What to Do When You Witness Workplace Bullying

What would you do if you saw a colleague being bullied at work? Would you try to help? It turns out that most people don’t — The Workplace Bullying Institute reported that just 2% of coworkers intervene in a bullying situation. But bystanders can play an important role in creating a safer and more respectful workplace.

If you’re not sure what workplace bullying looks like, see the first post in this series, “Overview Of Workplace Bullying,” on how to recognize it. If you think you’re the target of an office bully, see the second post, “Being Bullied at Work.”

According to the University of Manchester, there are four typical bystander responses to workplace bullying:

• Active Destructive. Joining in the bullying, making the situation worse; for example, teasing the bully’s target.
• Active Constructive. Addressing the situation and attempting to correct it; for example, filing a report. (This is the best option.)
• Passive Destructive. Avoiding the situation; for example, leaving the room or looking the other way.
• Passive Constructive. Attempting to help the target without directly getting involved; for example, expressing sympathy to the target, but not sending a report.

Ideally, your workplace has and enforces a zero-tolerance bullying policy. If there is one, you can follow it. But many such policies exist only on paper, and complaints will be ignored or ineffective.

Even when they know they’ve witnessed unacceptable bullying, coworkers may not want to get involved. Some reasons include:

• Being afraid of losing their own job
• Not wanting to become the bully’s target — or to become more of one. Bullies don’t always choose one victim, and may retaliate against those who intervene.
• Feeling that they cannot do anything to help. If the bully is a supervisor, it could be dangerous to cross them. Or, they may have seen that previous attempts to counter bullying have been unseccessful.
• Feeling that their actions could exacerbate the situation
• Feeling guilty. People often feel they are to blame for not intervening sooner.
• Just not wanting to. Not everyone is comfortable risking approbation or breaking ranks.

Nonetheless, it’s in your best interest to intervene. Most of the time, the bully stays, and left unaddressed, their abusive behavior will continue. There’s a good possibility that you or your colleagues will be their targets in the future. In addition, bullying can damage workplace dynamics and torpedo morale and productivity. Stopping the abuse will create a better workplace for all.

How can you help a colleague who is bullied? You can:

• Intervene, disrupting the bullying. For example, getting between the bully and their target or telling the bully to stop. Your action might end the bullying and avoid its getting worse (at least at that moment).
• Talk with the bully in private.
• Support your colleague. You could be a witness or go to Human Resources (HR) with them (if your office has HR).
• Listen. Providing a sympathetic ear can help validate what the target is experiencing.
• Stay near the target when possible. The simply presence of a third party can sometimes discourage a bully.
• Report the situation. Write down exactly what you saw and heard as soon as possibe and submit it to HR or higher management.
• Teach your colleagues about bullying and how to respond. This behavior could cause others to be more knowledgeable and prepared to intervene in constructive ways.
• Implement the current anti-bullying policy, or create one.

When you see bullying, help the target. Think about what kinds of assistance you would want if you were bullied. Follow the Golden Rule, and do what you would have others do for you.

Miriam Edelman, MPA, MSSW, is a Washington, D.C.,-based policy professional. Her experience includes policy work for Congress. Miriam’s undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, with majors in political science and urban studies. She has a master’s in public administration from Cornell University, where she was inducted into the national honorary society for public administration. She has a master’s of science in social work (focusing on policy) from Columbia University. She is a commissioner of the DC Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Miriam aims to continue her career in public service. She is especially interested in democracy, civic education, District of Columbia autonomy, diversity, health policy, women’s issues, and disabilities.

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