Combating Workplace Bullying: HRM Strategies

This assignment delves into the issue of workplace bullying, examining its detrimental effects on employee performance and organizational health. It emphasizes the crucial role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in addressing this problem. The document outlines four key HRM functions – recruitment, compensation, training, and performance management – and how they can be leveraged to combat workplace bullying. Strategies such as implementing zero-tolerance policies, providing mandatory training on bullying prevention, raising awareness through internal communications, and establishing an independent ethics committee are discussed in detail.

Running head: WORKPLACE BULLYING
Workplace Bullying
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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Executive Summary
The main purpose of this report is to elucidate on workplace bullying and how it impacts the organization. It
discusses about the nature of workplace bullying and the legal situation in relation to workplace bullying. It
elucidates on the actions that an organization can take in order to cub workplace bullying. An executive
position within the workplace organization who will report to the highest leadership can play an effective role
in dealing with cyber bullying in the organization.
Key words: workplace bullying, predatory bullying, corporate ethics

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Table of Contents
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................4
Impact of workplace bullying on employees and organization...............................................................................4
Nature of workplace bullying..................................................................................................................................4
Current legal situation and difference from workplace harassment........................................................................5
Four basic goals of HRM and action taken to curb work place bullying................................................................6
Conclusion:..............................................................................................................................................................6
References:..............................................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Human Resource Management helps in maximising the performance of the employees so that an
organization can realize the strategic objectives. It is mainly concerned with managing people in an
organization and focuses on the policies of the company. Workplace bullying refers to a pattern of mistreatment
within the workplace that inflicts either physical or that of emotional harm. This report focuses on the impact
that bullying can have on an organization and the actions that an organization can take in order to prevent
workplace bullying.
Impact of workplace bullying on employees and organization
The National Survey carried out in the year 2014 by the Workplace Bullying Institute defines bullying
as the repeated mistreatment that is threatening and intimidating for a person. Workplace bullying is prevalent
within the American organizations and the individuals who are bullied have to pay dearly because they lose
their means of economic livelihood (Workplacebullying.org, 2018). The bullied workers cannot deliver
effective performance and they face trouble making decisions, loses self-esteem and cannot concentrate
properly. They lose motivation and lose a lot of time as they think about the situation. It impacts an
organization in an adverse manner as the productivity of the company is reduced (Harrington, Warren &
Rayner, 2015).
Nature of workplace bullying
There are two kinds of bullying- dispute related and that of predatory bullying. The dispute related
bullying rises on account of an escalated interpersonal conflict and predatory bullying refers to instances in
which the predator has not done anything that is provocative. Predatory bullying happens when an individual
abuses his power or the victim becomes a target due to scapegoating process in the group
(Workplacebullying.org, 2018). The target can be attacked because he belongs to an out-group. Predatory
bullying is the resultant of aggressive leadership style and it occurs when someone acts out of prejudice.
According to the Society Of Human Resources, the following kinds of behaviour is indicative of
bullying- verbal bullying, physical bullying, gesture bullying and exclusion. Verbal bullying occurs when an a

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person is ridiculed, humiliated and offensive remark are used against an individual. Physical bullying occurs
when a person is kicked and shoved that damages the work area and the property of a person (Shrm.org, 2018).
Gesture bullying occurs when nonverbal threatening gestures are used. Exclusion is another form of bullying
that occurs when a person is physically excluded. When a person is singled out on a consistent basis, then it can
also be tantamount to that of bullying. Interruption of an individual at the time of meeting is also another form
of bullying.
Current legal situation and difference from workplace harassment
American employees are working in hazardous conditions and people are working within toxic working
environment. The American unions know about bullying and they are being trained so that they can provide
peer support to the bullied workers. Employers in United States react to the laws by taking recourse to internal
policies. The Healthy Workplace Bill is aimed at preventing the employers from bullying by taking recourse to
different policies and procedures (Healthyworkplacebill.org, 2018). The Bill that has been crafted by the law
professor called David Yamada for that of Healthy Workplace Campaign can give the good employers with
incentives for doing the right thing that can help in avoiding expensive litigation.
Under the General Duty Case Section 5 (a) (1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 the
employers should provide the employees with a place that is free from any kind of hazard that may cause harm
to the employees. The Civil Act of 1964 protects the employees from any kind of discrimination based on sex,
colour or religion.
The victims of bullying have to turn to the human resources department of an organization. There are no
legal laws that mandate bullying to be illegal but the bullying behaviour can prove to be harmful for the
company and can completely ruin the culture of the company (Shrm.org, 2018). The dearth of specific
legislation in relation to workplace bullying has affected the employees of US. They can utilize the legal
theories like unlawful harassment along with discrimination if they want to provide evidence relating to work
place bullying.

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Harassment on the other hand is illegal and violates the Civil Rights Act of the United States. The
employer should be able to take care of the harassing situations and handle the situation in the proper manner
otherwise he may have to face law suit (Healthyworkplacebill.org, 2018).
Four basic goals of HRM and action taken to curb work place bullying
The four basic functions of HRM pertain to recruitment, compensation, training and performance
management. Workplace bullying can have a severe impact on the performance of the employees and the
human resources should manage it properly so that the organization can grow (Walsh, 2018). The human
resources of an organization should create zero tolerance policy towards workplace bullying. They should
provide compulsory workplace bullying training that can help to combat bullying within the organization. The
human resources in an organization should raise awareness within the organization by the help of newsletters
and blogs. An executive position or team should be created within thse organization that will be devoted to
corporate ethics. This position or team should report to the CEO or the highest position of leadership that can
help in ensuring that the operations are carried out objectively (Nica, Hurjui & Ștefan, 2016). The ethics officer
should be an independent body and they should have the ability to make impartial decisions.
Conclusion:
According to me, workplace bullying is an act that should be done away with for the development of an
organization. It has a bad impact on the performance of the employees and this kind of aggressive act should
not at all be encouraged in the company. Undermining a person’s work would affect the progress of the
company and belittling the opinion of an individual should not be tolerated by the human resources department
of an organization. Bullying affects the “health” of an organization. I think that it can result in increased
absenteeism and stress that decreases the morale of an individual. It can decrease the motivation of an
individual in an organization and reduce the corporate image of the company.

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References:
Harrington, S., Warren, S., & Rayner, C. (2015). Human resource management practitioners’ responses to
workplace bullying: cycles of symbolic violence. Organization, 22(3), 368-389.
Healthyworkplacebill.org. (2018). The Movement - History of the Healthy Workplace
Campaign. Healthyworkplacebill.org. Retrieved 9 January 2018, from
http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/about.php
Nica, E., Hurjui, I., & Ștefan, I. G. (2016). The Relevance of the Organizational Environment in Workplace
Bullying Processes. Journal of Self-Governance and Management Economics, 4(2), 83-89.
Shrm.org. (2018). Workplace Bullying Policy. SHRM. Retrieved 9 January 2018, from
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/policies/pages/cms_018350.aspx
Walsh, B. M. (2018). Best Practices in Coaching for Aggressors and Offenders in Workplace Bullying and
Mobbing. Workplace Bullying and Mobbing in the United States [2 volumes], 335.
Workplacebullying.org. (2018). WBI 2014 U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey | Workplace Bullying
Institute. Workplacebullying.org. Retrieved 9 January 2018, from
http://www.workplacebullying.org/wbiresearch/wbi-2014-us-survey/