Traces Of Workplace Violence: Recognizing The Symptoms
One of the concerns of many workers who have suffered harassment or violence in the workplace is the lack of evidence to initiate an investigation. along with the fear that the treatment of those around them will change to their detriment, that the situation of harassment or violence will increase, or that they will be disengaged from the organization.
Here is the relevance of the cultural change that the Karin Law (Law No. 21,643) seeks to establish, put into effect on August 1, 2024, along with the path that has been built to reduce psychosocial risks in work spaces in which can be highlighted the obligation to measure these risks starting in 2013 through the ISTAS 21 instrument, which as of January 2023 is replaced by the work environment evaluation questionnaire – Mental Health CEAL-SM, according to the Super Social Security Administration (2022).
The objective of this article is to present some relevant concepts for understanding the cultural change that seeks to be achieved and established as soon as possible, along with addressing the main mental health symptoms and pathologies that develop with harassment and violence at work.
Diversity and inclusion in work contexts are predominant concepts for cultural change at the organizational level referring to the set of practices and guidelines that make it easier for companies to hire and integrate people with various conditions as team members. These conditions refer to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, religious beliefs or disability.
Diversity refers to all the attributes, traits or qualities that characterize a person, it is the “full spectrum of human characteristics… it is achieved when organizations aim at heterogeneity and combat bias in the hiring process with inclusive policies for its successful achievement” (Gallup Report, 2018, in Vantagecircle, 2023).
Inclusion refers to organizational practices and policies that promote equity and respect (Harvard Business Review, 2024). Being invited to see a movie is not the same as being invited and also asked what movie you would like to see, taking your opinion into consideration and actively participating in the planning of the activity. Just as being summoned to a meeting is not the same as being allowed to express your point of view and knowledge.
The Superintendency of Social Security (2023) states that 67% of cases of work-related illnesses correspond to mental health pathologies, that is, 2 out of every 3 workers belonging to the group described have developed diagnostic mental health illnesses, increasing by 15 % in relation to the year 2021.
As a professional in the mental health area, I have been able to hear experiences that recognize: “I couldn’t understand that a panic attack, something that I saw only as intense crying, could be such a big deal, until it happened to me.”
How is Diversity and Inclusion related to Mobbing or workplace harassment?
Poor diversity and inclusion practices can translate into harassing behavior, such as exclusion, marginalization, social isolation within the organization, so-called “microaggressions” that refer to inappropriate comments or jokes, dismissing opinions by ignoring or discrediting , unequal treatment with favoritism or policies convenient only for some, disapproval, retaliation, verbal insults, physical attacks through direct contact or intimidation, spreading rumors, manipulation, inappropriate distribution of tasks, arbitrary changes in working conditions, improper use of corporate media (emails, platforms or others), excessive surveillance, refusing to make necessary adjustments to a collaborator who has a disability or using this condition to doubt their work performance, commenting on physical appearance, making jokes about orientation sexual or denying opportunities due to the same reason, and finally discriminating on religious or cultural grounds.
Main consequences on mental health due to mobbing or violence at work
According to the Institute of Public Health (2017), Victims of harassment or violence in the workplace may develop anxious symptoms, growing and/or persistent fear, feelings of threat, failure, helplessness, frustration, low self-esteem or apathy, cognitive distortions, difficulty concentrating and paying attention.
They may also present somatological pathologies that manifest physically with pain, functional disorders or organic disorders and, it is worth highlighting the social consequences due to behaviors of isolation, avoidance and withdrawal, as well as aggression, hostility, feelings of anger and resentment, or longing for revenge.
At the work level, a lack of optimal performance in their tasks will be evident due to demotivation and the perception of their environment as threatening. Compensatory or substitute behaviors may also appear, such as the abusive consumption of alcohol or other substances that may cause other mental health pathologies. Regarding the most frequent diagnoses, we can find:
