He “bullying ” either psychological harassment at work It is a situation that occurs at work, in which an individual or several individuals systematically and repeatedly (at least once a week) exert psychological violence on another individual or individuals, for a prolonged period of time (at least 6 months).
This causes the communication networks and reputation of the victim to be destroyed, and causes disruption in the exercise of their work and their demotivation at work.
Mobbing actors can be co-workers, superiors or subordinates, and this behavior can affect workers in any type of organization, including small and medium-sized companies.
The characteristics of mobbing
The methodology used by the actors in charge of carrying out mobbing in the company can be varied. For example, the spread of rumors to favor the marginalization of the victim (even outside of work) and to make your life difficult within the organization; or bullying and humiliation in front of other employees. Whatever behavior is carried out, the result is psychological and emotional harm for the victim.
Victims are usually the most creative, ethical and competent people in the work environment. These individuals suffer from mobbing because the harasser may consider them a threat to her own position within the company. Supervisors can also be victims of mobbing. In these cases, subordinates act together to undermine you. Women, younger workers and those with greater longevity are at high risk of suffering from mobbing. Mobbing is increasing in sectors such as services, health and education.
Mobbing can have a devastating effect on victims’ morale and performance, and causes intense distress. Below are the consequences of bullying For those people who suffer from it:
Physical impact on victims of workplace harassment
Mobbing does not include collective physical harassment of the worker who is the victim. Instead, he focuses on disturbing his inner life. But The emotional toll is so great that it can have physical consequences, as it can cause stress , and therefore its physical symptoms. For example, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, hypertension, etc.
What to do if you suffer from mobbing?
If you suffer from bullying It is essential to take action as soon as possible , since the psychological damage can increase as time goes by. Since mobbing is a phenomenon that takes place within the company, it is important to report it if the harasser continues to insist on causing harm. If you suffer from bullying, it is necessary not only to have legal support, but also psychological support.
First and foremost, it is necessary communicate to the occupational risk prevention department or to the superior so that they are aware of the case. If you are being harassed, this should be your first move.
Due to the complexity of these events, support can be requested from union organizations, the company’s Health and Safety Committee, and the situation can be reported to the Labor Inspection as a prior step to the judicialization of the case.
Once these avenues have been exhausted, and if mobbing continues to exist, then it will be necessary to report It is important to be clear that it is difficult to gather evidence for different reasons (there is no physical evidence, there is no written evidence or colleagues do not commit for fear of retaliation), but the complaint of harassment is proven through any of the accepted means. by law, be it confession, documents, witnesses, experts, etc. Therefore, it will be necessary to gather documents, medical reports and find witnesses.
Due to the psychological and emotional damage that the victim has suffered, on many occasions It is necessary to go to a psychologist to regain well-being Not just any professional is accredited to carry out this problem, as it is necessary to go to a professional specialized in psychological and occupational health problems (not a doctor). That is, symptoms should not be treated alone (such as acting on anxiety or depression), but the phenomenon should be understood in its entirety.
It is common for these types of cases to make a bad diagnosis and end up using incorrect treatment strategies (for example, only treating stress or anxiety with drugs). This usually happens when you go to your family doctor instead of an expert psychologist. Unfortunately, this is more common than people may think.
