It might surprise people that academia has innumerable bullies. If we just take a look inside the universities and other academic institutions, we will find that almost every researcher, once in a while, has been subjected to bullying. Most of the time people ignore or put up with bullying because otherwise they will be considered a kill-joy. You are probably thinking that it is better not to say anything against it and if you just do not react, the bullies will stop. Well, quite the contrary. Once you make yourself an easy target, there is no going back. If you go through the internet, you will find many journal call for papers that are talking about this very issue. It is not something to be taken lightly. Let us talk about a few ways in which we can all stop this disrespectful practice.
- Policies Against Bullying- Besides necessary accessories a work environment requires a peaceful environment; that is how it becomes comfortable. A person does not deserve to wake up and worry about what a certain colleague might say to bully them. It destroys the peace of mind which inevitably leads to poor performance. To stop this from happening, a workplace needs to have proper policies to handle abuse so that every employee can work peacefully and give their very best.
- Stand up Against Physical Sabotage – Physical sabotage does not always mean literal physical harm. If your superior is making you do something over and over without a valid reason, it can be considered physical sabotage. If your mentor is making you waste your time, money and effort into an experiment that has already been perfected, your labour is being wasted. In these situations it is necessary to speak your mind out.
- Speak out against Attempts of Career Sabotage – There are uncountable examples of careers being ruined over some personal grudge. We have seen a million examples of someone choosing someone less capable over a good performer because of personal ties. That is why most researchers have suggested institutions to implement effective measures to put an end to harassment, discrimination, and bullying.
- Check Your Own Actions – We often insult others in the facade of a ‘joke’. It needs to be kept in mind that what we are considering as banter might make the targeted person feel inferior and push them away from interactions. It makes people feel lonely and alienated which leads to mental health issues. We must change ourselves first, only then can we expect a better world.
- Stand Up for Others- It is important to stand up for others when they are being harassed. If you find someone hesitating to take action against bullying and harassment, talk to them and convince them to take a step against it. Help them in every way possible. Only helping each other in this battle will stop it permanently.
Bullying is not something new but now it is high time that we completely eradicate it especially from academic fields. Researchers already have enough work pressure that makes them stressed; adding something like harassment makes it much, much worse. That is why never let anyone ruin your peace of mind; never hesitate to show some teeth to those who attempt it.
