How to handle workplace harassments

KATHMANDU, March 15: We spend around eight hours of our day at the office. This means that if we find our workplace an unpleasant or difficult place to be in then we are surely in trouble.

We can approach the situation in two ways—try to fix it or simply be miserable and tolerate it. The first step is to recognize the different kinds of harassments that we might be facing at work.

Identifying the types of workplace harassment

Verbal abuse: Is there a colleague or a senior who never misses a chance to say something demeaning to you, whether in private or in public? If there have also been a lot of offensive comments or deprecating statements coming your way, you could be a victim of verbal bullying. These comments can be about your age, gender, disability, or ethnicity. They could be obviously cruel or subtle or even downright insulting, and they are definite indicators that you are being harassed at work.

Social bullying: Rumors affect us badly, and so does people ignoring us at work. It's common for people to form and function in close knit groups everywhere. Falling out with cliques or a member of a clique could lead to social exclusion at work. The person who is being pointedly ignored by his/her colleagues will start to dread going to work because it's not a nice feeling to feel alone or unwanted.

Sexual harassment: Any kind of unwanted physical contact comes under sexual harassment. You've noticed that someone at work is constantly brushing against you inappropriately or forcefully touching you, making you uncomfortable. The person continues to do so despite you telling them that you don't like it. That's sexual harassment. Other kinds of sexual harassment are lewd comments directed to you, people asking for unwanted sexual favors, forcing physical contact, etc.

Cyber bullying: These days, cyber bullying is quite rampant as most people have access to technology. You are undergoing cyber bullying if someone's harassing you by sending you messages or pictures on your computer or cell phone that are making you uncomfortable. The content of the messages and picture can be humiliating, hurtful, or sexual. The sender might be trying to force their attention on you or may even be trying to intimidate you.

What to do next

Once you recognize that you are being bullied or harassed, you should immediately speak up and try to put a stop to it. Confront the person who's troubling you. Tell them that you don't like what they're doing and to stop it. In case they continue to be a nuisance then go to your supervisor. If you have evidence of their harassment (like messages or pictures) then take them along to strengthen your case. You can ask a friend to support you if that makes you feel comfortable. Don't stay quiet because you don't have to suffer silently. And if you're not the victim but you know someone who is suffering, then it's your responsibility to step in and do something. Don't be a bystander. You should intervene, especially if the situation has become impossible for the sufferer.