How to Eliminate Workplace Bullying and Incivility | Forence Bigsby | TEDxGreensboro

Summary

The speaker shares a personal account of workplace bullying, detailing the psychological toll and the struggle to find support. They highlight the prevalence of bullying and incivility in the workplace, affecting nearly half of the U.S. workforce. The talk emphasizes the economic and human costs, including reduced productivity and turnover, and stresses the importance of leadership in establishing clear cultural norms, providing education on recognizing and addressing bullying, and taking swift action to maintain a psychologically safe work environment.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker identifies as a fighter with a relentless drive for excellence, despite facing workplace challenges.
• 😢 The speaker experienced severe sleep deprivation and emotional distress, leading to a desperate plea for help from HR to find a safe place to work.
• 🔍 The speaker's research revealed a stark contrast between the organization's reputed culture of diversity and inclusion and the reality of incivility and bullying.
• 🤔 The speaker ponders the discrepancy between their extensive experience in fostering psychologically safe environments and the bullying they encountered.
• 👥 Statistics indicate that a significant portion of the U.S. workforce will either experience or witness bullying, with a substantial impact on individuals and organizations.
• 💸 Workplace bullying and incivility have substantial financial costs, including high turnover rates and reduced productivity.
• 🚦 The speaker emphasizes the importance of clear 'Rules of Engagement' in organizations to prevent bullying and incivility.
• 🏫 Ongoing education is crucial to inform employees about the signs of bullying and incivility and how to respond effectively.
• 🏃 Swift action is necessary when incidents of bullying or incivility occur to mitigate their impact and prevent a culture of fear and stress.
• 🙌 Leaders have a responsibility to be proactive in creating a safe and inclusive work environment, prioritizing the well-being of their employees.

Q & A

What is the speaker's self-description at the beginning of the speech?

The speaker describes herself as someone who doesn't mind getting dirty, considers herself a unicorn, and strives to be the best at everything she does. She identifies as a fighter who never gives up and is rarely afraid.

Why did the speaker reach out to her chief HR officer at 3 am?

The speaker reached out because she was experiencing severe distress due to incivility and bullying at work, to the point where she felt the need to find a safe place to hide and look for another job.

What was the speaker's initial reason for joining the organization?

The speaker joined the organization because of its renowned culture of diversity and inclusion.

What is the difference between bullying and incivility as described in the script?

Bullying is described as repeated, targeted behavior towards a specific individual causing distress, while incivility is an overall behavior that one exudes, causing distress to those they interact with.

What percentage of the U.S. workforce has experienced or witnessed bullying, according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, 30% of the U.S. workforce will experience bullying at some point in their career, and 19% will witness it, meaning 49% will be affected by bullying.

What is the financial cost of bullying and incivility in the workplace over a five-year period, as mentioned in the script?

Bullying and incivility have cost $223 billion in turnover alone over a five-year period.

How does the speaker suggest the impact of incivility and bullying in a virtual environment?

The speaker suggests that the impact of incivility and bullying is worse in a virtual environment due to the social media haze and the feeling of being more removed from each other, which allows people to say and do things they wouldn't in a face-to-face environment.

What are the three tactics that bullies use according to the script?

The three tactics that bullies use are passive actions, active actions, and ways in which they recruit others.

What are some signs that someone is being affected by incivility and bullying, as outlined in the script?

Signs that someone is being affected include voicing distress, showing avoidance behaviors, changes in performance, and receiving complaints from customers and co-workers about their behavior.

What are the three keys to safeguarding organizational culture against incivility and bullying, as suggested by the speaker?

The three keys are setting clear Rules of Engagement, early and ongoing education, and swift action if an incident occurs.

Why is early and ongoing education important in addressing incivility and bullying, according to the speaker?

Early and ongoing education is important because it raises awareness about the signs of incivility and bullying and encourages employees to take action. It also addresses the fact that not all employees are aware of how to identify or respond to such behaviors.