarks, "pushing" initiatives and infringement of rights.
• Actions for which in America they are suing with the wording "sexual harassment."
• Individual pressure in the form of intimidation, threats, up to physical actions.

What to understand

The situation must be analyzed from two sides: what is the problem of the person who bullies you, and what is your problem, since he chose you as his “victim”. Perhaps this is not your fault, you just embody something that triggers the mechanisms of aggression in the buller. For example, if you are a charming woman, he just wants to check how defenseless you are. Its goal is to make you doubt yourself and your professionalism, subdue your will and generally demoralize. From this process, he enjoys and asserts himself to the extent that you allow it.

Naturally, the situation is aggravated if this is your leader. You often cannot instantly satisfy your desire to put a presumptuous boss in his place, so as not to make yourself more big problems. And he takes advantage of this, because it is known that impunity and lack of rebuff contribute to the flourishing of tyranny. It is also unlikely that it will be possible to draw colleagues into the confrontation: here it is every man for himself, and you should not hope that someone will risk their well-being for the sake of your interests.

What to do

The choice of a general line of behavior again depends on what is more important for you: to keep a job or self-esteem. If you choose the path of open confrontation, you can:

• Fight back with the same methods that the buller operates.
• Keep audio and video recordings of aggression towards you in order to provide this evidence to the appropriate authorities when necessary.
• Bring to the attention of the buller that he will also be discredited in the eyes of other people, and he will not find it small.

However, this path should be chosen only if you are an experienced fighter, and also have powerful trump cards in your hands. Otherwise, all your strength will surely be spent on this deconstructive and very dangerous process. If you are inclined to find a more peaceful way to solve the problem, then first you should change your attitude towards this problem. Then try to find the strength in yourself to either ignore the negativity emanating from the bully, or calmly deal with it and transform it. After all, it is possible that he will reconsider his attitude towards you as soon as he realizes that you are not a victim, but a person worthy of respect and cooperation.

• Learn not to succumb to provocations and not to enter into open conflicts, because this is exactly what the buller needs from you.
• Apply the techniques of "psychological aikido" and show the buller how aggression against you turns against him.
• Use the charm and power of your own personality in order to turn the aggressor into your ally. Sometimes the most interesting alliances start with conflicts...

Of course, within the framework of one article it is impossible to analyze all special cases and give clear advice that will work specifically in your case. But the main thing is that you learn how to use the information that humanity has already accumulated on this topic. There are many online resources where you can find a variety of examples and get psychological help. Bullying can be defended against, it can be overcome in order to become stronger and better as a person. You may need an article

Coming in new team, everyone runs the risk of not fitting into his current life according to certain rules, thereby causing a negative attitude towards himself from colleagues and superiors. It’s good if you can immediately understand your mistakes and correct them, but if the confrontation that has begun for various reasons goes too far, the new employee may become a victim of general dislike, contempt, ridicule, as well as small and large dirty tricks. This phenomenon in psychology is called “mobbing”. What it is and how you can resist it, we will discuss in detail later in the article.

Differences between mobbing and labor conflicts

First of all, you need to understand exactly how mobbing differs from the usual squabbles that are not uncommon in any team. For example, when the boss reprimands for slovenliness because you forgot to send documents somewhere, and then you also get flies from his secretary, who reminded you of this assignment several times, this is not harassment, but a reaction to your carelessness.

But if you come to work, for example, you regularly hear a phrase from colleagues: “Oh, he showed up, but we thought he got hit by a car and, finally, saved us from his society!” or you find that important files have been deleted from your computer, documents are mixed up, and fragments of your favorite cup, etc. lie on the table, then most likely you are a victim of mobbing.

In some collectives, a similar disgusting phenomenon can also occur in relations between individuals. For example, the boss treats one of his subordinates, showing seemingly unreasonable hostility. This psychological phenomenon is called bullying.

What can provoke mobbing

So, bullying and mobbing - what is it? What provokes them? As it turns out, most often the causes of these phenomena are quite understandable, and elementary envy can become one of them.

Imagine for a moment - in a team where the youngest employee has long passed over forty, a young worker full of strength and energy comes. It is quite understandable that he will not be immediately accepted with open arms. And his youth, and health, and the ability to easily make a career will cause envy among his “mossy” colleagues who have sat up in their places.

And if a company of people is selected among employees who have long dreamed of, but have not managed to climb the career ladder, then they can go the easier way to satisfy personal ambitions: make an attempt to completely subjugate one of their colleagues to themselves. The weakest person is usually chosen as the object, and the process of harassing him makes the scoundrels feel like significant persons.

Mobbing is a sign of idleness

In teams with improperly organized and distributed duties of employees, mobbing also very often occurs. At work, where people just toil from doing nothing and are looking for any opportunity to kill time, the named phenomenon turns out to be something that can occupy them, stir them up and make existence meaningful.

In such conditions, any workaholic can be an outcast. “What do you need the most? Why are you currying favor with your boss? - these are the arguments of general discontent. By the way, teams are especially prone to this phenomenon, in which it is impossible to advance in a career if you are not the boss's favorite.

Reasons for mobbing

The reason for mobbing can also be fierce competition. As a rule, in this case, they don’t even feel much hostility towards the victim, it just turns out to be at some point an obstacle on the way to the desired position or salary.

It is also important to know that mobbing at work is most often directed at people with a certain temperament. As the researchers noted, its victims, as a rule, are whiners, weak and notorious personalities, as well as those who stand out too much against the general background (the so-called white crows), gloomy and unsociable or strange loners. All of them are capable of causing irritation and a desire to crush and humiliate colleagues and superiors.

Once again about who can become a victim of mobbing

It is necessary to tell in more detail about people who have found themselves under psychological pressure, since, by and large, anyone can be in the place of a victim of mobbing. And, by the way, unlike bullying or harassment of a classmate at school, when the goal is usually to subdue the victim and make her weak-willed, mobbing is used to get rid of someone they want to force to quit.

Mobbing in a team can manifest itself in the address of both newcomers, who are somehow dangerous for old-timers, and competent experienced workers, forcing their colleagues to suffer.

The favorites of the bosses will be poisoned out of envy, and they will try to “squeeze out” the bosses of a low rank in order to put more “comfortable” and accommodating ones in their place. Quite often, arrogant, overly self-confident and arrogant employees are subjected to mobbing (the victim is by no means always an angel) because of a general dislike for their personality or people who rejected the proposed friendship, and sometimes the reason is sexual harassment by superiors (as a rule, this applies already to bullying).

How mobbing develops

Regardless of where mobbing develops (at school or in the office), it goes through several phases. And the basis for the emergence of this psychological phenomenon is, as a rule, an unhealthy climate in the team, which is fueled by high emotional tension. This cannot last for a long time, so the members of the team unconsciously look for the “guilty”, which always turns out to be someone who causes general irritation (we have already talked about the personality of the victim above).

At the address of the chosen "scapegoat" ridicule and mockery begin to pour in. Over time, this becomes not enough, and employees or classmates who are carried away by the process of bullying are already trying with might and main to humiliate the victim, forming a vacuum around her in the form of a lack of communication and support, which, of course, cannot but affect the performance of work duties.

The latter, in turn, causes dissatisfaction with the authorities, especially if they are not very interested in the lives of their subordinates. As a result, the victim of mobbing has to leave the team.

Varieties of mobbing

In psychology, there are two types of called pressure: the so-called white and black. Although it is clear that the essence of mobbing does not depend on what "color" it is - under any conditions it remains a sign of unhealthy, and often simply sadistic inclinations of certain people.

"White" (latent) mobbing appears on the sly. Pressure, as a rule, is hidden, and employees diligently disown any unseemly acts. They emphasize that a person who feels like a victim is simply too touchy and suspicious.

By the way, such behavior is very insidious, as it forces the person under pressure to constantly doubt their professional and personal qualities and unsuccessfully trying to build relationships with colleagues.

"Black" mobbing is an open conflict. At the same time, the mobber makes the victim understand that she didn’t please something, and directly informs that this employee has no place in the team. Others support him in this.

Mobbing tools

Mobbing and bullying (the essence and methods of confrontation we consider in this article) are manifested in a certain set of bullying tools.

Most often, as a result of which the employee becomes simply invisible to his colleagues: no one talks to him, does not share news, he is not invited to corporate parties and his presence is ignored in every possible way.

Often, unjustified nit-picking is applied to the victim. This behavior is especially characteristic of the boss in relation to the victim-subordinate.

New weapons such as disinformation are often used against newcomers. For example, if an experienced employee who was instructed to take patronage over a new one feels a clear rival in the latter, then he can deliberately distort some information and, as a result, cause dissatisfaction with the professional level of the newly hired boss, up to his dismissal.

The victim of mobbing can be damaged both personal things and those for which she bears liability, and in some cases even use methods that threaten health (a laxative in tea or a bandwagon - but you never know what the villain has enough imagination for!).

What should be done to avoid mobbing

In order to avoid a possible conflict at a new place of work, you should immediately follow a set of certain rules:

• You don't have to brag. The successes and obvious advantages of one of the employees can greatly irritate the team. Envy, as you know, can push people to the most unpleasant actions, so do not wake her up: do not brag about a rich admirer, a luxurious vacation, a car received as a gift, etc.
• Try to quickly adopt the laws by which this team lives. In any community that exists long enough, the emergence of a kind of corporate charter is inevitable, to which all its members are subject. A person who ignores it (joint parties, a ban on makeup in the workplace, treats in honor of his birthday or other family celebrations, etc.) risks causing a negative attitude of colleagues and even the boss.

Dignified behavior is a way to avoid mobbing

The above rules can be supplemented with a few more points that will prevent mobbing:

• In an organization, it is very important for a newcomer to immediately identify it in order to enlist his support.
• You need to be restrained in your statements: do not humiliate colleagues and do not gossip about them.
• Do not react or be offended by caustic remarks.
• Be friendly and affable with everyone, but do not fawn and do not humiliate yourself.
• Do not allow yourself to be humiliated, because in any team they do not like the unrequited and weak.
• Try to speak frankly with your abuser, but it is important to be calm and not turn to insults. The question asked head-on: “I didn’t like you for some reason?” will make it clear to the mobber that you have understood the situation and are not going to remain silent.

Consequences of mobbing

All of the above tips should help to avoid or at least minimize the conflict situation. And this is very important, since mobbing and bullying have very serious consequences for those who have been persecuted. Like other types of violence, the mentioned ones cannot go unnoticed: in Europe, for example, it is estimated that 10% of people subjected to pressure at work have committed suicide.

Due to constant stress, many victims develop insomnia, neurotic states appear and immunity weakens, which, of course, cannot but affect the ability to perform their work duties.

How to behave as a victim of mobbing

You probably understood from the materials of the article where we discussed mobbing what it is - a manifestation of collective psychology, which can lead to very serious consequences. Therefore, if a simple way to avoid bullying - firing - is unacceptable, and the victim really appreciates his place of work, she needs to make every effort to make the named role short-lived:

• The current situation should first of all be considered as an opportunity to train to identify one's weaknesses and strengthen character traits that help to withstand stress.
• The victim should try to ignore the attacks, if they are harmless enough, and this may work. Mobber, finding that he is unable to hurt the victim, will leave his attempts.
• You can always assemble a team of like-minded people that can adequately resist the tyrant.
• Find a patron who can protect you from attacks.
• Contact a psychologist.

And most importantly - you need to learn to laugh at yourself and at the mobber, which at any moment can take the place of the victim (and no one knows how he will cope with this situation!).

A few last words

Emotional abuse at work is a phenomenon that has a severe impact not only on the victim, but on the entire team. After all, they can no longer fully devote themselves to their duties in it - the interests and attention of people are now directed to something else.

Therefore, managers should pay particular attention to creating a normal working atmosphere among subordinates, making sure that conflicts that arise are resolved quickly and fairly. Only such an approach will not allow employees to learn from their bitter experience how cruel mobbing is, what it is.