THE SILENT EPIDEMIC: WORKPLACE BULLYING

By Ray Williams; May 3 2011; http://www.psychologytoday.com

Level of difficulty: **

PREREADING QUESTIONS

1.       How extensive do you feel bullying is in the workplace?

2.       The title claims it is an epidemic yet silent. Why do you think this is so?

3.       Who do you imagine the bullies are?

4.       Who are the victims?

5.       How do you feel bullying in the workplace can be stopped?
      WATCH, LISTEN AND CONSIDER
      Workplace bullying https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAgg32weT80
       Workplace bullying and some of the strategies I used to survive
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmRKlZEXVQM

QUESTIONS

Read the first two paragraphs of the text as far as the subtitle

1.       In what way does emotional abuse impact the company or business?

2.       How exactly do workplace bullies persuade others to gang up on the victims?

Read “How serious is the bullying problem in the workplace?”

3.       What two features of workplace bullies are revealed in this section?

Read “What is the impact of bullying behavior?”

4.       If you were to consider this section as a whole unit, what would be the topic sentence?

5.       The damage bullies do the victims and the company doesn’t seem to lead companies to address the problem. What is the reason for this?

6.       Which sentence in this section best summarizes the findings concerning how bullying impacts the health of the victim?

7.       An example is provided in the text to prove the level of inertia of bosses and managers. It is:

Read “What are the reasons of workplace bullying?”

8.       Bullying in the workplace negatively effects the company in the short term / in the long term because:

Read “What kind of people are bullies in the workplace?”

9.       Why do workplace bullies become frustrated and verbally abusive when things go wrong?

10.   70% of Americans in Lynn Taylor’s survey said that “Bosses and toddlers with too much power act alike.” Explain in your own words how exactly they act.

11.   Why do the highly competent, accomplished, experienced and popular employees often create the greatest danger to bullies?

12.   In the remainder of this section five reasons for workplace bullying are listed. What are they?

13.   Have a look at this section from paragraph fifteen as far as the next subtitle and state clearly whether you agree with the organization. If not, what change would you make?

14.   Which of the reasons for bullying do you get the impression the writer probably feels more strongly about? How do you know?

    

Read “So what is being done about workplace bullying?”

15.   Two sets of solutions are provided in this section to tackle workplace bullying. They are:

16.   Two suggestions are made by the writer himself. They are:

THE SILENT EPIDEMIC: WORKPLACE BULLYING; http://www.psychologytoday.com

 KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

There are two ways of approaching the subject in my view: the first is covering the reading task in class and taking the students to the computer lab to do research on mobbing, which is now considered a crime. Have the students read up on the problem, which they won’t have heard about, and make notes. Have the watch related videos and make more notes. Return to class and have them write an essay on the causes of mobbing using their notes and the information they gleaned from the text. Alternatively, have them do the research at home and come to class with their notes.

Answer Key:

1.       It lowers productivity

2.       By blaming for errors, unreasonable work demands, insults, put downs, stealing credit, threatening job loss and discounting accomplishments.

3.       62% are men; the vast majority are bosses or managers, supervisors or executives.

4.       Bullies create a terrible toll within the organization.

5.       Bullies often get results by getting more short term production out of employees.

6.       Your boss can cause you stress, induce depression and anxiety or even trigger the onset of serious illness.

7.       81% of employers are either doing nothing to address bullying or actually resisting action…

8.       Long term; because bullies get employees to comply but not to commit.

9.       Because they haven’t engaged in the personal growth required to gain self awareness, maintain emotional stability and consider situations from multiple points of view.

10.   Answers will vary; impatient, have tantrums when things don’t go according to plan and the like.

11.   Because they refuse to be controlled and intimidated.

12.   A growing culture of incivility, bosses who are in over their heads, narcissism, the recent economic downturn and the blame the victim mentality.

13.   The growing culture of incivility is mentioned in one sentence and the support comes in p:19. I would remove that single sentence; it looks untidy.

14.   The growing culture of incivility and the blame the victim mentality. The first is discussed at length and the second comes last.

15.   Lengthy job interviews and probing questions designed to uncover browbeating tendencies; legislation.

16.   A return to a culture of civility; a demand that organizations and governments take action.