*"Human Resources are here to help."
In this first episode of a two-part series, we look at the experience of a committed HR professional who found themselves on the wrong side of bullying - and became a target themselves.
It’s a personal story of dedication and good intentions that turned into complaint process failures, delays, investigative mistakes, psychological and physical illness, and institutional betrayal.
Everything that an organisation’s response to workplace bullying shouldn’t be.
Most people will be told when they join an organisation that Human Resources are the first port of call if they should ever witness or experience workplace incivility, bullying and harassment.
What’s it like from HR’s perspective, and how does it feel when someone “on the inside” in HR, has to go through their own process and raise a bullying complaint?
Listen now
It’s a case with credibility, because it’s been through an independent investigation and the allegations were upheld.
It’s a real-world story, that illustrates the wider findings of research studies and highlights the need for organisations to go beyond well-meaning announcements, posters on the wall about “zero tolerance” and to fix the problems that leave targets of bullying suffering physical and psychological harm.
It leaves them sometimes without a job, whilst the perpetrators of bullying remain in their roles, or are removed under cover to go and harm others.
There are many lessons to be learnt from Jane’s story in this episode.
Jane isn't her real name, because like many of the people who experience the harm of workplace bullying - the risk of retaliation means she still wants to speak anonymously.
This is Jane’s story of life at the sharp end of tackling workplace bullying in an organisation where she herself, became bullied by the organisation.
Lessons to learn from Jane's experience
Unfortunately, Jane’s situation isn't unique - it happens to targets of workplace incivility, bullying and harassment far too frequently. Yet this happened to someone from HR - who knows how the complaints process works and how things should be done.
If you’re an executive leader, a decision-maker, a manager with responsibilities for people, or an HR professional - take a look now at your own organisation and reflect on what you’ve heard of Jane’s experiences.
Ask yourself how you’d be feeling if you found yourself in the same situation as her, because this story tells us that you’re not immune to workplace bullying either.
Are you leading from the front by example, or is your organisation causing the kind of harm that Jane experienced, to people who have the courage to stand up and say “enough is enough”?
Chapter markers
| Time code | Content |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | Introduction |
| 03:29 | Jane’s HR background and psychological safety in the workplace |
| 06:09 | Situations leading to workplace conflict |
| 07:45 | The limits and role of HR in influencing leadership culture |
| 13:09 | When Jane became a target of workplace bullying |
| 17:37 | Jane's experience of the bullying complaint process |
| 20:28 | Communication and delay during the complaint process |
| 28:52 | The formal investigation process and its impact on people |
| 33:56 | The short lifespan of hope |
| 37:46 | Gaslighting: the psychological impact of organisational harm |
| 40:42 | Compounding harm: “sorry” seems to be the hardest word |
| 43:49 | Lessons for leaders and HR professionals |
In the next episode
In episode 3 of the Life at the Sharp End podcast, you'll hear how Jane's organisation responded to the investigation report.
What did they do next, and was she able to return safely to her job in the workplace?
Episode 3 was published on Wednesday 21st August.