Being at work or school takes up a large percentage of our time, so getting along with our colleagues and peers is an advantage. However, not everyone is fortunate to have a great team or circle of friends, and this can make our working lives more of a challenge.

Between colleagues, professional boundaries should be maintained. If someone oversteps these limits, action should be taken.

Bullying and harassment can happen to anyone, at any stage of their professional life.

There are many forms of bullying

According to Unison, the public service union, over 10% of employees have suffered harassment at work. Also, a survey carried out by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in 2012 identified bullying as a problem in 41% of organisations, and reported that 29% of people are bullied at work.

Bullying can come in numerous forms, including verbal abuse such as name-calling, physical harm, emotional belittling or persistent criticism, sexual harassment, and gender or racial prejudice.

Cyber bullying is a growing issue

There is also cyber bullying, which has become a more common issue in recent years with the increase in social media sites and people posting personal stories online. The TUC found that 14-20% of employees said they had experienced cyber bullying on a weekly basis.

If you are having trouble with someone in your team or class, chat to a fellow colleague or classmate about it. It’s good to get some support, though make sure you’re not talking about the antagonist behind their back, as this is also bullying.

When you have a dispute with someone, if you feel able to, talk to them about it to see if you can resolve your differences together.

Speak to your boss or teacher

If you feel you cannot settle the disagreement on your own, then speak to your boss or a teacher about it. They may be able to offer a third-person perspective on the situation.

For example, they may act as a ‘go-between’ in mediation, in which you can discuss the issue with the aggressor and have another person present to help referee so that you can reconcile the problem.

Many charities offer counselling services

If the maltreatment is affecting your mental health or self-esteem, your workplace may have links to a counselling service, which you can speak to about your concerns. Similarly, if you are a pupil, your school or college may have a student counsellor whom you can talk to.

Alternatively, there are many national charities offering counselling services, such as Mind and Relate, or for children, the NSPCC.

When we chat to our co-workers and build and maintain friendly relationships, this can help us to get by from day to day.

We can’t always get along with everyone, but remembering that each person is individual and unique can help us to respect each other’s differences and make school or work more enjoyable.