Harassment and Bullying when using Email, SMS, Facebook in Workplace Research Paper

Harassment and Bullying when using Email, SMS, Facebook in Workplace - Research Paper Example This study also denotes employers’ inadequate capacity to deal with cyber bullying due to constant evolution of communication platforms and sensitivity of intertwined political and personal issues, particularly in regard to social networking and instant texting. Nevertheless, the paper denotes measures, guidelines and standards that can be adopted in a work environment to curb cyber bullying and bolster a firm’s productivity. Bullying at the work environment is not a new phenomenon. However, following the continued advancement of technology, and particularly in digital communication, bullying is adopting new platforms. For instance, employees if not properly managed can easily convey negative messages about their co-workers via email, short message service (SMS) and other social media conduits like Twitter and Facebook. With the current levels of development, malevolent gossip regarding an employee can be transmitted to others across the internet within an instant, thus reaching a broad audience not just within the organization, but to external targets as well. Such hurtful, and most often false rumors, can adversely affect the subject’s working capability, reputation and even his or her future career. It is also crucial to note that any person can post the negative comments online and once this is done, it is difficult to dispute the information or even remove it. Another noteworthy aspect is that, cyber bullying is not limited to conventional working places and work hours. This is because of the rise in number of laptops and other mobile communication gadgets, such as internet enabled phones and computer tablets (Privitera and Campbell, 2009, pp. 398-400). As a result, cyber bullying traverses the physical and time limitations of an ordinary workplace, and workers can post negative messages even in the comfort of their homes. Failure to address cyber bullying at the workplace would lead to the unnecessary loss of productive employees, hen ce inability to utilize social media to foster the organization’s performance. Cyber Bullying Incidences The conveyance of negative information within or outside the workplace, by employees with malign intent has led to the increasingly worrying cases of cyber bullying (Hinduja and Patchin, 2007). Outlined herein are some of the most common forms of employee harassment via the internet and other contemporary communications channels: Conveyance of spiteful or intimidating SMS communications or emails to a certain worker’s cellular phone or computer address, respectively. Electronic or mobile communications, which are characterized by unpleasant content like explicit pictures, comments or jokes that seek to mock an individual’s religion, sexual preference or ethnicity. Mobile or electronic messages which seek to provide feedback or propose correction to a certain person, with the sole aim of demeaning the individual or shaming him or her publicly. Malevolent or me nacing comments regarding a particular person put up on social sites of blogs. Distribution of offensive and embarrassing videos or photographs of a person, which in most cases may be falsely acquired through manipulation. Displaying desktop wallpapers or screen savers that feature offensive content, with the aim of shaming a specific person. Even though cyber bullying bears numerous similarities with the conventional modes of harassment, it has the capability to escalate faster and with elevated aggression. This is because perpetrators of the