Oh no, poor lamb
In How workplace bullying went remote, Joanna York examines workplace bullying in the remote-work era on behalf of BBC Worklife (Hello Hybrid subdivision). But is she really discussing bullying, or simply hurt fee-fees, when she refers to unkind behaviour
?
Recent surveys suggest more than 40% of remote workers in the US and UK have been bullied
. Examples of bullying tactics include: leaving a colleague out of remote meetings; gossiping behind their back; and making cutting remarks during video conferences. Oh no, the poor, poor lambykins! Perhaps they could grow a pair and stand up for themselves? Or just roll with it.
I just don't think that real workplace bullies are that common. I do, however, think that the combination of social media, and a gutlessly egalitarian everyone-is-special, everyone-is-equal, there-are-no-losers education system, has created a class of mithering snowflakes who're too delicate for the challenges of the real world. Individuals who're so precious and emotionally fragile that they'll burst into flap‑flap‑flap at the slightest perceived transgression. They feel that, unless they're pandered to, they're being victimised. I blame Twitter…for everything. (pipe)
Throughout my entire career, I have met only one genuine workplace bully, and that was during my time at MegaCorpUSA. He was a real piece of work: almost universally disliked, even feared, by everyone in the department outside of his little coterie of suck-ups. He managed to reduce several of my colleagues to tears.
He didn't bully me as such, because I stood up to him, and bullies are essentially cowards. He did make unnecessary and inappropriate comments, but that's not bullying so much as being unprofessional and an arsehole. I finally reported him to the ethics hotline, and he was eventually shitcanned.
Meanwhile, back in the current world of fee-fees and boo-hoos…
Joyce is using one name only for privacy reasons
Joanna York, How workplace bullying went remote, BBC Worklife
And his real name's Mike.