Harvey Weinstein
He did what people in power have done for centuries. He used and exploited those who worked for him and those who wanted to work for him, to serve his own need.
He harassed, he bullied, he coerced and then he threatened anyone who dared to challenge his behaviour.
The result for Harvey Weinstein has been life-changing. There is not a person in the developed world who doesn’t know what it is alleged that he has done. The reputational damage caused by this scandal will be long-lasting and potentially indefinite. Needless to say, life for that Harvey, will never be the same.
If only the repercussions in the New Zealand employment world for bullying in the workplace were so public, so easy to verify (the strength in the Weinstein case was the number of women who came forward with the same claims) and the justice so swift.
Unfortunately, it’s not, and the burden of proof in organisational bullying and/or harassment cases often rests with the employee who (we recognise) is starting from a position of trauma (with the good faith in their organisational relationship in tatters), and who must then try to construct a join-the-dots of what happened, of who said what and when.
Thankfully, the shining light in the workplace bullying landscape is WorkSafe who have ensured that employees and employers are finally getting better “bullying in the workplace” resources.
WorkSafe NZ has developed a “bullying in the workplace toolbox” and includes a checklist of behaviour and action examples which can help individuals identify whether the experiences they are having in their workplace, might be considered bullying.
WorkSafe has also helped to define what bullying is (repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that can lead to physical or psychological harm).
They have also defined repeated behaviour (occurs more than once) and can involve a range of actions over time) and unreasonable behaviour (including victimising, humiliating, intimidating or threatening a person).
For a bullying claim to have any chance of success, an employee must show that the behaviour they experienced meets these criteria. The more specific the examples and details, the greater the likelihood of success.
A question we may pose in this situation is “what is the worst thing your organisation has done to you?” as the starting point in our conversation with you about your experiences at work. This is not to say that there is always a “worst thing” and we recognise that your experience might be a lot of little things repeated over time.
What we do understand and what we focus on, is how these actions make you feel.
Employee claims of organisational bullying are not easy. They are difficult for both employees and employers.
The initial conversations can often be difficult and emotional and this is where our advocates can lend their support and expertise.
The process may not be straightforward and can vary depending upon individual circumstances, but our advocates can talk you through the steps of the process and the types of outcomes you may expect.
Our employment advocates are more than happy to talk through your situation and identify what we can do to help and support you.
One final thought about the Weinstein scandal and the saddest part for me, is the number of people who knew what was going on and stood idly by. Bullying within organisations can be the same, and the chances are, that if you are being bullied at work, that you are not the only one.
You may not be the recipient of bullying behaviour, but if you know someone that is, will you also stand idly by?
If you think you’re being bullied or are concerned about a situation you have in your workplace, it costs nothing to have an initial conversation with our employment advocates, please get in touch on 0800 no win no fee (0800669466) or complete the contact form below and we’ll talk soon.