What is bossing at the workplace?

Bullying is called bossing when it comes from a person in a higher position.

Examples of bossing at the work level

Basically, a distinction can be madebetween bossing at the work level and bossing at the personal level. For example, at the work level, asupervisor may bully by using the following ways:

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• Manipulation of the employee’swork results
• Assigning of pointless or unmanageable tasks
• Unfair criticism of the employee's work results, possibly in public
• Constant control at work
• Withdrawal of necessary information or privileges given to other employees

Examples of bossing at a personal level

• Slandering the employee by the supervisor
• Exclusion from the team
• Insinuating false facts
• Badmouthing the employee infront of colleagues

Why do bosses bully their employees?

Most often, supervisors who bully their employees are people who lackself-confidence and are insecure themselves. An employee who may appear stronger or more confident than the supervisor is seen as a threat. The supervisor then tries to cover up or compensate for this personal feeling of inferiority by resorting to bullying.