Are you dealing with an office mean girl?
Research finds that over two-thirds of women feel they’ve been bullied by female colleagues.
There’s been much talk about workplace sexual harassment of women perpetrated by men, but as it turns out, female executives or employees don’t only have male colleagues to worry about. Research finds that over two-thirds of women feel they’ve been bullied by female colleagues.
Yelling, scheming and sabotaging are all tell-tale signs that a bully is at work, laying traps for employees at every pass.
Ostracizing other women at work is also a sure sign of an office mean girl, says Sherrie Gordon of VeryWellMind.com. These women use relational aggression to socially isolate someone while attempting to increase their own status at work. Typically, they are driven by a number of factors including everything from jealousy and a need for attention, to fear of competition. As a result, they will leave other women out of lunch dates, meetings and after-work gatherings. They may even discuss the details in front of those who are being isolated to demonstrate their power.
The ‘Queen Bee’ Syndrome
According to Global News, it’s called “Queen Bee Syndrome” and is a result of women treating other women in a demoralizing, undermining or bullying manner. However, the study, which was published in the journal Development and Learning in Organizations, stresses that “Queen Bees” should not be confused with strong, ambitious women in the workplace.
“Queen Bees are adult versions of the mean girls from school — but now they have grown up and are more calculating,” explains Cecilia Harvey, a London-based consultant and author of the study. “These socially aggressive behaviours include gossiping, social exclusion, social isolation, social alienation, talking about someone, and stealing friends or romantic partners.
Queen Bee mischief manifests in ways that can have lasting negative effects on individual careers and entire organisations, explains Harvey. She suggests that Queen Bee behaviour has a negative impact on organizational performance and contributes to reduced productivity, reduced employee satisfaction, grievances and lawsuits, and lower profitability.
How to manage the situation
According to VeryWellMind.com, if you are dealing with an office mean girl, it is important to make the most of your current position, that is until you can find a better place. Make sure you respond professionally and keep documentation of what is happening in case you need. But in the meantime, be sure you also get out and meet other people in your industry.
Try to build bridges and network as much as you can. And then when the opportunity presents itself, make the move. You cannot expect to deal with an office mean girl indefinitely. So be on the lookout for a better place.
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