‘Want to know how to prove workplace bullying? Here are three types of proof you should be familiar with.
Workplace bullying is often more challenging to prove than school bullying. The reason for this is that adults are generally more skilled at concealing their intentions than schoolchildren and teenagers.
Therefore, in this post, you will learn how to prove workplace bullying so that you will have the materials you need to present during company tribunals or in court.
Once you have learned all about this crucial information, you will be able to gather your evidence and prove your case confidently.
This post is all about how to prove workplace bullying so that you can save your reputation and get the justice you deserve.
How to Prove Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is the most difficult to prove. Why? Because adults are much better at hiding their bullying than kids in school. Moreover, companies are good at covering up bullying incidents and protecting themselves from legal consequences.
Therefore, you must gather your evidence on your own.
When you report bullying at work, HR will likely tell you that they will conduct an investigation and get back with you. However, never rely on that. Here’s why.
1. HR will only look out for the company’s interests, not yours.
They may tell you that they’ll protect you. However, this is a lie that has sold many bullied employees down the river.
Additionally, if the bully is a superior, such as a supervisor or manager, you can be certain that HR will likely protect them rather than you.
Just by being higher up than you on the corporate ladder, HR will more than likely take their word over yours. That’s just how it works.
2. How to Prove Workplace Bullying:
By reporting bullying, you automatically become a liability.
HR will never tell you this. However, once you report bullying and submit that grievance form, they will consider you a threat to the company.
They may claim to have an open-door policy. But the reality is that most companies despise employees who complain even once.
When you complain, you make waves. Therefore, they’ll begin watching you and looking for any reason to terminate you.
Therefore, it would be best if you quietly gathered your evidence before reporting bullying and submitting a grievance form. Why? Because if you already have the proof you need, you will throw HR off balance.
You may even throw them into panic mode. Then, they will more than likely make mistakes that benefit you.
So, What are the three types of evidence you need?
The workplace can be very cutthroat. Therefore, gather your evidence quietly. The trick is not to let on that anything is happening until you have already collected your proof.
If you keep it quiet while gathering evidence, your workplace bullies won’t need to watch their behavior. Therefore, let them think that they have you over a barrel. Keep them comfortable with their abuse.
Why? Because when someone is relaxed, they expose themself. That’s what you want!
Here is the proof you’ll need.
1. How to Prove Workplace Bullying:
Your own documentation.
If you want to gather evidence that people are bullying you at work, writing about it can be the first step to making a record of the attacks.
The best way to do this is to keep a bullying journal. Journals are the best way for you to protect yourself.
When you keep a journal of bullying, you establish a pattern of bullying that is believable. Moreover, you also provide evidence to present in court if you decide to go the legal route.
Also, keep your journal safe at home. Never take it to work with you. Why? Because bullies are known for plundering through your office and your desk after you’ve gone home for the day.
Therefore, you risk them finding your journal and snooping through it. So, keep it home.
Write about any of the day’s bullying events as soon as you get home, while your memory is still fresh. The sooner you write about it, the better.
When documenting bullying in your journal, be sure to use the 5-W method.
the 5-W Method
1. What
Write in your journal what happened. And when you write about it, describe the incident exactly as it unfolded. Include any exchanges of dialogue and by whom.
2. Who
Identify the bullies by writing down their full names. If necessary, include their titles and positions. Also, include the names, titles, and positions of any bystanders and witnesses.
If any supervisors are present, please add their names, titles, and positions as well. They may not want to provide any testimonies. Additionally, they may even deny witnessing the bullying incident.
However, if you document correctly, your bullying journal will expose them for the liars and cowards they are.
3. How to Prove Workplace Bullying:
When
Record the date and exact time of the incident. This is very important!
4. Where
You must include where the incident happened. For instance, did it happen in the company bathroom? Record that. Did it occur in the parking lot? Write that in your journal.
5. Why
Write down why it happened. For example, was the bully retaliating because you reported prior harassment?. Write down every detail!
If you don’t know why it happened, write that down. Moreover, if necessary, also describe how the incident occurred. You owe it to yourself to document the bullying.
How not to record in Your Journal
Pay attention to the quality of your documentation. Make sure that you write everything neatly and legibly. The last thing you want is writing that isn’t easy to read.
Don’t be vague. And don’t write how they made you feel. Here are examples of wrong statements in documentation.
- “Her words made me feel hurt and embarrassed.”
- “He assaulted me.” This is why detailed documentation is so crucial.
Always write everything down in the tiniest details possible. And no hearsay. In other words, none of the “he said, she said” stuff. Ever!
If you didn’t hear it with your own ears, it’s best not to write about it. Instead, only record your own experiences.
If people are bullying you, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have documentation of it. Documentation gets more credit than spoken words.
Why? Because when you use the spoken word to describe what you’ve experienced, you can become emotional. Then, you will end up rambling about it. And it will hurt you more than it will help.
When you’re being bullied, it’s not the time to be lazy. You must be proactive and document! It’s truly the best defense there is!
2. How to Prove Workplace Bullying:
Recordings.
You can use a hidden body camera or a digital recorder. You can use both, if you prefer. However, here’s a word of caution. You must get familiar with the laws in your state on recordings.
Some states have a one-party consent rule, and others have a two-party consent rule. If you live in a one-party consent state, using recordings to gather evidence is illegal. And it could easily backfire on you.
On the other hand, if you live in a two-party consent state, you are free to record. Therefore, consider wearing a hidden body camera or carrying a digital voice recorder to work.
But read the company’s policy first. Some companies have clauses that prevent recordings on their property.
3. How to Prove Workplace Bullying:
Electronic Evidence: Screenshots, saved emails, and saved messages.
Take screenshots of any company email exchanges between you and your bully. However, chances are that your company has software that monitors the entire network. In other words, they will be watching you.
Moreover, they will watch and record every keystroke you make. So, if you use the company computer to take screenshots, they’ll know it.
Therefore, use your phone to take pictures of the email exchanges. When you do it this way, you won’t blow your cover, and you’ll continue to keep your investigation secret.
If bullies bully you at work, there’s a good chance they’ll stalk your social media pages, get your email address, and bully you online too.
Therefore, save everything on three or more different flash drives. Then, keep each flash drive in a different place. The trick is to take precautions in case someone connected to your bullies breaks into your house to conduct a little snooping.
This doesn’t happen often. However, it has happened, and you want to take precautions.
If your workplace bully sends you a mean or threatening text, save it. The more evidence you gather, the more you build your case. Therefore, the more likely you are to get justice.
In Closing
When you’re being bullied or mobbed at work, I want to emphasize the importance of gathering your own evidence. HR may try to assure you that they’ll conduct an investigation. However, you should never take that at face value.
Realize that HR is only looking out for the company’s best interests. Therefore, you must look out for yours.
This is not the time to by lazy. So, do what you must do to gather evidence of bullying and build your case. Nobody can watch your ass but you.
This post was all about how to prove workplace bullying so that you can build a good case and win!
Related posts you’ll enjoy:
1. Bullying Evidence: 5 Smart Ways to Get Evidence of Bullying
2. How to Document Bullying: 5 Things to Record in Your Journal