Bullying at workplaces - a silent epidemic!

                       

“Borrow trouble for yourself, if that’s your nature, but don’t give it to your neighbor.” 

Perhaps Rudyard Kipling knew something about bullying…He didn’t want it, nor do I. Harassment at places that necessitate an unavoidable social interface has always been considered more of a civilization attribute than an adverse and abominable human behavioural pattern so much so that our reaction mechanisms to any kind of harassment are often finely-adjusted by this ubiquitous conformist mindset. If not disregarded as cynicism it can be said with a fair amount of leniency that bullying and its various forms have become more of an office-accessory now, engendering the whole gamut of interpersonal relationships at the work-place. As such it becomes imperative to study this unhealthy tendency in its various contexts, given the profound impact it has on the productivity of organizations. Also accusations of bullying have become much more common, perhaps representing an increased perception and awareness rather than the rise in the abusive personalities in the system. 

‘Workplace bullying is a major source of stress, breakdown and malfunction in modern systems. It is an important issue for organizations especially the health services because of its potential impact on staff health and patient care. This petty tyranny or mobbing can take many forms ranging from subtle to the most obvious. Having said that, it is also important to  distinguish between  hard driving bosses (ladder climbers) who push aggressively for positive organizational results and bullies (dinosaurs), who are demeaning and destructive to the workplace as such’, says Dr. Javed Latoo, Consultant Psychiatrist and leading Neuropsychiatrist working at National Health Services, United Kingdom.  He further adds, ‘Work places are a fertile breeding ground for interpersonal conflicts and development of dysfunctional relationships especially in hierarchical systems where the potential for conflicts is pronounced but Kashmiri workplaces, I believe,  are more of melting pots and a lot of the bullying and discrimination which is taking place in there can be  cross-cultural.''

        The most detrimental bullying is not conspicuous and does not fit the stereotype of a bully having an outburst in the office. It is more covert and tends to be more subtle: condescending rather than straightforward abuse, and aggressive, sarcastic remarks rather than outright insults. And because bullies are at the top of the food chain, the bad behavior of even a few of them can set a virulent and trenchant tone for the whole organization. A lot of organizations get in dire straits, where tempers flare easily and interpersonal problems have been allowed to brandish unabated. While many organizations have anti-bullying policies on the books, too few see it as a serious issue.    

               The problem of bullying needs to be approached with purpose. Acknowledgement of the problem could be done for starters. Anti bullying policies to be formulated and implemented as first course and teaching appropriate skills to  deal with bullying, program for trainees to confront bullying adequately and appropriate reward-punishment for the concerned, could follow suit. It is not easy to prevent bullying and harassment in the workplace. It requires people to moderate their behavior so that they become positive role models and demands considerable changes in institutional culture. The negative impacts of bullying on the well being of people and overall morale in the organizational workforce demand our continuing efforts to resolve the problem.  Needless to say, it would take a lot of time and resolve before this problem is controlled or eradicated. However, if it is allowed to grow it will not only frustrate our combating efforts but also cripple the current working system. It is high time to show zero tolerance and say no to bullying.

Health and peace building

                      

‘There year was 1994. Another crackdown was announced. But this one we will not forget for a very long time. Army men after ravaging our village home took my 15 year old son into custody. He was sodomized by these men and later released in half dead condition; Diagnosed as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, he died a month later. They said he committed suicide. We knew it was the shame and guilt he felt that made him take this extreme step. Two of my brothers got shot down at point blank range by unidentified armed men. Cause: unknown till date.’ This is a recollection by a dying man who remembers his son and brothers who lost their lives to bullets. Needless to say this is just one of the hundreds of heart breaking realities (not stories) which I have had the misfortune to hear.

I took up the profession of medicine when my motherland was engulfed in a mayhem which was consuming human lives.  I have seen conflict and the ugliness it creates, very closely in my personal as well as professional life. As a doctor I come across the diseases caused by conflict in the form of violence - armed conflicts in particular - which pose a direct threat to physical health like malnutrition/starvation, loss of limbs, amputations etc as well as psychological trauma.

        The encompassing maxim of our times is conflict and violence. In conflict-ridden and politically insecure areas casualties caused by diseases far overshadow the numbers killed by violence, which include psychosocial and sexual violence. For a better future we need to scrutinize the relationship between health and peace-building in humanitarian crises and development, and focus specifically on the over all health and social impact of violence. Health constructs important structure for social healing and the restoration of social relationships disrupted by political violence. Humanitarian practices at the basis of health and the work of health professionals can provide the platform for rejuvenating communities, cultivating long-term progress, development and peace building. In order to prevent conflict and form more amicable and harmonious societies, there is an urgent need to novel approaches to address the effect of political conflicts. As a doctor I firmly believe that health care is one means by which society institutionalizes feelings of care and compassion; its juxtaposition with humane objectives can beat human differences. Since we are living in a world which is perpetually infected by conflict, it only makes sense for doctors to take active part in brokering peace. Health is mot merely the absence of disease and swallowing of pills. It is integrated and unified with lots of social fibers including human right, economic disparity, violence and many more.

As a health care professional, I feel it is our responsibility to use knowledge and skills for the betterment of all in a manner that transcends political concepts and considerations. We need to apply a multi pronged approach to tackle conflict and help in peace building, demonstrate knowledge about the impact of direct and structural violence on individuals and societies, highlight the range of different ways in which we as doctors can contribute to the reduction of peace deficits and do their bit for violence prevention and peace promotion. Few things could be more rewarding than knowing that you have contributed to world peace. It is a worthy goal that should be embraced by us all.   

(The author is Assistant Professor at Department of Microbiology, SKIMS Medical College and can be reached at rubynask@gmail.com)