30 Counselling at Work Spring 2009 www.counsellingatwork.org.uk T his article is a response to a call after the national conference in 2007 and the subsequent article 1 for people to be kept informed of any developments in engaging those accused of workplace bullying. It is derived as a result of many different workshops and discussions that have taken place over the last year. It is clear that there are a wide range of responses to bullying both at individual and organisational levels. What is not clear is whether people are distinguishing between different stages and types of bullying activity. In this article I will argue that bullying is not a simple dyadic relationship between so-called ‘bully’ and ‘victim/target’, but rather a series of very complex multidimensional relationships based upon each individual elements past history, environmental factors and desires. I offer this article not as an answer but rather a starting point to widen the discussions in this area to obtain a greater depth of understanding in to a topic that damages not just the individuals involved but society at large. It is clear that workplaces have adopted different strategies for dealing with bullying, ranging from requiring an extraordinary burden of proof from recipients of bullying behaviours to requiring an equally onerous burden of proof of innocence from those accused. Others appear to try to avoid the issue completely. There seems to be a real sense of corporate fight and flight as far as bullying is concerned which prevents organisations from developing a real lasting solution to the problem. I would suggest that this is one area in which a specialist workplace counsellor, as proposed by Claringbull 2 , with an understanding of both the organisation and different types of bullying, would be able to add value to both the organisation and the individuals they work with. Organisations, like individuals, have their own personalities and cultures which have been developed over time and in response to different environmental factors. Some cultures are carefully crafted to suit the environment, others are reminiscent of past glories which may or may not still be relevant. This is often the public face of the business. This is the ‘ideal’ to which the organisation strives but is often subject to a more powerful subculture 3 , based upon environmental, historical and narrative factors. In a sense this sub-culture is the real culture of the organisation whether it is desired or not. This subculture, without its clearly defined rules, behaviours, reward systems and so on, is a major influence in the development and, in some circumstances, nurturing of bullying behaviours. In this subculture we find environmental factors, which will lead to bullying behaviours: ■ coercive working environments ■ implicit or explicit approval for aggressive behaviours ■ influential role models. In a school, there would be a real concern about any one of these factors being present, but in the workplace they are often turned into positive attributes. Just think about what can be observed in the, admittedly edited, programme ‘The Apprentice’. Cheyne 4 , researching school bullying, raises an interesting question about the real target for bullying behaviours. She argues that despite the involvement of the two protagonists, the real target of the ‘bully’ is the wider audience. I would support this view in respect of the workplace; bullying is, for the most part, for the benefit of the audience as a demonstration of power to peers, rivals, superiors or subordinates, maybe even people outside the workplace. Understanding the different types of bullying (see figure 1) found in the workplace will allow organisations and counsellors to adapt different strategies for dealing with the issues raised either at an organisational level or with individuals. There is no single policy that will stop bullying in the workplace for the reasons outlined below. Accidental bullying From anecdotal evidence, many of the incidents of bullying are carried out in an unconsciously accidental way; often breakdowns in communication or differences in expectations of behaviour. This is accidental bullying. When the impact is pointed out to the individual, behavioural change follows. I believe we all have the ability to be accidental Workplace bullying Damian Stoupe discusses the latest developments Damian Stoupe is a workplace counsellor and trainer. He is currently researching the role mimetic desire has in the development of bullying behaviours in the workplace for his MSc at University of Bristol. He can be contacted by phone on 01749 687247 or by email at damian@working withbullies.co.uk