The Workplace Bullying Institute describes workplace bullying as: “Repeated mistreatment of an employee by one or more employees; abusive conduct that is: threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, work sabotage, or verbal abuse.” In its 2021 survey, the WBI noted that 43% of remote employees reported being bullied at work with 50% of that bullying taking place in meetings. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Amy and Jason talk about combatting bullying in remote work environments.
Listen to the episode:
Whether it's newly remote teams, folks who have worked remotely for years, or hybrid in-person and remote working environments, bullying of remote employees has skyrocketed over the past two years. According to both the Workplace Bullying Institute and Project Include, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased harm to remote workers.
In addition, Project Include noted that general anxiety among all employees from CEOs to new hires has increased by 85% during the pandemic. And while bullying has always existed among remote teams, the stress of COVID-19 has created an unsustainable 24/7 work culture and increased micromanagement, especially among remote managers.
According to Project Include, "The pandemic-driven shift to remote workplaces has exacerbated longstanding, systemic problems and amplified workplace biases. Bad management and communications got worse, as did anxiety and work-life balance, especially for people from marginalized communities."
So, what can you do about workplace bullying? Listen to the episode and use the Radical Candor podcast checklist below, which contains tips you can put into practice right away whether you're the person being harmed or the person causing harm.
2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey: Remote Work & Bullying
Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center: Conflict vs. Bullying: What’s the Difference?
Marie Claire: When Working From Home Becomes a Never-Ending Nightmare
Forbes: How To Confront Injustice In The Workplace, According To Best-Selling Author Kim Scott
The New York Times: Here's How to Deal With Men (Thwack!)
Driven to Distraction (Revised): Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder
The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
Harvard Business Review: HBR Lives Where Taylorism Died
Toxic Communication in Virtual Workspaces: A Looming Liability for Remote and Hybrid Companies
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The Radical Candor Podcast theme music was composed by Cliff Goldmacher. Order his book: The Reason For The Rhymes: Mastering the Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs.