Workplace harassment & working for home during Covid-19
Many of us are either out of work or working from home during the Covid crisis. Working remotely from home is a desirable situation for many. However, it is not without complication.
To the surprise of many, even in work-at-home scenarios, employees can feel bullied and/or harassed. It is not a requirement to be in the physical presence of someone in order for them to bully or harass you.
Expert on Bullying, Paul Pelletier, has been researching this area and believes bullying may increase during the pandemic on account of the added vulnerabilities been felt by employees working from home in isolated circumstances that could lead to anxiety and frustration. As a result, those feeling more vulnerable are acutely aware of the lack of protection by their employer or co-workers in isolating circumstances.
Mr. Pelletier highlights the fact that most employers were not prepared for the remote work change and therefore do not have processes in place to guide appropriate communications, for example. Without clear rules bullies feel more powerful and able to skirt the accepted norms when engaging in emails, video conferences and the like when their behaviour isn’t specifically captured in a policy or binding rule.
Rules and procedures on proper work from home etiquette are crucial going forward; especially, if employers allow employee to continue working from home or to work from home on occasion.
The other interesting aspect raised by Mr. Pelletier is the inherent frustration and personal issues that arise during times of crisis such as, Covid-19. There are other personal stressors related to finances, health, safety, family care (both elder and children), children’s education and changes to well thought out plans and vacations all of which have the potential to create an emotional crisis within those who feel their life is falling apart. This creates a vulnerable situation ripe for bullies and ripe for the unintended creation of bullies acting on emotion, stress, frustration, anger and pain, depending on personal circumstances during this time. What this also means, however, is an excuse for bad behaviour on account of these personal stressors. While many people may be stressed and enduring heart breaking and difficult situations throughout this pandemic, it does not justify bad behaviour.
It becomes much easier to hide bullying behaviour or to be unaware of bullying behaviour when outside the office dynamic. You cannot check in on a co-worker and you may be immersed in your own stress and the various changes in the environment to pay attention or notice bad behaviour. Everyone is coping with the changes in different ways and as such, bad behaviour may not be as apparent, as open or as visible than it once was in an office environment.
Finally, outside the office environment it becomes very difficult to monitor behaviour of employees and intervene if communications become hostile or intimidating.
The following list created by Mr. Pelletier contains examples of bullying behaviours that may emerge during work-at-home situations:
Inappropriate texts and emails that use unacceptable tone, blaming, shaming or taunting
Starting untrue rumours
Intentional miscommunication or a failure to communicate
Eye rolls, rudeness, interrupting, intimidating body language during virtual meetings
Leaving someone out of an email string that they should be included on
Accusing colleagues of not doing their work, particularly in front of others
Inappropriate jokes, emojis or memes designed to single out or hurt a co-worker
Using new work-from-home challenges as a means to isolate a staff member
Giving someone an unreasonable and unmanageable workload or assignment
Micromanaging people
Ignoring firm work boundaries - calls and emails out of hours or calls to home phones
How can you prevent bullying in your workplace?
-Create guidelines on remote work - expectations and rules of behaviour.
-Ensure daily check-ins or communications occur between staff and management or create a “virtual” open door policy for employees to feel connected and better able to report concerns.
-Be aware of the potential for bullying and/or harassment and be vigilant.
-Consider any deviation from standard complaint processes to minimize any barriers to filing complaints.
-If you are aware of an ongoing situation or an employee with typically bad behaviour ensure you continue to monitor that behaviour as you would in the normal course of employment.