Page 19 - COMENIUS MANAGEMENT REVIEW

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extended periods of time to bullying in the workplace and he cannot find any suitable means to
resolve the situation on company soil, he will probably leave in the end by himself. This releases
the employer from the obligation of indemnity payments and/or painstaking analyzes as to whether
a planned dismissal does not interfere with any aspect of current social regulations.
Mobbing among peers represents the most often found form of enmities in the workplace.
Three different types have been observed in general:
a) Individuals poised against each other
b) Groups of teamed individuals poised against each other
c) Group of teamed individuals poised against a single individual
Based on the results of the scientific studies a third of the respondents have been bullied by
only one single person. About 40 % of mobbing victims have been bullied by two to four male or
female colleagues and 25 % by four and more persons. It appears that in most cases the victims
have to defend themselves against several attackers.
Nonetheless even in mobbing situations with a single attacker the victim often feels exposed
to acts of violence and sacrificed by its colleagues who in most cases remain silent and do not speak
out. The passive stance is actually the stimulus for mobbing. The attacker interprets the lack of
protest as a go-ahead to continue his attacks. The motives behind such behavior among colleagues,
i.e. isolating an individual from the group, require a thorough examination, not the least in reference
to tense and/or tumultuous situations in the job market, such as are currently present in Germany.
Considering the current jobless figures of more than four million in Germany, for many persons
keeping a job is a matter of a day by day survival struggle. Inner fears and specific behavior
patterns develop as a consequence, which may turn in some cases, often irrationally, against one‘s
own colleagues.
Interpersonal Conflicts Intervention
The situation on market with labour in Germany and also in many other countries is quite
unfavourable at the moment. Many posts are being dissolved, the fight to win positions is tougher,
more unfair and intensive. Always more employees are not able to stand up to the psychical terror
and victimisation by their colleagues or superiors and finally mobbing makes them really physically
sick. Unfortunately so far there do not exist any practical model solutions to prevent from mobbing
at work. Legal options to get protected have rather improved but taking this step, it is usually not