Mobbing is a negative phenomenon that can seriously affect the well-being of employees. Tackling it requires a joint effort from employees and employers.

On the one hand, employees can prevent the perpetuation of this type of behavior by reporting it at an early stage. On the other hand, the employer can combat this phenomenon by creating an organizational culture that is geared towards ensuring that the dignity of all employees is respected so that they feel comfortable, mentally and physically, at work. 

What is mobbing

The word "mobbing" comes from the English verb "to mob", meaning to attack. This verb has also been used in Romanian to define a practice that is not new: the harassment of a person or group of people in the workplace by other members of the collective.

We might be tempted to think that bullying only happens to children or teenagers who haven't matured enough to manage their emotions properly. 

How bullying manifests itself

The signs of bullying can take many forms. Here are some examples:

➡️Agresiune physical: Violence of a physical nature, entrusting the victim with dangerous and unhealthy tasks, sexual assault.

➡️Îngrădirea right of expression: The person is excluded from discussions or interrupted in conversations in order to limit their right to express their opinion; if the victim does manage to express their opinion, it is implied that their opinions are wrong and/or unnecessary.

➡️Atac per person: Attempts are made to intimidate the person, the perpetrator makes threats and addresses them in a negative, aggressive manner

➡️Discreditare professional: Assigning work that is below the level of competence required for the position, imposing humiliating or unprofessional tasks, constantly criticizing the work of the person concerned and failing to recognize performance or merit when appropriate

➡️Desconsiderare publish: It denigrates the person's image in front of colleagues.

➡️Izolare: The person is systematically excluded from the collective.

How we prevent bullying at Optima

The best way to combat bullying is prevention. Under Optima, we apply clear measures to protect employees:

• Promote a positive working environment through policies and procedures designed to support employees; 

• Organizing workshops to raise employees' awareness of workplace harassment and conflict resolution; 

• Regular check-ins, both group and individual; 

• Promote projects based on cooperation rather than competitiveness; 

• Providing support materials on workplace harassment; 

• Provide a clear protocol for how workplace harassment is handled - the address where to report any harassment; 

• Providing impartial mediation for conflicting parties; 

• Respecting the confidentiality of people who report such abuse; 

• Immediate adoption of policy-defined disciplinary protocols and follow-up to ensure that disciplinary measures have served their purpose. 

Preventing bullying starts with getting everyone involved. If you notice signs of psychological harassment at work, don't hesitate to report it. At OptimaWe want every employee to feel respected, safe and supported.