How to protect yourself from mobbing? Mobbing - what is it? The essence of psychological terror, methods of confrontation

Many people have faced psychological terror in their lives. It's nothing more than emotional abuse at work, university, any organization or social group. The constant aggressive attitude of a crowd towards one person has an extremely negative impact on physical and mental health, so it cannot be tolerated, it must be fought. Let's talk about mobbing at work.

A little theory

This phenomenon is called “mobbing”. The term appeared not so long ago, but the phenomenon itself has been known since ancient times. And psychologists began to study it in the 80s of the last century.

The term comes from English word mob, which means "crowd". Swedish psychologist Hanz Leyman was the first to describe it. In 1980, the doctor conducted a study among working Swedes. Mobbing is based on instincts, because in the animal world it means the pursuit of a single predator by a herd of herbivores. It was Leiman who marked psychological persecution with this term, giving it the characteristic of “psychological terror.” Involves the constant angry, ugly attitude of a group of people towards an individual.

He identified 45 behavioral models characteristic of mobbing. Some of them are: constant criticism, ridicule, spreading false rumors, social boycott, slander and others.

And yet, what is mobbing?

This is psychological and emotional violence of a group of individuals directed towards one or more people. At work, it manifests itself in continuous groundless criticism, spreading incorrect information, gossip, and slander. It can be expressed in mockery, bullying, insults, intimidation, threats, declaring a collective boycott, material and physical damage. Constant nagging diminishes the honor and destroys the self-esteem of the oppressed outcast. The goal of the group is to survive this person by any means necessary. How can you be sure that you have become a victim of employee attacks?

Signs of mobbing

When the team decides to get rid of an unwanted colleague, it will use an unlimited arsenal of means. You have become a target of mobbing if:

1. You are constantly being bombarded with criticism, and unfounded criticism at that.
2. Dirty gossip and rumors are spread every day.
3. They are not shy about openly mocking you.
4. The team includes complete ignorance, expressed in silence when you appear, they don’t greet you, they don’t invite you to have lunch, have a cup of coffee, they don’t invite you to a corporate event, and so on.
5. They block access to work information - they keep silent about the meeting, lose your documentation, and so on.
6. Your achievements are not assessed or rewarded.
7. There is a direct provocation to conflict, by any means.

Now it’s clear what mobbing is and how to recognize it.

Let's consider the types

There are a lot of them, but we will highlight the main ones:

1. Horizontal and vertical. The first is expressed in attacks from employees, the second - from the manager (another name is bossing).
2. Open and latent.

With hidden mobbing, aggressors pursue the goal of making it unbearable to stay at work. Colleagues go to any lengths, and even in a veiled way, so that you leave the company yourself. Psychological pressure is carried out in a hidden form. This is concealment of work important information, its late provision, when it is no longer possible to correct the mistakes made. There is complete ignoring, informal communication is reduced to zero.

Vertical hidden mobbing. It is expressed in the intentional actions of a manager in order to block your professional advancement, and this is done in such a way that this psychological terror is noticeable only to you. The manager will turn a blind eye to your achievements, burden you with difficult, impossible tasks, and hold important meetings in your absence on purpose.

Open mobbing is a pathological form. Here ridicule and bullying will be carried out brazenly and openly. All inhuman, immoral means and methods will be used, including damage to property. Now we have an idea of ​​what it is - mobbing - and what it is eaten with.

Let's understand the reasons for mobbing

Let's look at the most common ones:

1. Poor working climate. Occurs when work is not organized correctly. That is, the presence of a dictator boss or an unhealthy asocial team in which there is no coherence, the status of gossips and troublemakers is extolled, as a result of which discontent grows. As a result, the victim becomes the weakest colleague or the one who gives an emotional outburst, provoking employees to aggression.

2. The arrival of a newcomer who is different from everyone else. Mobbing often manifests itself in relation to such people in groups that are, so to speak, inveterate, with their own order and regulations. They unknowingly begin to engage in mobbing behavior towards the newcomer.

3. Simple human envy. Success, great achievements in professionalism, easy and quick promotion up the ranks career ladder may trigger this phenomenon.

4. Dissatisfaction. In any team there are people who are dissatisfied with their position, salary and life in general. Then they begin to raise their own self-esteem at the expense of weak employees. Thus proving to themselves and others their importance, that they are also worth something.

5. Dislike of the leader. It often happens that the team, to please the boss, begins to spread rot on an employee he doesn’t like.

6. Conflict resulting in revenge.

7. Tendencies towards sadism.

Yes, oddly enough, there are also cases when employees become bored, and for fun they begin to invent various ways psychological terror. Mobbing bullying becomes a kind of entertainment for them, which they will discuss with pleasure and excitement with other colleagues the next day.

But main reason lies in the personality of the target of mobbing. Because bullying can be caused by both good features character and bad. The main thing is that they do not coincide with the character of the owners of the attacking side.

How else can you provoke mobbing at work?

Here is a list of reasons:

• if you spread gossip;
• show your indecision and powerlessness;
• to become conceited;
• engage in boasting;
• openly express dissatisfaction with work, complain;
• to be the boss's or manager's favorite;
• stand out from the team, for example, not attend corporate parties and other joint events;
• arrive to work on time if colleagues are always late;
• stand out with your professional achievements and receive a reward for it.

Mobbing can even be used by management as a way to reduce staff for optimization purposes. Yes, the method is cruel, but it works in practice. We have revealed the essence of mobbing, and now let’s talk about what outcome it can provoke.

What is the consequence of mobbing?

So what is mobbing? This is a situation in which an employee of a company finds himself and suffers continuous bullying from other colleagues or superiors.

So, the consequences:

1. Constant stress, which leads to both physical and psychological illnesses. This is loss of appetite, insomnia, deep depression. Chronic illnesses are getting worse. Moreover, this condition can even lead a person to suicide.
2. Loss of self-esteem.
3. Decrease in labor efficiency. Constant frustration dulls attention, as a result of which a person makes many mistakes.
4. Deterioration of family relationships. All the bad emotions that accumulate inside are released in the comfort zone. It is the close people who take the blow in the form of an outburst of accumulated aggression.

This can and should be fought. Let's look at ways to counter mobbing.

Prevention and elimination of mobbing

As a rule, this phenomenon contributes to a decrease in the labor efficiency of the entire enterprise. That is why management needs to eradicate it. Measures to be taken:

• It is necessary to create a healthy psychological climate and maintain it.
• Train senior management in management.
• Adjust the mechanism feedback with subordinates.
• Clearly set goals and objectives, outline individual responsibilities, and monitor the work of each subordinate.
• Work towards an organized division of labor.
• Provide employees with a clear career progression plan.
• Provide open access to obtain the necessary information and form a transparent decision-making mechanism for management.
• Eliminate possible intimate and family ties among employees.
• Suppress and immediately eradicate any gossip and squabbles in the team.

If you notice that a conflict is brewing in a team, you must:

1. Maintain a neutral position.
2. You can’t be led, you need to have your own opinion about everyone.
3. Show your dissatisfaction to employees that you are against conflicts.
4. Find the victim and the culprit, support the first.

You cannot fire both parties at once, because you can lose a competent employee, a valuable personnel. We need to sort out the conflict and establish a healthy climate in the team. Now let’s talk about how a victim can deal with mobbing.

If you happen to become a victim of mobbing, what should you do?

Here is the action plan:

1. First you need to analyze the situation and understand the reason.
2. You need to evaluate your strength, whether you can withstand psychological pressure in the team. You need to understand that a cultured person will never allow himself to ridicule and mock others, but will focus exclusively on work.
3. If the pressure comes from a boss or manager, think, maybe you shouldn’t get on your nerves, but rather change your place of work.
4. Maybe you have an ally in your team, ask him for help - by uniting, it is easier to fight mobbing.

Let's look at some more ways to counter mobbing.

If you decide to stay in your favorite job, protective equipment should be selected according to the current situation. What can be done:

• Notify management of attacks if the threat comes from employees.
• If the ridicule is tolerable, you can simply ignore them, and the interest of the offenders will disappear.
• Gather a team of like-minded people and give a tangible response.
• It might be worth changing. Become strong and strong-willed.
• You can seek help from a psychologist.

There are many methods of struggle, the main thing is not to be afraid, but to try all available means. Let's talk more about how to resist mobbing at work.

Methods applicable in the fight against psychological terror

Never let a situation take its course, it requires an immediate solution:

1. Try to have a frank conversation with the pursuer, perhaps this will allow you to place emphasis, maybe the reason is in yourself, defiant behavior.
2. When they want to take your place, think about whether this struggle for it is worth your health; if so, you need to tirelessly prove your professionalism and superiority.
3. Always control yourself, do not show aggression.
4. If you decide that your emotional health comes first, leave the company.

It is difficult to cope with your emotions in a conflict situation, but you must remain calm and have a cool mind.

And before making a decision, you need to answer a few simple questions

You should answer truthfully:

1. If you do decide to stay, what bad could happen?
2. Do you have enough energy to find a new job?
3. If the answer is yes, how to do it?
4. Do you need help from a psychologist or medical professional?
5. If you change your position, will this improve the situation?

Let's consider more effective methods how to resist mobbing.

Cardinal ways

If you encounter mobbing, the fight against it will be inevitable; you cannot give up:

• When you arrive at a new place of work, get a voice recorder that will help you capture all the insults and ridicule.
• Never be silent, stand up for yourself.
• Being new to the team, be friendly and do not enter into conflicts with old employees. Feel everyone out, understand with whom and how to behave.
• Take advantage of your connections. Perhaps you will have justice for the offenders.
• If violence is used, call the police immediately.

So, in this article we talked about mobbing as psychological terror, its essence and ways to counter it. As we see, the phenomenon must and can be fought. Psychologists advise not to succumb to this emotional violence, but to leave for a new job. But if there is still a chance that you will be able to win the fight, you need to fight for your place in the sun.

All vacancies promise a friendly work team, but is this true in practice? A team cannot exist without contradictions and conflicts, but this is useful provided that the conflicts are constructive. And if conflicts are a normal phenomenon, then mobbing (emotional abuse) always has a destructive impact on productivity.

Mobbing is direct or indirect ill-treatment by employees towards one of its participants. The term comes from the English mob - .

Psychologist and physician Hanz Leiman first began studying the phenomenon in question in the 1980s. The author defined mobbing as psychological terror and characterized it as follows: “A systematically repeated hostile and unethical attitude of one or more people directed against another person, mainly one.”

But even earlier, K. Lorenz considered the problem and introduced the term “mobbing” in 1958. The author used this concept to refer to animals in the environment (one species to another). Later the term became widespread. The main difference between human mobbing and animals is that the former attack representatives of their own species, the latter attack other species, mainly for the purpose of protecting their representatives.

Mobbing, more often than other reasons, is the basis for dismissal due to at will. The bullying by the team will continue as long as management allows. If bullying in children () is regulated not only by teachers, then violence in the workplace can be prevented and eliminated.

Mobbing is systematic psychological bullying over a period of weeks, months or years that occurs between:

• team and employee;
• manager and employees;
• employees and manager.

The goal of mobbing is to force the victim to resign. Simply put, we're talking about about the survival of a person from a place. To achieve the goal the following are used:

• rumors and gossip;
• insulation;
• ignore;
• intimidation;
• humiliation;
• slander;
• labeling;
• nagging;
• abuse of power;
• constant criticism and demandingness;
• withholding information;
• ridicule;
• unjustified accusations;
• deprivation of bonuses, non-payment of wages;
• any persecution and attacks that infringe upon an individual’s self-esteem;
• actions that undermine reputation and professional competence victims of mobbing.

Stages of mobbing development

If children's bullying does not particularly need a reason, then mobbing does not arise spontaneously. Its formation and development goes through 5 stages:

1. Prerequisites. As a rule, this is some kind of unresolved and protracted conflict, contradiction, emotional tension due to unfavorable things in the team.
2. Initial phase. Search for a “scapegoat”, the culprit of troubles. After finding the culprit, aggressive attacks and ridicule in his direction follow. The victim herself experiences her first emotional breakdowns, which only fuels psychological violence.
3. Active phase. Bullying, reproaches, ridicule become systematic, do not depend on the actions of the victim, and are tied to the object itself, and not to situations. The victim's chronic diseases worsen, the first signs of serious mental disorders appear, and a feeling of being hunted down.
4. Social isolation. The employee is deprived of the opportunity to participate in the official and unofficial life of the team.
5. Dismissal. The victim of mobbing is either asked to leave workplace, or the person himself decides to quit for the sake of maintaining physical and psychological health.

Reasons for mobbing

Mobbing always begins with some kind of conflict, most often caused by change, for example, someone's promotion. The conflict becomes unmanageable and unresolvable. Accordingly, timely and competent conflict resolution reduces the likelihood of mobbing.

In addition to the psychological climate of the team, the reasons for mobbing are personal problems of employees, for example, hatred of work. That is, we are talking about the psychology of the group and the psychology of management, the characteristics of relationships in the team.

Sometimes mobbing is a defensive reaction. For example, this type is common in the animal world. To warn the enemy and drive him away, animals attack themselves. Thus, mobbing does not necessarily involve an attack by the strong on the weak; it happens the other way around (a group of morally weak people survives a strong individual, an independent unit).

Other reasons for mobbing by colleagues include:

• “baptism of fire” for a newcomer to the team;
• fear of competition;
• and the eccentricity of the employee (victim), successes.

Managers are less likely to engage in mobbing, but this also occurs when the director is incompetent and strives to earn authority. The second reason for mobbing by management is to make room for “their” people, personal hostility towards the employee. In some places, mobbing is an integral feature of the leadership style, ensuring compliance with discipline (“fear means respect”).

Consequences of mobbing

As a result of bullying, a person’s mental and physical condition gradually deteriorates. Mobbing can force a person to leave even a favorite job. Dismissal and – consequences of mobbing. In addition, an inferiority complex is formed, suffers, develops, unmotivated aggression arises, nervous breakdowns, suicidal tendencies.

In addition, there are:

• sleep problems;
• panic attacks;
• heart attack;
• cognitive impairment, such as decreased concentration.

The consequences depend on the duration, strength of the mobbing and the psychological stability () of the victim. If a person tries to endure violence, then after some time the body itself finds a way out - long sick leave.

Over time, a person either quits himself or is fired, as productivity and professionalism noticeably drop. Sometimes a person is no longer able to continue working in his specialty, even in a new place. Moreover, most often the victim himself is blamed for all troubles. Illnesses after dismissal, as a rule, worsen, up to the transition to.

Naturally, they suffer family relationships. The victim has no time and energy left for anything other than resisting the mobbing and experiencing it.

How to resist

You cannot cope with mobbing on your own without physical and psychological support. Mental support means:

• emotional attention;
• understanding;
• hearing;
• satisfaction of interests, search for hobbies.

In addition, instrumental support is important: information, social help, practical advice and recommendations.

It is worth noting that emotional abuse often turns physical. With this type of mobbing, it is imperative to contact the appropriate authorities.

The mediation system has proven itself positive in solving the problem of mobbing. A neutral person, a mediator interested in solving the problem, provides significant social support. During the conversation, competent negotiations, constructive interpretation of the position of each party, the mobbing participants come to mutual understanding. An objective discussion and definition of the problem is necessary to resolve it. This is only possible through an intermediary. If the manager is not involved in mobbing, then it is better for him to act as a mediator in resolving the conflict. Or be present while the mediator (psychologist) is working.

Overcoming, preventing or, conversely, developing mobbing largely depends on the position of the leader. There are 3 possible behavior strategies:

• Detachment. The manager lets everything take its course and believes that the employees will figure it out themselves. This approach is not helpful interpersonal relationships and productivity. The atmosphere is heating up, employees live in tension, waiting for a choice new victim. Formed high level mistrust, any joke is taken seriously and with hostility. Personnel turnover is increasing.
• Unspoken encouragement. The manager perceives mobbing as healthy competition and stimulation of the work process. Behind the scenes, the leader supports confrontation, competition, competition. Perceives mobbing as hardening. With this approach, the situation will sooner or later get out of control; the manager will no longer be able to be just an outside observer. The consequences will be the same as in the previous case, but on a larger scale.
• Intervention. The manager insists on observing the rules of good manners in the team and respectful attitude. He takes care of his employees and creates a favorable psychological climate. This is the position that most organizations adhere to.

Prevention of mobbing

If the director takes care of creating a healthy psychological climate and a healthy atmosphere, is polite in dealing with his subordinates, and insists on observing good manners, then the likelihood of mobbing is significantly reduced. The best option guidelines for mobbing prevention – .

Why mobbing continues to exist:

• Ignoring the problem, tolerating it, misunderstanding of the problem by the team itself.
• Underestimation of danger (discrimination and sexual violence are considered a problem, emotional violence often goes unnoticed).
• Exhaustion and weakness of the victims, inability to begin the investigation process, including the trial.

Until the entire society at different social levels begins to respond to mobbing, the phenomenon will exist.

In order to prevent mobbing, the manager must:

• Do not express preferences towards any of the employees, treat everyone equally.
• Form your own opinion about each employee, do not support slander, “sneaking”, complaints and attempts by one employee to denigrate another.
• Inform the team that mobbing is unacceptable and stick to your position.
• Use open management, regularly inform employees.

Thus, mobbing is an interpersonal conflict. Resolving and preventing conflicts, creating a favorable psychological climate are the tasks of a manager. If the manager himself initiates bullying, subordinates need to unite and contact higher-level organizations.

It is necessary to reduce the level of conflict in the organization and the conflict of individuals. To prevent and overcome mobbing, it is advisable to use the same recommendations as for resolving conflicts. Confrontation tactics must be chosen according to.

Discomfort at work, insufficiently trusting and unfriendly relationships with colleagues, psychological pressure from the boss on subordinates, gossip and open expression hostility - these manifestations may be signs of mobbing. Psychological violence in the workplace manifests itself in open opposition of the team to a colleague or manager, or in secretive, “veiled” interference in the course of the work process. In about half of the cases, mobbing at work ends with the employee being fired, and establishing relationships becomes a very big problem.

Mobbing at work - its types and methods

There can be many reasons for hostility within a team:

• the behavior of the victim of psychological “bullying”;
• a well-established team tradition of checking a new employee;
• leadership style;
• elementary envy of a more experienced or bright colleague;
• employee dismissal policy, when optimizing the number, etc.

Not every employee can withstand such pressure due to various features personality. Sometimes the only way out becomes.

If “bullying” in a team leads a person to develop health problems, then it is better to leave such a place of work.

There are several types of psychological pressure.

Firstly, this is a negative relationship between ordinary employees. This type of mobbing appears in psychological violence one or more colleagues to a colleague.

Secondly, pressure can go along the line management - subordinates. With this type of mobbing, management usually acts as the initiator of psychological bullying. It is extremely rare for a team to try to survive an unwanted or new leader.

Manifestations of mobbing

Psychological pressure can manifest itself in open or latent form. Negative statements addressed to the “victim”, humiliation of personal or professional dignity, gossip and rumors are all manifestations of open form mobbing. A person is simply humiliated or called into conflict, where he may not show his best side.

There are many examples of open form. One or more employees may harass a co-worker by expressing their dislike for him or her or making constant comments regarding him or her. appearance employee, ignoring any attempts at communication or showing hostility towards the “victim”.

Often in conversations with other colleagues, sometimes even in the presence of the employee under pressure, unpleasant statements are made. Errors made at work are exaggerated, the circumstances of their commission are brought to the attention of management, indicating that the cause was the incompetence of the employee.

Reasons for open mobbing by a manager

This type of mobbing is often used by some managers; the goal is to fire an employee. There may be several reasons for a hostile attitude, and not all of them are related to the personality of the persecuted employee.

For example, a company practices hiring staff with long-term . Throughout this period, management vigilantly monitors the actions of employees, and any mistake made becomes a reason to express doubts about the competence and the need for the continued presence of such an employee in the team. This situation may be due to reluctance to increase pay after successfully passing the test.

Often in such organizations with employees on probationary period agreements on low wages are concluded. Towards the end of the test, the employee is increasingly told that with his qualifications he should not count on a permanent position.

With this approach to personnel, the organization has a constant turnover of personnel and a lot of not the most flattering reviews about it as an employer on specialized resources.

Before applying for such a vacancy or accepting a job offer, do your research on the future employer. This will help you avoid becoming another candidate for “victims” of mobbing.

Another reason for psychological pressure from management or colleagues is the future. In order to save on expenses when dismissing people, they are actually forced to write applications of their own free will.

Sometimes management can also involve colleagues in mobbing, under the pretext that if the “victim” is fired, the rest will not lose their jobs.

In some cases, management may pit several employees against each other and fire the one who first writes a statement.

Latent form of mobbing

The latent form manifests itself in hidden opposition, creating interference in the performance of official duties. Such actions are usually followed by reports to management about the incompetence of the employee who has become a “victim” of bullying.

When communicating with the harassed employee, other colleagues are extremely polite, sometimes visible part relations in the team even look friendly. Colleagues openly help each other solve some work or personal issues. But any mistake immediately becomes known to management, often with the preparation of official official memos.

For example, an employee’s desk periodically disappears. important documents, and then are found in the most unexpected places, he is not informed about instructions from management or is not given information about meetings where he should be present.

At first, these facts can be attributed to forgetfulness or absent-mindedness, however, if they are repeated with increasing frequency, then you should think about the reasons for mobbing.

This type of psychological pressure can be used by management, for example, against an employee who has been reinstated to his previous job through the court. There are no obvious obstacles for him to perform his job duties, however, his superiors or, on his instructions, his colleagues can do everything to prevent the employee from completing his work on time and with high quality. Subsequently, claims against the employee are documented, with the imposition And the employee resigns himself or at the initiative of the employer.

Ways to prevent and combat mobbing

Very often, new employees in already established teams that have been formed over the years are tested for strength.

It is often enough for a new employee to join the team, observe traditions and be able to stand up for himself without crossing the line of decency.

For example, before meeting future colleagues, learn about the traditions of informal admission to team members. This could be a simple tea party on the first day of work at the expense of an employee who comes to work. You cannot abandon tradition and not bring a treat - such behavior will immediately have a negative impact on the team’s assessment of the new employee and can cause further conflicts.

The reason for hostility towards a new employee may also be professional qualities. Lack of competence or, conversely, a higher level of qualifications compared to other members of the team quite often becomes the basis for “bullying”.

For example, in banking institution for customer service hire an employee with specialized higher education, while for the rest of the employees it is secondary specialized. Many can conclude that at the first opportunity such an employee has a greater chance of being promoted, although one of his long-time colleagues was counting on a higher position.

In this case, the new employee must strictly carry out all instructions from management and his immediate responsibilities and try not to pay attention to the attacks of some team members. Sometimes you can fight back in the correct form. If there are no serious reasons for the employee’s “survival,” then the persecution will stop.

In especially severe cases, when the reason for “bullying” an employee is the desire to get rid of him, and the claims and remarks have no real basis, attack tactics become a defense.

Negative influence from employees or management can be captured using a camera in a mobile phone or recorded on a voice recorder. After this, it is necessary to warn that if the conflict continues, the contents of the recordings will become known to senior management or will be used as evidence in court. As a rule, after such a response, the persecution stops.

When mobbing is not mobbing

Hostile behavior on the part of surrounding employees is not always a manifestation of psychological pressure.

If complaints are made by colleagues and management for various reasons, they may be caused by the employee’s incorrect behavior or attitude towards work.

It is quite possible that the comments are aimed at indicating actual errors in the employee’s behavior, and are not intended to humiliate him. In this situation, you first need to look at your behavior from the outside and perhaps correct something about it.

For example, often the team does not like it when an employee boasts excessively, speaks disparagingly about something or someone, thereby showing his superiority over other employees.

Such behavior, as a rule, does not have sufficient grounds and is rightly not liked by others. They sometimes express their complaints against a colleague in a not entirely correct form. To eliminate negativity in relationships between colleagues, in this case, it is enough to adjust your behavior and the comments will stop.

Irresponsible attitude towards official duties or demands is also a reason for criticism. job descriptions. In especially severe cases, when verbal complaints are not taken into account by a person, even written reports to management or warnings about inappropriate behavior may be used.

In order for the negativity to go away, the employee simply needs to reconsider his attitude towards the work being performed, become a more responsible performer, and follow the rules of behavior.

Confrontation between the team and the leader

Object negative impact on the part of subordinates may become new manager divisions or organizations. As a rule, one of the employees already working in the organization applies for this position, and the new boss hired has to face opposition from the team.

For example, new boss appointed by outside management because the department’s performance indicators are not satisfactory to the company’s director, and the previous head of the department did not cope with the task.

In this case, the team does not want change, new working methods may not suit employees who have worked in the department for a long time, and this becomes the reason for the “survival” of the new manager.

The situation can be resolved in several ways.

First, try to find support from the informal leader, perhaps promising him a promotion after the situation normalizes. Such a person has leverage over his colleagues, has worked with them for a long time and knows their weak and strengths each member of the department.

Secondly, you can arrange general meeting o briefly explain the new appointment to employees, set specific tasks for them, as a result of which they will remain in their places, and the performance of the unit will improve.

You should not suddenly change your work tactics or redraw your job responsibilities.

This will cause a natural negative reaction and lead to sabotage of the orders of the new boss.

Thirdly, in the event of a long-term confrontation, the absence of a positive reaction to the action of the appointed leader, or the exhaustion of other ways to improve relations in the team, a complete or partial replacement may be necessary. If employees are accustomed to working “carelessly” and do not want to change their behavior, then the way out of the conflict situation is dismissal.

Psychological pressure can and should be resisted. There are a lot of ways to fight. At the same time, it is necessary to understand that the inability to improve relationships in the team or health problems due to attacks from colleagues and management make dismissal the best way out of the situation. At the same time, you can pay attention to the behavior of the persecuted employee; it is possible that his mistakes became the reason for comments and complaints. This situation can hardly be classified as mobbing, and the person needs to reconsider his behavior.

Nitpicking

Ridicule

Disinformation

Denunciation

Causing harm to health

Minor theft or damage to personal items

Mobbing classification

Psychologists distinguish two main types of mobbing: vertical (bossing) - from superiors, or, respectively, from subordinates, and horizontal - from colleagues.

Mobbing via the Internet

1. Cybermobbing redirection

Mobbing carried out in the information space through information and communication channels and means is called Cybermobbing. Including on the Internet via Email, programs for instant messaging (Instant Messenger, for example ICQ) in in social networks, as well as through posting obscene video materials on video portals (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.), or through mobile phone(for example, via SMS messages or annoying calls).

Prerequisites for mobbing by the victim

• competition with already existing authority (through deviation from the psychological framework of the team, leader, superiors)
• behavior style like the victim (weakness, complaining, wimpiness)

Reasons for mobbing by opponents

• envy
• desire to humiliate (for the sake of satisfaction, entertainment or (self)affirmation)
• desire to subjugate

The most common reason for mobbing is envy. Usually - envy of a younger and more successful colleague. It has been noted that the instigators of bullying in many cases are older employees who are afraid of losing their job and because of this they find fault with their colleagues. Sometimes such pressure is temporary and is a kind of “initiation” into members of the team. An experienced employee, whom his superiors suddenly begin to treat favorably, can also become a victim of mobbing. Sometimes the cause of mobbing is self-confident behavior: excessive boasting, an abundance of complaints, ignoring corporate meals, defiant behavior. The reason for mobbing may also be the desire to ride on someone else's back.

Mobbing in educational institutions

To the history of the concept

In the animal world, a herd of herbivores sometimes attacks a predator (a phenomenon described by biologist Konrad Lorenz), this phenomenon is also called mobbing.

Psychologist and medical scientist Dr. Hanz Leiman first conducted research into this phenomenon in Swedish workplaces in the early 1980s. He called this behavior mobbing and described it as “psychological terror,” which involves “systematically repeated hostile and unethical attitudes of one or more people directed against another person, mainly one.” Layman identified 45 behaviors typical of mobbing: concealment necessary information, social isolation, slander, incessant criticism, spreading unfounded rumors, ridicule.

Organizational reasons for mobbing

• fight against religious prohibitions and morality
• imposition of the crowd's way of life
• rejection of dissenters
• fight against science and education
• lack of feedback
• permissive attitude towards lovers of intrigue and behind-the-scenes games
• poor organization of information flows
• vague boundaries of responsibility and job responsibilities
• lack of a personnel promotion system and career growth opportunities
• the prevalence of intimate or family ties between subordinates and management
• large overload of individual specialists

Consequences of mobbing

Mobbing can lead to neuroses, psychosomatic diseases, heart attacks and even suicide.

• Try to find a middle ground between saving your face and not standing out from the group.
• Don't let yourself be humiliated. Sometimes you need to “show your teeth.”
• Follow the traditions of the team. Participate in corporate events.
• If one of the employees is trying to “get you”, do not be nervous, talk to him calmly, find out what he is trying to achieve. Try not to react to offensive words. Remember that those who are offended are offended.
• Don't be familiar with your boss. Even if you are friends with him, do not advertise it, or better yet, be friends outside the organization.
• Carry out your duties conscientiously. In case of conflict, the boss will be on your side, as he will not want to lose a valuable employee.

Mobbing in cinema

• After Lucia (2012)
• Starting Point / KickOff (film, 2010)
• School (TV series 2009)

Links

• Emotional Abuse at Work: A Silent Passion?
• Druzhilov S.A. Psychological terror (mobbing) at a university department as a form of professional destruction
• Hunt for a manager (Dedicated to veterans of office wars)
• "Mobbing Dick" Russian newspaper" - Federal issue No. 5139 (60) dated March 24, 2010

Notes

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Synonyms:

Books

• Current problems of personnel management: Mobbing. Textbook, I.B. Durakova. The signs and forms of mobbing in an organization, the types and forms of its manifestation in the workplace, and the causes of its occurrence are considered. The nature and statistics of the participants, implementation scenarios...

Coming to a new team, everyone runs the risk of not fitting into their current life according to certain rules, thereby causing negative attitude to your colleagues and superiors. It’s good if you manage to immediately understand your mistakes and correct them, but if the confrontation that has begun various reasons goes too far, the new employee may find himself a victim of general dislike, contempt, ridicule, as well as small and large dirty tricks. This phenomenon in psychology is called “mobbing”. What it is and how you can resist it, we will discuss in detail later in the article.

Differences between mobbing and work conflicts

First of all, you need to understand exactly how mobbing differs from ordinary squabbles that are not uncommon in any team. For example, when your boss reprimands you for your sloppiness because you forgot to send documents somewhere, and then you get a blast from his secretary, who reminded you of this order several times, then this is not bullying, but a reaction to your sloppiness.

But if, when you come to work, you, for example, regularly hear the phrase from your colleagues: “Oh, he showed up, but we thought he got hit by a car and finally saved us from his company!” or you discover that important files on your computer have been erased, documents have been mixed up, and there are fragments of your favorite cup on the table, etc., then most likely you are a victim of mobbing.

In some groups, a similar disgusting phenomenon can arise in relationships between individual people. For example, a boss bullies one of his subordinates, showing seemingly unreasonable hostility. This psychological phenomenon is called “bullying”.

What can trigger mobbing?

So, bullying and mobbing - what is it? What provokes them? As it turns out, most often the reasons for the occurrence of these phenomena turn out to be quite clear, and one of them can be elementary envy.

Imagine for a moment - a young employee, full of strength and energy, comes to a team where the youngest employee has long since passed forty. It is understandable that he will not be immediately received with open arms. His youth, his health, and the opportunity to easily make a career will cause envy among his “mossy” colleagues who are stuck in their places.

And if among the employees there is a group of people who have long dreamed of, but have not managed to climb the career ladder, then they can go even further the easy way Satisfy personal ambitions: make an attempt to completely subjugate one of your colleagues. The weakest person is usually chosen as the target, and the process of bullying him makes the villains feel like significant persons.

Mobbing is a sign of idleness

In teams with improperly organized and distributed responsibilities of employees, mobbing also occurs very often. At work, where people are simply toiling away from doing nothing and looking for any opportunity to kill time, the named phenomenon turns out to be something that can occupy them, stir them up and make their existence meaningful.

In such conditions, any workaholic can become an outcast. “What do you need more than anyone? Why are you currying favor with your boss?” - these are the arguments of general discontent. By the way, teams are especially susceptible to this phenomenon, where it is impossible to advance in your career if you are not the boss’s favorite.

Reasons for mobbing

Mobbing can also be caused by tough competition. As a rule, in this case, they don’t even feel any particular hostility towards the victim, it’s just that at some point she turns out to be an obstacle on the way to the desired position or salary.

It is also important to know that mobbing at work most often turns out to be aimed at people with a certain character. As researchers have noted, its victims, as a rule, are whiners, weak and complex individuals, as well as those who stand out too much from the general background (the so-called white crows), gloomy and unsociable, or strange loners. All of them are capable of causing irritation in colleagues and superiors and a desire to crush and humiliate.

Once again about who can become a victim of mobbing

It is necessary to tell in more detail about people who find themselves under psychological pressure, since, by and large, anyone can find themselves in the place of a victim of mobbing. And, by the way, unlike bullying a classmate at school, when the goal is usually to conquer the victim and make him weak-willed, mobbing is used against someone whom they want to get rid of, force him to resign.

Mobbing in a team can be directed at both newcomers, who are somehow dangerous for old-timers, and competent experienced workers, who force their colleagues to suffer.

The bosses’ favorites will be persecuted out of envy, and low-ranking bosses will be tried to be “squeezed out” in order to put in their place more “convenient” and accommodating ones. Quite often, arrogant, overly self-confident and arrogant employees are subject to mobbing (the victim is by no means always an angel) due to a general dislike of their personality or people who have rejected the offered friendship, and sometimes the reason is sexual harassment from their superiors (as a rule, this applies already to bullying).

How mobbing is developing

Regardless of where mobbing develops (at school or in the office), it goes through several phases. And the basis for the emergence of this psychological phenomenon is, as a rule, an unhealthy climate in the team, which is fueled by high emotional tension. This cannot last long, so team members unconsciously look for the “guilty person,” who always turns out to be someone who causes general irritation (we already talked about the personality of the victim above).

Ridicule and ridicule begin to pour in at the chosen “scapegoat”. Over time, this becomes not enough, and employees or classmates who are carried away by the process of bullying are already trying with all their might to humiliate the victim, creating a vacuum around him in the form of a lack of communication and support, which, of course, cannot but affect the performance of work duties.

The latter, in turn, causes dissatisfaction with the authorities, especially if they are not very interested in the lives of their subordinates. As a result, the victim of mobbing has to leave the team.

Types of mobbing

In psychology, two types of pressure are distinguished: the so-called white and black. Although it is clear that the essence of mobbing does not depend on what “color” it is - under any conditions it remains a sign of unhealthy, and often simply sadistic, inclinations of certain people.

“White” (latent) mobbing manifests itself on the sly. Pressure, as a rule, is hidden, and employees diligently disown any unseemly actions. They emphasize that a person who feels like a victim is simply too touchy and suspicious.

By the way, such behavior is very insidious, as it forces the person under pressure to constantly doubt his professional and personal qualities and try to establish relationships with colleagues to no avail.

"Black" mobbing is an open conflict. At the same time, the mobber makes it clear to the victim that he was displeased in some way, and directly informs that this employee has no place in the team. Others support him in this.

Mobbing tools

Mobbing and bullying (we discuss the essence and methods of confrontation in this article) are manifested in a certain set of bullying tools.

Most often, as a result, the employee simply becomes invisible to his colleagues: no one talks to him, no one shares news, he is not invited to corporate events and his presence is ignored in every possible way.

Often unjustified fault-finding is applied to the victim. This behavior is especially characteristic of a boss in relation to a victim-subordinate.

Weapons such as disinformation are often used against newcomers. For example, if an experienced employee, who has been assigned to take over the patronage of a new employee, feels in the latter an obvious rival, then he can deliberately distort some information and, as a result, cause dissatisfaction with the management of the professional level of the newly hired employee, up to and including his dismissal.

The victim of mobbing can have his personal belongings damaged, as well as those for which he is financially responsible, and in some cases even use methods that threaten his health (laxative in tea or tripping - you never know what the scoundrel has enough imagination for!).

What should you do to avoid being mobbing?

In order to avoid a possible conflict at a new place of work, you should immediately follow a set of certain rules:

• No need to brag. The successes and obvious merits of one of the employees can greatly irritate the team. Envy, as you know, can push people to the most unpleasant actions, so do not awaken it: do not boast about a rich admirer, a luxurious vacation, a car received as a gift, etc.
• Try to quickly adopt the laws by which this group lives. In any community that exists long enough, the emergence of a kind of corporate charter is inevitable, to which all its members are subject. A person who ignores it (joint parties, a ban on makeup in the workplace, treats in honor of his birthday or other family celebrations, etc.) risks causing a negative attitude from colleagues and even his boss.

Decent behavior is a way to avoid mobbing

The above rules can be supplemented with several more points that will help prevent mobbing:

• In an organization, it is very important for a newcomer to immediately identify it in order to gain his support.
• You need to be restrained in your statements: do not humiliate your colleagues or gossip about them.
• Do not react or be offended by caustic remarks.
• Be friendly and welcoming to everyone, but do not fawn or humiliate yourself.
• Do not allow yourself to be humiliated, since in any team they do not like the unrequited and weak.
• Try to talk frankly with your offender, but it is important to be calm and not resort to insults. A question asked directly: “Is there something you didn’t like about me?” will let the mobber know that you have understood the situation and are not going to remain silent.

Consequences of mobbing

All of the tips listed above should help avoid or at least minimize conflict situation. And this is very important, since mobbing and bullying have very serious consequences for those who have been persecuted. Like other types of violence, the ones mentioned cannot pass without a trace: in Europe, for example, it was calculated that 10% of people who were subjected to pressure at work committed suicide.

Due to constant stress, many victims develop insomnia, neurotic states appear and the immune system weakens, which, of course, cannot but affect the ability to perform their work duties.

How to behave correctly as a victim of mobbing

You probably understood from the article where we discussed mobbing what it is - a manifestation of collective psychology that can lead to very serious consequences. Therefore, if the simple way to avoid bullying - dismissal - is unacceptable, and the victim really values ​​​​her place of work, she needs to make every effort to ensure that the said role becomes short-lived:

• The current situation should first of all be viewed as a training opportunity to identify your weaknesses and strengthen character traits that help you withstand stress.
• The victim should try not to care about the attacks if they are harmless enough, and this can bring results. The mobber, finding that he is unable to hurt the victim, will give up his attempts.
• You can always assemble a team of like-minded people capable of adequately resisting a tyrant.
• Find a patron who can protect you from attacks.
• Contact a psychologist.

And most importantly, you need to learn to laugh at yourself and at the mobber, who at any moment can take the place of the victim (and no one knows how he will cope with this situation!).

A few final words

Emotional abuse at work is a phenomenon that takes a toll not only on the victim, but on the entire team. After all, they can no longer fully devote themselves to their duties - the interests and attention of people are now directed to something else.

Therefore, managers should give special close attention creating a normal working atmosphere among subordinates, ensuring that conflicts that arise are resolved quickly and fairly. Only this approach will not allow employees to learn from their own bitter experience how cruel mobbing is and what it is.