| "You should know better." That was the ominous text | | | | identity, or block their number when calling you. |
| message Laura, a Registered Nurse at a large medical | | | | Knowing this, here's what you can do to curb |
| center, received from 20 people at 11 a.m. one | | | | cyber-bullying or even cyber-mobbing:o Save emails |
| morning.... | | | | that contain bullying messages. Your company may |
| She was astounded. What was happening, she | | | | have a way to find out who owns that account, and |
| wondered? What did the message mean? And why | | | | you can then block that email address from sending |
| would anyone-let alone 20 people-text her with the | | | | you anything. In addition, the email can serve as |
| same message? | | | | evidence that you are being bullied.o Don't use your |
| Laura went home that night shaken and perplexed. | | | | work email address for anything other than work. Set |
| After a sleepless night, she figured it out. She had | | | | up a different email account for personal use.o Don't |
| been at her job for only a week. She had replaced a | | | | tell online "friends" (the ones you know through social |
| popular supervisor, who had left abruptly without | | | | networking sites) your company's name. It's relatively |
| explanation. Her employer had assured Laura that her | | | | easy to figure out someone's work email address if |
| staff would accept her. Obviously, they had not. | | | | you know her name and the company she works |
| Laura's co-workers were taking advantage of an | | | | for.o Find out if your email program has a filter that |
| electronic means of workplace bullying, relatively new | | | | allows only those on your "safe" list to send you |
| to the workplace. Laura was the target of | | | | emails. They have to be approved by you. Download |
| cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying is harassment using | | | | an email verification program from the Internet that |
| technology-cell phones, email or the Internet, for | | | | ensures you are in control of who sends you emails. |
| example. While the term was first applied to | | | | Any unknown sender has to first apply to you - you |
| teenagers, it is rapidly being used to apply to behavior | | | | can accept or decline any email address request.o As |
| adults are experiencing in the workplace as well. | | | | far as text messaging goes, you can also block phone |
| Cyber-bullying can take workplace bullying to a new | | | | numbers, once you identify a bully's number. Simply call |
| level. All of us know how quickly emails can spread | | | | your cell phone company to arrange the block. |
| information. Imagine how the word spreads when | | | | Cyber-bullying is a very passive form of bullying. It is as |
| emails or text messages broadcast unverified rumors | | | | serious as any other form of bullying at work and has |
| about a target. | | | | the potential to be even more insidious. You can take |
| Also, where bullying in the workplace usually pits one | | | | steps to block and verify who contacts you in order to |
| bully against one target, cyber-bullying can easily take | | | | gain back some control. Remember, the bully's nature |
| the form of cyber-mobbing where you have many | | | | is to try and take your power because they feel they |
| people against one target. All that workplace bullies | | | | do not have their own. You do not have to give them |
| need to know is your email address or phone number. | | | | anything and you have every right to set up these |
| They can remain anonymous under an assumed email | | | | personal boundaries. You are worth it! |