Bullied at your workplace? Here’s a handy book on what to do
Far too often, we associate bullying as only a plight endured by children and teenagers. But, though rarely acknowledged, let alone addressed, bullying is very much a problem among adults as well, especially in the workplace. So much so that violence and harassment is considered one of the main issues the worldwide workforce faces according to the International Labour Organization.
In her new book titled “Bully & Co”, Fiona Nanayakkara attempts to shed light on this issue, by helping people identify the presence of workplace harassment and how to counter it. This self-help guide focuses on three areas; the impact of harassment on the organisation and its employees; the ways in which bullying manifests in the workplace; and the tools and mechanisms victims of bullying and harassment can utilise to cope with and counter harassment.
Having spent close to a decade in the corporate sector, Fiona is no stranger to workplace harassment, having been subjected to it herself. Initially having started writing and researching in order to document her own experiences, Fiona was surprised to discover the global statistics of workplace harassment being as high as 50 percent of all employees having faced some form of harassment. She details practical tools to cope with harassment, which she herself had utilised.
She also attempts to bring in a little humour using colourful anecdotes which illustrate the different types of corporate bullies one will encounter. Drawing from her own personal experiences as well those of her colleagues and friends, these anecdotes make the overall discussion more relatable.
Having worked on the book diligently for two years, Fiona launched the book at an event held at the RE.PUB.LK , in Colombo, on April 6, in the presence of her family, friends and well wishers. Speaking at the event, she stressed the importance of employers and organizations taking steps to curtail workplace bullying, as such activities not only adversely affect the employees but the organisation as a whole. She cited a rise in employee turnover rates, damage to company reputation, and even the hit the company’s bottom line takes when having to spend on retraining and legal costs, as valid reasons for organisations to become involved in fighting workplace harassment.
‘Bully & Co’ is available for purchase online at wow.lk and Sarasavi bookshops islandwide for Rs.2000 in Sinhala, Tamil and English. The book is also available for purchase overseas via Amazon.com. Proceeds from the sales will go towards creating awareness and promoting open discussion on the topic of workplace harassment among corporate entities in the country.
Fiona Nanayakkara speaking at the launch. Pix by Nilan Maligaspe