Did you know that Indians work for 8.1 hours every day which is much more than what an average employee puts in at his workplace in other countries? This means an individual dedicates a major amount of his time at his workplace and spends a major chunk of his day with his co-workers. Studies have proven that your relationship with your co-workers whether positive or negative will have a direct effect on your performance as well as job satisfaction. You might find yourself at your best if you are working with people who boost your morale and lend unconditional support to you. On the other hand, if you land up with a co-worker(s) whose sheer motto at work is to make your life miserable, even the most confident people’s self esteem take a backseat. This would result in poor concentration skills, missing deadlines unable to think creatively, establishing positive relationship with your client and poor job satisfaction. Workplace harassment should be a strict NO-No.Whether you are contending with a difficult co-worker who leaves no stone un-turned to walk all over your self esteem or whether you are locking horns with an intimidating or bullying boss, the following five ways of Handling Bullies at The Workplace!

_1) Recognize Harassment: _Sometimes something as harmless as a joke can become a potential weapon of harassment against a co-worker. Jokes can be taken too far thus making a co-worker at workplace feel uncomfortable or embarrassment. Statements intentionally made at targeting co-worker’s gender, family background, ethnicity, religion etc. These can hurt sentiments and can be a serious form of harassment. Commenting or passing nasty statements about a female co-worker’s dressing style could lead to a form of sexual harassment.

2) Tell a Manager: If you are experiencing bullying and harassment that is harming your reputation at workplace and integrity, do not thik twie about repoting the colleague. It is important to reach out to someone who can handle the situation. Usually this involves management or HR.

_3) Know Your Rights: _When you join a workplace, you learn about your duties and responsibilities at work. Your letter of appointment clearly bears whom you are supposed to report to at work and you should be careful you keep it that way unless an authority changes their instructions. Similarly it is also important to know what your rights are an exercise them when need arises.

4) Learn to Say No: If you have a feeling that a co-worker is stuffing work on your shoulders when you are already neck deep in your previously assigned work, you should be clearly able to understand if or not you have the right to the reject his plea/order. Except he request for additional work comes from your superior, you are doing nothing wrong if you politely say No. You are not answerable to anyone but your seniors. Do not bite mo than what you can chew.

5) Keep your Cool: Nothing can bother an office bully as much as seeing his pray all calm and composed when actually he had spread a trap for you to lose your head. Remember, by keeping your cool, the onlookers in the workplace will see you as a thorough professional. No matter what the bully say to you or about you to others, do not go defensive and go on explaining yourself to others. aising his/her voice at you. Do not feel intimidated or embarrassed, as that is exactly what the bully intended you to feel. Show that you are not affected by them and go on with your routine. Avoid the guilt trip.