Practical steps to combat bullying

Employees should never suffer bullying in silence. The TUC publishes online guidance about what you can do to help yourself: www.tuc.org.uk/tuc/rights_bullyatwork.cfm#beingbullied

Key points to remember are:

• tell someone — a colleague, a manager, your union rep if you have one. You may not be the only person suffering in this way. The problem may be systemic and a union rep may be able to help persuade management to address it as an organisational as opposed to an individual issue. In any event, a victim of bullying should not attempt to deal with it alone; and

• keep a diary, and retain any evidence, for example screen prints of malicious Facebook entries, copies of text messages, emails and so on. Keep a record of any visits you make to the GP for associated problems such as anxiety or insomnia.