Analysis of Workplace Bullying in The Help: A Case Study Report

This assignment presents a case study analyzing workplace bullying as portrayed in the movie 'The Help'. The student examines a specific scene where a black maid is subjected to bullying by her white employer due to racial discrimination, highlighting the power dynamics and the emotional impact on the victim. The analysis includes the student's perspective on how they would respond to such a situation, emphasizing the importance of addressing the issue and supporting the victim. The assignment also explores the broader implications of workplace bullying, referencing relevant research on its effects on employee well-being and organizational health. Furthermore, the student outlines strategies for intervening in bullying situations, including reporting the behavior to authorities, supporting victims, and promoting a culture of respect and fairness. The assignment concludes by emphasizing the significance of addressing workplace bullying to maintain a healthy and productive work environment.

Running head: WORKPLACE BULLYING IN THE HELP
WORKPLACE BULLYING IN THE HELP
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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WORKPLACE BULLYING IN THE HELP
In the scene chosen from The Help, the maid named Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) is
fired from the job because she was black and she used the bathroom of her white owner, Hilly
Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) ("The Help (2011) - IMDb", 2019). Hilly had separate
bathroom made for her black maid in the outhouse but Minny could not go there as there was a
thunderstorm. It is a workplace-bullying situation because the owner bullies her maid into not
using the bathroom because she is black. The person that has been bullied is feeling raged and
angered because she is denied her basic need just because of her skin color. Although Minny did
not, actually use the bathroom but she pretend that she used it to outrage Hilly. As expected,
Hilly was furious at Minny and she fired her. The bully here is Hilly who despises black people
and thinks that they should be treated down because they are black people. The bullying serves
the purpose of white supremacy for Hilly. In case I was in a similar situation, I would have quit
the job but prior to that, I would made sure that Hilly understood what she did was wrong.
Workplace bullying is a common occurrence in most of the organizations either big or
small. This practice affects the overall wellbeing of the staff and the organization as well
(Woodrow & Guest, 2014). In a situation where I found myself witnessing a colleague facing
bullying, I would go and stop the bully. In case the bully is my senior, I would wait for the right
time to complain against her or him. However, if I am in the manager’s position and I witness
any of my employees engaged in bullying behavior, I would take the bully away from the
scenario and then ask her or him about her or his first experience in the office. I would do this to
make her or him understand that what they are doing to their colleague is not right.
In a situation where I witnessed a bullying situation and reported it to the respected
authorities and but they ignored it, I would keep on drawing their attention towards the issue. In
case they still do not take me seriously, I would ask the victim to stand up for her or him and file

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WORKPLACE BULLYING IN THE HELP
an official complaint against the bully. This would strengthen my action and the management
might take me seriously.
If a colleague of mine reports a bullying situation, I would help her or him to find support
from the other employees. Workplace bullying could have significant affect on the mental health
of an employee as many studies have found (Nielsen et al., 2014). I would try to give advice to
the colleague about the ways to face the problem of bullying because I know that this might
adversely affect the health of my colleague. I would then support the colleague in complaining
and fighting against the bully.

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References:
Nielsen, M. B., Magerøy, N., Gjerstad, J., & Einarsen, S. (2014). Workplace bullying and
subsequent health problems.
The Help (2011) - IMDb. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/
Woodrow, C., & Guest, D. E. (2014). When good HR gets bad results: Exploring the challenge
of HR implementation in the case of workplace bullying. Human Resource Management
Journal, 24(1), 38-56.