Dignity
ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS. THEY ARE ENDOWED WITH REASON AND CONSCIENCE AND SHOULD ACT TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER IN A SPRIT OF BROTHERHOOD
NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED TO ARBITRARY INTERFERENCE WITH HIS PRIVACY,FAMILY HOME OR CORRESPONDENCE, NOR TO ATTACKS UPON HIS HONOR AND REPUTATION. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PROTECTION OF THE LAW AGAINST SUCH INTERFERENCE OR ATTACKS.
ARTICLES 1 AND 12 UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948.
Given the above as an agreed starting point for a minimum standard of rights to every human being, can there really be any justification for the way in which many employees across the world are being treated in their workplaces by either their managers or other employees?
Perhaps you can remember from your childhood, atime when you were bullied at school? You may remember the fear and anxiety that your treatment caused? Well, as confirmed by an ever increasing body of research, the unfortuate truth is that the emotions you felt back at that time are being felt by literally millions of working people right across the world nations both east and west.
As far as the UK is concerned, research for the BBC carried out by Charlotte RaynerPhD of Staffordshire University Business School and Prof. Cary Cooper of the Manchester School of Management[umist] has concluded that a staggering 53% of their sample reported having been bullied at work and 77% of respondents reported having been witnesses to such bulling. These statistics appear to be consistent with the growing body of research available at this time.
Harrassment can take the form of physical verbal or non verbal conduct which is unwanted by the individual target. In certain circumstances, harassment can be unlawful and can result in legal proceedings being taken against the harasser and often the employer as well.
Bullying is slightly different as it is deliberate, each incident may not seem significant to an objective observer when taken in isolation however it is important to recognize that there is a cumulative effect and each incident is in effect building on the last.
Bulling can be defined as the persistant use of offensive bahaviour which gradually undermines the persons self esteem and confidence. Whilst bullying does not include constructive criticism and behaviour or performance by line managers or supervisiors upwards, it should be recognized that such criticism can often be used as a way to further undermine the confidence of a person who already under the cumulative effect of harassment and that such poor performance may well be the direct result of that harassment.