The proportion of people working from home has increased significantly in the last ten years, according to data from the latest Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Contínua). Excluding public servants and domestic workers, 8,3% of the employed people in the country in 2023 carried out their activities directly from their homes. It is noted that the growth of this group, that was null between 2012 and 2016, jumped due to the pandemic, reaching 8,5% in 2022
Even though it has lost some traction since the pandemic, the home office – or remote work – it is a model that is here to stay, it means that a series of adaptations have been implemented in companies to ensure the quality of work and the well-being of teams. However, working outside the office can raise some assumptions that do not necessarily correspond to reality. One of them is the idea that moral harassment does not happen at a distance. In general, people feel less fear of being held accountable and reprimanded in a virtual environment. This makes remote work vulnerable and just as prone to harassment as in-person work, points Alessandra Costa, psychologist and partner ofS2 Consulting, Brazilian reference in risk behavior management
Because it is a novelty for many people, it is not always easy to identify the signs of trouble in the remote environment. To raise this debate and bring more visibility to the subject, Alessandra selected some of the main behaviors that constitute workplace bullying in the home office, based on S2's data and experience in risk prevention and corporate investigation
- Invasive communication
The way communication was established in a certain team must be respected by everyone. When, for example, there is the use of corporate numbers, sending messages or calling a colleague's personal number can be classified as problematic behavior
Exceptions can happen, but they should not infringe on anyone's privacy. Personal phones, social media and other ways to try to force contact outside the company's channels can become a form of harassment, especially when there is insistence, inform the psychologist
- Too many messages
Even when the correct channels are used, some moderation is still needed. "We live in an era of great urgency and", once in a while, it is normal for a buildup of tasks and consequently information to occur. But the excess of messages and the demand for constant responses is an open door to anxiety, lack of prioritization and discomfort. People cannot work properly if they have to respond to someone all the time, and this can lead them to cases of burnout quickly, explain Alessandra
- Disrespect for the schedule
Any work model can involve overtime, but there is greater pressure to perform outside the agreed hours when the environment is remote. Whether in the period before or after the correct time or even reducing the lunch break, this type of practice is classified as moral harassment
Alessandra points out: "Managers who demand attention outside of working hours are disrespecting the contract between the parties and pressuring employees, often claiming that it is 'just this once', but repeating the situation at other times. It is also necessary to stay alert for threats, evenings or not, to the professionals who refuse to respond or act outside of business hours
- Excessive control
The need to know everything that each employee is doing at all times is a problem that can arise in any environment, but it becomes more pronounced in the home office through monitoring tools and the demand for constant contact
"This type of situation arises from a lack of trust and can develop in a way that complicates the entire team's coexistence", and even the quality of the business. In S2, we have already seen cases of managers requiring the camera in online meetings because they do not believe that employees were busy, at the same moment, in meetings with the clients themselves, exemplifies the specialist
- High pressure
When there is a negative preconception about remote work, some behaviors become harmful. "Think, for example, in 'surprise' meetings, sometimes even in the first minute of the day or in moments close to breaks for rest. If the professional does not show up immediately, there are managers who claim that this means he is lazy or a liar, maybe even in front of the rest of the team. It is a type of humiliation, and certainly constitutes harassment, informs Alessandra
In all these situations, it can be difficult for victims to seek help, possibly out of fear of retaliation, shame and guilt of the suffered act, lack of trust in management and lack of secure channels to seek help
To ensure that harassment stays away from your company, remotely or not, some tips are essential, how to have a secure reporting channel and encourage its use, to have transparent communication with the entire team and to have an updated code of conduct. "It is also advisable to promote training and lectures on moral harassment", as well as applying an integrity test to prevent risky behaviors from even occurring, concludes Alessandra
