The psychology of harassment

In recent years there has been an increasing recognition of the ham that could be done to individuals who become the victims of harassment or bullying. Although there have been significant moves to introduce legislation and guidelines that deal with the introduction of organizational policy and procedures on harassment and bullying, the occurrence of harassment is still common in many British organizations (Incomes Data Services, 1992; MSF, 1995). This paper suggests that, although many organizations have introduced harassment policies, most organizational policies concentrate on addressing unacceptable behaviours rather than on the need to define and promote acceptable behaviours at work. Without a change of emphasis from the punishment of inappropriate behaviour to one where appropriate behaviours are rewarded, it is unlikely that the underlying causes of harassment will be recognized or addressed. Organizations are responsible for developing organizational values and behaviours. The way these values and behaviours are promoted and developed has a major impact on the organizational culture. It is this cultural environment that supports or prevents the occurrence of harassment. Psychological evidence suggests that the origins of harassment may be found in the past personal history of the individuals concerned. During development each person learns how to handle difficult situations, it is this prior learning, and the means by which it can be changed or adapted, which provides the key to developing new strategies for addressing the problems of the harassor and the harassee. Helping the victims of harassment handle their problems in a way that frees them from the cycle of victimization and abuse is difficult. The Post office, undaunted by the size of the task, has begun to tackle the problem with the introduction of a programme of peer support and counselling that it hopes will begin to address the underlying problems that make harassment possible. This programme also provides the organization with the information it requires to enable it to strengthen and support a culture, within which, harassment does not have a place.