[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Experiencing Bullying in the Workplace. My name is Grant Saptoe and I am an HR Professional with more than 15 years of experience in the human capital management environment. I would like to share some thoughts on bullying for both the individual, and the organization, over a series of articles and experiences and welcome your thoughts and comments.   Workplace Wellness How many of you know about workplace wellness and the benefits thereof for the organization and the individual? More and more South African employers recognise the benefits of investing in the wellness of their employees, the same as most global employers. The benefits of wellness programs are becoming a strategic tool as it has a significant impact on business performance due to enhanced employee performance, morale, engagement, and branding. Employees are healthier, absenteeism is decreasing, and work life balance is becoming increasingly important in a technologically disruptive era contributing to a more profitableand effective organization.   Barriers to Workplace Wellness Well, I want to talk to you about a big barrier to these initiatives called bullying in the workplace. Most of us have been affected by bullying, possibly will be bullied, and know of someone that has been bullied. Bullying is so rife in organizations that it should be classified as a global workplace pandemic. Bullying has been prevalent for many years across multiple industries, sectors, and corporations and saddest of all, is that most people do not speak up for fear of reprisal and humiliation. The perpetrator bullies and the victim shies away from the confrontation or when the victim speaks up, it is usually frowned upon by HR or the Senior Manager. The victim is then made out to be unstable, a poor performer or generally a trouble maker and is quickly terminated from the organization through either “performance management or retrenchment”. Have you ever been shouted at in front of colleagues, belittled and made to feel so incompetent due to someone being a jerk? Yes, that is correct, someone being a jerk. We should all be aware of what bullying is, what harassment is and when someone is being a jerk. Have you ever been so humiliated, you did not know what to do, whom to speak to and started to doubt yourself? How many of you have kept these emotions bottled inside and started unleashing the anger and emotion at your families and loved ones at home? How many of you have become less engaged, started resenting going to work, experienced anxiety and stress, become depressed, had declining health issues and possibly even felt suicidal? How about working remotely and being bullied on a virtual platform. If your messenger icon is green your boss is happy and if it is red, you are shouted at for being away from your pc for too long. These are the new bullying tactics and realities we must face. Who do you speak to? Workplace bullying is unacceptable in any shape or form and should be vehemently opposed by all industry leaders, HR professionals and staff in all organizations. Bullying can be from a peer, or your manager but sadder still is when you speak up and nobody believes you. Who do you speak to when the bully is your manager? Can you speak to HR or even, should you speak to HR about the situation...?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]