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Unfriending A Colleague Can Now Be Considered Bullying

Unfriending A Colleague Can Now Be Considered Bullying


There is a rapid imbalance being created by the unwavering development of technology and the inability of the people in society to cope with its growth. It is creating new and invisible social structures that is far more delicate than anything before. A recent case in Australia showed that a women was suffering from depression and anxiety after being unfriended by a colleague on Facebook. As a result of this, a Tribunal in Australia said that unfriending a colleague can be considered bullying in the workplace, and although she did not receive any monetary compensation, she asked both the parties to meet and resolve the issue in a civil manner.

The victim in this case was Rachael Roberts, a real estate agent who said that she had been unfriended by her colleague Lisa Bird, who was also the wife of the boss in this particular scenario. The Fair Work Commission in Australia conducted a hearing of this case and concluded that the action taken by Lisa Bird showed “lack of emotional maturity” and was “indicative of unreasonable behavior”.

It is truly incredible that people are openly using social media to voice their negativity towards other individuals but it is encouraging to see that there are systems in place to begin countering the actions as well. More organizations need to be aware of this phenomenon in their workplaces.