The Three Effects of Workplace Harassment You Might Experience

People expect to feel safe and valued in their workplace, but some individuals are not so lucky. There are some companies that struggle with the toxic environment created by bullying and harassment. These scenarios can be caused by your superiors or coworkers, so it can affect any tier within the business.

But there are clear effects of workplace harassment that you might experience if you are a victim of such behavior. Knowing the three effects of harassment in the office can help with recognizing inappropriate workplace behavior, and these effects have been listed below.

Negative Impact on Job Performance

Workers who are bullied or harassed could begin to perform poorly in their roles. This is due to the mental discomfort that bullying causes. Some of the issues that employees might display include difficulty concentrating, diminished productivity, and frequent absence. If promotion and other decisions are based on the number of absences a worker has had, this could impact the person’s career prospects.

For some, the impact on job performance might be caused by a lack of motivation. It could also be due to time lost. A harassed employee might become preoccupied by avoiding their bully, planning to deal with the situation, or trying to defend themselves. These situations could make that individual feel powerless by the trauma of their experiences, and this might cause them to become more isolated in the workspace.

Changes in the Workplace

The entire work environment can change as a result of workplace harassment. People often believe it will only affect the victim, but it can extend to all who witness the bullying, too. This will commonly cause a hostile work environment to form, and this can cause collaboration, teamwork, and trust among colleagues and higher ups to erode.

Over time, if the harassment is not tackled in an efficient manner, it could be seen as acceptable behavior by other individuals. This would greatly impact the company’s culture, worsening the overall environment. Plus, the company could see its reputation tarnished if the victims of bullying and harassment wish to take the employer to an employment tribunal.

Risks to Your Health

Unfortunately, workplace bullying can follow you home at times, too. There are physical and psychological health issues that can be caused by the stress of being harassed at work, such as high blood pressure, mood changes, and ulcers. You might even find yourself suffering from changes in appetite, headaches, and muscle tension, or you might experience poor sleep.

The stress of experiencing harassment at work can cause serious health risks. A paper published in 2018 found that workers who were exposed to stressors, such as workplace bullying, were at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Even the employees who just witness their colleagues being bullied or harassed might experience adverse health effects, too.

Not only will it affect your physical health, but your mental health might also take a drop because of harassment. Feelings of anger and frustration could lead to an increase in stress as well as a loss of self-confidence and self-esteem.

To conclude, being harassed in the workplace can impact an employee in numerous ways. The individual might experience a change in their job performance and health, while the entire work environment could become toxic.

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