A new study conducted by CareerBuilder in 2012 found that 35% of respondents stated they felt bullied at work.
This is up from 27% in 2011. What is disturbing in this new study is that 16 percent indicated that they suffered health related problems as a result of being bullied at work. Furthermore, 17 percent left their jobs to escape bullying. According to CareerBuilder, “Organizations that are ineffective at addressing bullying may be subject to lost productivity, the loss of valued employees who do not feel safe in the workplace, and even the risk of lawsuits and legal liability for their failure to properly address these issues.”
Steps organizations should take to decrease workplace bullying:
- Commit to Real and Consistent Action–
- Do not sweep bullying under the table. If an employee complains about bullying, conduct an investigation and take appropriate action.
- Create No Bullying Policies–
- Define what bullying is in your organization and what constitutes the act of bullying. Your policies should outline accountability and consequences for the bullying acts.
- Training, Education and Awareness–
- Bullying behaviors can be subtle so training managers and employees to recognize and deal with it is critical. Managers must be able to have empathy and compassion for the victims of bullying. Managers must also recognize the clues and ask “why” employees are acting in that way. Your organization may want to implement a system of anonymous complaints to report incidents of bullying.
References: Bullies (Still) in the Workplace, SHRM.org
