I'm finding it challenging to adapt to the workplace environment due to bullying and harassment. Do you have any advice on how to cope with this?

I’m really sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time in your new workplace, bullying and harassment should not happen, but the reality is it that sometimes it does. Bullying and harassment take many forms and can be physical, verbal and/ or psychological including unfair criticism and being excluded from groups or activities.

A key feature of both is that they are unwanted actions that violate your dignity in some way. A common theme of bullying is that it is repeated and often includes an abuse of power, but it can also be a single incident. Bullying becomes harassment when it relates to the protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act of 2010 which are: age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation (https://www.acas.org.uk/bullying-at-work).

Feeling bullied can have a huge impact on your enjoyment of work, and your capacity to work to the best of your ability. There are organisations who support people to cope with bullying at work, whether that includes taking steps to call out the bullies to senior managers, or taking care of yourself to increase resilience when these negative experiences happen. Improving your capacity to cope involves doing things that are generally good for your mental health such as sharing what is happening with supportive family and friends, exercising and getting out in nature, eating well and avoiding alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism. Spending time doing things you enjoy with people who care about you is so important to building resilience. You can also call the National Bullying Helpline (0300 323 0169) and read the links below for advice and ideas to support you through this difficult time:

https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/employees.html

https://www.respectme.org.uk/young-how-cope-bullying/

When working as part of a team for assessments, I'm finding it incredibly frustrating to work with those individuals who contribute very little. How can this be managed?

Some of the issues that get in the way of teams working successfully together include; a lack of leadership, a lack of accountability, fear of conflict, a lack of trust and a lack of commitment. It’s very difficult to navigate these issues if some team members are not contributing.

It might be helpful to think a little about why your team member is not contributing and make some enquiries with them. Perhaps they are anxious about working in groups or are feeling under-confident about what skills and knowledge they are bringing to the team? Maybe they are having some personal problems which is affecting the time and headspace they have available? In cases like these, a little kindness and curiosity from your team leader could go a long way to helping them back into a more productive place.

It’s understandable to feel frustrated in these cases, and it can help to re-focus on the aspects of the team that are working well, and that you can control. Take a break, have a change of scene, seek some support from your other team members (who are contributing!) to find a solution if you can. Remember that team working experiences are an important part of your personal development and finding ways to cope with frustrating situations like this will serve you well in your future workplace, and in other areas of your life.

The University of Salford have some great resources for supporting team working (see below). Here are some key factors taken from those resources to make your group work effective:

• Agree on the assessment requirements and set clear goals.

• Clarify and designate roles and tasks. Having a team leader who is confident to reach out to members and hold themselves and others accountable can be really helpful.

• Build trust by getting to know each other better.

• Communicate and support each other throughout the process.

• Be open to different perspectives and approaches - embrace your differences and diversity.

Above bullet points taken from: https://www.salford.ac.uk/skills/study-and-research/working-with-others

I find it really difficult to manage in a situation that is unfair. Do you have any advice on how to manage unfairness?

Feeling that something unfair is happening to you is a really important piece of information, so I’m glad you are paying attention to it. When we feel a sense of injustice, we are recognising that an important boundary has been crossed for us, and our personal values do not align with how we are being treated.

Sometimes having a difficult response to a situation you feel is unfair may not be so much about what is happening to you now, but may be a result of being reminded of times in the past when you felt unfairly treated. Think of it as an echo from the past which is making your feelings in the present day even louder and sometimes can fuel our emotional brain to take over when in reality it might not need to. We all do this as humans, and this is why it can sometimes be helpful to pause and reflect before we react to situations that spark a big emotional response in us.

My advice would be to take some time to process your reaction and talk to friends you trust to be honest with you about what has happened. Focus on the facts and on what you can control, then you can decide what do next with your rational brain and your emotional brain working together as a team.

I have faced some instances where I should have raised my voice against something wrong but couldn't find the courage to do so in the moment. Can you give any practical tips on raising my concerns politely in the heat of the moment against something that is fundamentally wrong?

This is such a great question, and there’s a lot to consider here. I’m glad that you are thinking about how you can stand up for what you believe is right, as this is one way to build confidence and self-respect, and to live a satisfying life that aligns with our core values.

We also risk pushback and attack from those who disagree with our values when we do this, so it’s understandable why it is sometimes hard to find the courage, especially when there is a power imbalance between us and the people we are challenging. Be gentle with yourself around this, and don’t give yourself a hard time for not always having the courage – it takes time to build this.

Some tips for you:

• Practice small acts of courage regularly.

• Be informed about the issues that matter to you; this can help you to feel confident.

• Be assertive but stay respectful.

• Stay focused on the issue or community you are standing up for; remembering the support that is needed can help to overcome your fear in the moment.

• Get involved with groups who share your values on the issues you want to stand up for; this can help you to practice discussing the issue you care about, so the words come more easily in the heat of the moment.

• Remember it’s ok to walk away from conversations where you don’t feel respected, keep yourself safe and preserve your energy for situations where you can have more of an impact.