Mobbing - what is it? The reasons for mobbing, its nature and ways of confrontation

Coming to a new collective, everyone risks not fitting into his current life according to certain rules, thus provoking a negative attitude to his colleagues and superiors. It's good if you manage to immediately understand your mistakes and correct them, but if the confrontation that has started for various reasons goes too far, the new worker may fall prey to general dislike, contempt, ridicule, and small and large dirty tricks. This phenomenon in psychology is called "mobbing". What this is and how to resist it, we will discuss in detail later in the article.

Differences between mobbing and work conflicts

First of all, you need to understand exactly what distinguishes mobbing from ordinary squabbles, not infrequent in any collective. For example, when the boss is chastising for sloppiness, because you forgot to forward documents to someone, and then you fly in from his secretary, who reminded you of this assignment several times, then this is not harassment, but a reaction to your carelessness.

But if you come to work, for example, you regularly hear a phrase from your colleagues: "Oh, I came, and we thought, got under the car and, finally, saved us from our society!" Or find out what's on your computer Erased important files, documents are mixed, and on the table are fragments of your favorite cup, etc., then, most likely, you are a victim of mobbing.

In some collectives, such an abominable phenomenon can arise in the relationship between individuals. For example, the boss taps one of the subordinates, showing seemingly unreasonable dislike. This psychological phenomenon is called "bullying".

What can provoke mobbing

So, bullying and mobbing - what is it? What provokes them? As it turns out, most often the reasons for the appearance of these phenomena are quite understandable, and one of them can become an elementary envy.

Imagine for a moment - in a team where the youngest employee has long been over forty, comes a young, full of energy and energy worker. It is understandable that it will not be accepted immediately with open arms. And his youth, and health, and the opportunity to easily make a career will be caused by those "mossy" colleagues who have stayed in their places, envy.

And if among the employees the company of people who have long dreamed, but who have not managed to climb the career ladder, they can go and easier by satisfying their personal ambitions: to make an attempt to completely subordinate one of their colleagues. As the object is usually chosen the weakest person, and the process of its harassment allows scoundrels to feel significant persons.

Mobbing is a sign of idleness

In teams with improperly organized and distributed duties of employees, mobbing is also very common. At work, where people are simply rushing from doing nothing and looking for any opportunity to kill time, the phenomenon named turns out to be something that can take them, stir up and make existence meaningful.

In such conditions, any workaholic can be an outcast. "Do you need more than anything? What are you doing for the boss? "- these are the arguments of general discontent. By the way, collectives are especially vulnerable to this phenomenon, in which it is impossible to advance in a career if you are not the boss's favorite.

Causes of Mobbing

The reason for mobbing can be tough competition. As a rule, in such a case, the victim is not even particularly disliked, it just happens to be a hindrance to a desired position or salary at some point.

It is also important to know that mobbing at work is most often aimed at people with a certain character trait. As the researchers drew attention, its victims, as a rule, are whiners, weak and complexed personalities, and too stand out against the general background (the so-called white ravens), morose and unsociable or weird loners. All of them are capable of causing irritation and a desire to mutilate and humiliate colleagues and superiors.

Once again about who can become a victim of mobbing

People who find themselves under psychological pressure need to be told in more detail, since, by and large, anybody can be at the site of a mobbing victim. And by the way, unlike hazing in the army or bullying a classmate at school, when they usually pursue the goal of conquering the victim and making her weak-willed, mobbing applies to the one whom they want to get rid of, to force them to quit.

Mobbing in the team can manifest itself to both newcomers, something dangerous for the old-timers, and competent experienced workers, forcing their colleagues to suffer inferiority complex.

The bosses' favorites will be jealous of envy, and the chiefs of low rank will try to "squeeze out" to put in their place more "convenient" and accommodating. Quite often mugging is subject to impudent, overconfident and arrogant employees (the victim is not always an angel) because of a general dislike for their personality or people who rejected the proposed friendship, and sometimes the cause is sexual harassment from the bosses (usually this applies Already to bulling).

How does mobbing develop?

Regardless of where the mobbing is developing (in the school or in the office), it goes through several phases. And the basis for the emergence of this psychological phenomenon is, as a rule, an unhealthy climate in the team, which is fueled by high emotional tension. It can not last for long, therefore members of the collective unconsciously look for the "guilty", who always turns out to be someone who causes general annoyance (we already spoke about the victim's personality above).

To the chosen scapegoat, mockery and mockery begin to pour. Over time, this is not enough, and employees or classmates, enthusiastic about the persecution, are already trying to humiliate the victim, forming a vacuum around her in the form of lack of communication and support, which, of course, can not fail to affect the performance of work duties.

The latter, in turn, causes discontent of the authorities, especially if it is not much interested in the lives of its subordinates. As a result, this victim of mobbing has to leave the collective.

Varieties of Mobbing

In psychology, there are two types of said pressure: the so-called white and black. Although it is clear that the essence of mobbing does not depend on what it is "color" - it under any conditions remains a sign of unhealthy, and often simply sadistic tendencies of certain people.

"White" (latent) mobbing shows up in secret. Pressure, as a rule, is hiding, and employees are diligently disowned of any kind of unseemly acts. They emphasize that a person who feels like a victim is simply too touchy and hypochondriac.

By the way, this behavior is very insidious, as it forces the underdog under constant pressure to doubt their professional and personal qualities and to try to establish relations with colleagues in vain.

"Black" mobbing is an open conflict. Mobert at the same time gives the victim to understand that she did not please something, and directly informs that this employee does not belong in the team. This is supported by the rest.

Mobing tools

Mobbing and bullying (the essence and ways of confrontation we are considering in this article) are manifested in a certain set of tools of persecution.

Most often this is a boycott, as a result of which an employee becomes simply invisible to his colleagues: nobody talks to him, shares news, he is not invited to corporate parties and in every possible way ignores his presence.

Often the victim is used unjustified nit-picking. This behavior is especially characteristic of the boss in relation to the victim-subordinate.

Newcomers often use such weapons as misinformation. For example, if an experienced employee who has been instructed to take patronage over a newcomer will feel in the last obvious competitor, then he can deliberately distort some information and cause as a result the discontent of the authorities with the professional level of the newly adopted, right up to his dismissal.

Victims of mobbing can spoil both personal things, and those for which it is financially responsible, and in some cases even apply health-threatening methods (laxative in tea or a trip - yes little on what the scoundrel has enough imagination!).

What should I do not to be subjected to mobbing

In order to avoid a possible conflict at a new place of work, you should immediately execute a set of certain rules:

• Do not brag. Successes and obvious advantages of one of the employees can greatly irritate the team. Envy, as you know, can push people to the most unpleasant actions, so do not wake her up: do not boast of a rich fan, luxuriously spent vacation, a car received as a gift, etc.
• Try to quickly adopt the laws by which this collective lives. In any community that exists long enough, the inevitable emergence of a kind of corporate charter, to which all its members are subordinate. A person who ignores him (joint partying, a ban on make-up at the workplace, treats in honor of his birthday or other family celebrations, etc.), risks causing a negative attitude of colleagues and even the boss.

Worthy behavior is a way to avoid mobbing

The above rules can be supplemented with a few more points that will prevent mobbing:

• In an organization, a newcomer is very important to immediately identify her informal leader in order to enlist his support.
• One should be reserved in the statements: do not humiliate colleagues and do not gossip about them.
• Do not react and do not take offense at caustic remarks.
• Be friendly and affable with everyone, but do not curry favor and do not humiliate yourself.
• Do not allow yourself to be humiliated, because in any team they do not like the unrequited and the weak.
• Try to talk frankly with your abuser, but it's important to be calm and not go insulting. The question asked in the forehead: "I did not like something?" Will make it clear to the MoBber that you have sorted out the situation and are not going to be silent.

The consequences of mobbing

All the above tips should help avoid or at least minimize the conflict situation. And this is very important, since mobbing and bullying have very serious consequences for those who have been persecuted. Like other types of violence, the mentioned ones can not pass without a trace: in Europe, for example, it was estimated that 10% of people subjected to pressure at work had committed suicide.

Many victims on the basis of constant stress develop insomnia, neurotic states appear and immunity weakens, which, of course, can not but affect the ability to perform their work duties.

How to behave properly the victim of mobbing

You probably understood from the materials of the article, where we discussed mobbing, what it is - a manifestation of collective psychology that can lead to very serious consequences. Therefore, if a simple way to avoid baiting - dismissal - is unacceptable, and the victim really appreciates his place of work, she needs to do her best to make this role short-lived:

• The current situation in the first place should be considered as an opportunity for training to identify their weaknesses and strengthen character traits that help to withstand stress.
• The victim should try not to attack, if they are harmless enough, and this can bring the result. Mobert, finding that he could not hurt the victim, would abandon his attempts.
• It is always possible to assemble a team of like-minded people who can adequately resist the tyrant.
• Find a patron who can protect from attacks.
• To address to the psychologist.

And most importantly - you need to learn to laugh at yourself and over the mobber, which at any time can take the place of the victim (and no one knows how he will cope with this situation!).

A few words at a time

Emotional violence at work is a phenomenon that affects not only the victim, but the whole team. After all, they can no longer give themselves in full force to their duties - the interests and attention of people now turn out to be directed to another.

Therefore, managers should pay special attention to the creation of a normal working atmosphere among subordinates, ensuring that the conflicts that arise are resolved quickly and fairly. Only this approach will not allow employees at their bitter experience to find out how cruel the mobbing is, what it is.