by Dorcas Ariyo-Francis
Women in Transport Volunteer Engagement Lead
Our regular live-drop in Zoom sessions have become a popular feature on the Women in Transport calendar. They are a great opportunity to get to know each other better and we are finding that networking can play an important part in these difficult and uncertain times.
The format is very relaxed and informal and, as Chatham House rules apply, members can feel free to openly share their personal views and experiences.
Since we launched the chat sessions back in April, we have covered a wide range of topics including the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the progress of ED & I, the role of male allies, how women can help each other advance their careers and whether remote working is the way forward.
On 21 October members got together online to talk about Bullying in the workplace and how we can call it out.
Here are a few thoughts that emerged during our discussion.
What does bullying in the workplace look like?
Members were open and honest about their shared experiences with workplace bullying. It was acknowledged that bullying behaviours were not always overt or openly rude and were often more subtle. Given the connotations around the word ‘bullying’, some people started the session questioning whether they themselves had in fact been bullied.
After pausing and listening to examples of one person intimidating another, some people concluded that they had been affected personally by workplace bullying during their careers. Other examples we discussed included people using their position of authority to coerce, undermine and intimidate others or using words to make someone doubt their own skills and abilities.
What prevents us from ‘calling out’ workplace bullying?
Leaders on the call discussed how they had witnessed workplace bullying in the past and intervened in cases where there was conflict between team members. In contrast, some people recounted that no-one intervened in their case and they later found out other people were also bullied by the same individual.
As a person being bullied, fear of retribution means that some cases are not reported. Dismissing bullying behavior as someone’s ‘management style’ also played a part as to why some instances of workplace bullying went unreported. If the culture of the organization gives the perception that seniority is valued above everything else, junior members of staff will not come forward to report workplace bullying.
What advice could we give someone being bullied today?
Keep a chronological log of all the incidents
Speak to a trusted friend and draw support from your network
Ensure that you look after your mental health, establish and maintain a ‘self- care’ routine
Recognize that you have choices about how you choose to deal with your workplace bullying situation
Evaluate all the pros and cons of your options
Decide how you will deal with your situation and see it through
Understand that you do not have to stay in an intolerable situation and that there are other options available.
Also, if you witness someone being bullied, it is important to make time to speak with the person to check how they feel and to see if you can help them in any way.
Given the difficult times we find ourselves in, it’s important to check in with friends and colleagues regularly and directly ask how they're getting on with their colleagues to give them an opportunity to reflect and discuss any emerging issues.
For additional help and support please visit:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/bullying-at-work/
https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work-website/
https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/?s=bullying
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a24886599/self-care-routine-tips/
Women in Transport is a non-profit network with a mission of advancing women working in transport. Annual membership of Women in Transport is £60 per year providing access to professional development and networking opportunities. We very much welcome guest blogs from our members - a great way to share the incredible diversity of opportunity in transport, raise your profile and connect with our community.
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