Types Of Workplace Bullies To Look Out For

Cliques

It’s natural to form friendships in the workplace. And further, it’s natural for certain individuals to be drawn to each other more than others. Certain people are in similar phases of their lives, or may share interests. Cliques, though, go beyond simple friendships. When a clique forms, a group of employees freezes out or ostracizes a single person or smaller group. This can take many forms. Maybe only one employee doesn’t get invited to a group lunch. Maybe they create elaborate in-jokes they very publicly flaunt in the faces of those not in on it. In the end, they create an environment where certain employees feel excluded, left out, disliked and unwanted. This can often create an awful working environment and depress workplace morale. And it can even spill over more directly into a lack of productivity, with members of the clique not working well with those they’re ostracizing.

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Saboteurs

Another type of workplace bully is the Saboteur. This type of bully is especially bad news because they’re often actively undermining your ability to do your job.

Saboteurs have different motivations. Some try to undermine another employee because they feel a sense of competition, whether for a possible promotion or for favor in a manager’s eyes. Others allow personal grievances or dislike of another to cause them to act unprofessionally. Regardless of the motivation, the Saboteur will find subtle and not-so-subtle ways to hinder the performance of your job. Often times, the Saboteur will hide behind plausible deniability. ‘Oops, I forgot to copy you on that email about the revised deadline’. ‘Sorry, I thought I mentioned we were going to be having a meeting today.’ ‘Ah, looks like I mistyped the price in the order I sent to you, sorry!’ While anyone can make a mistake, the Saboteur’s actions take on a deliberate pattern over time. The insidious thing about the Saboteur is this kind of backstabbing can sometimes be hidden beneath a smiling face. Many Saboteurs never show any outward dislike for their targets. But they’re working on a consistent basis to make doing their job a nightmare.

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