In a recent survey on workplace bullying commissioned by Wright Hassall, a worrying 50% of the 1,026 respondents stated that they have either been bullied at work themselves or have witnessed colleagues being bullied (47.80% of men and 59% of women).
What classes as bullying? Too many employees are unsure
This statistic is alarming enough in itself, but arguably the most concerning finding from this survey is the lack of awareness among many employees as to which behaviours constitute bullying. For example, well over half of those employees surveyed (57%) thought that shouting at work doesn’t count as bullying.
The survey also showed that:
- 35% of respondents didn’t think that jokes about a person could be classed as bullying
- 32% of respondents didn’t consider excluding others from group meetings to be bullying behaviour
- 63% of respondents felt that abrupt emails didn’t count as bullying
A further serious cause for concern is that 12% didn’t think intimidation was bullying, and 21% didn’t think that spreading rumours about a person crossed the threshold into bullying. Moreover, 6% of respondents didn’t believe that any of the above-mentioned behaviours would be considered bullying.
Are these findings just the tip of the iceberg?
These findings mean that incidences of workplace bullying are in all likelihood even higher than reported by respondents, especially among women, who seem to experience more bullying than their male colleagues.
Male respondents were split almost 50:50 on whether or not they have experienced bullying at work (47.80% v 44.30%), whereas 9% more women (56.30%) have experienced workplace bullying than those who haven’t (35.50%).
In addition to employees’ lack of awareness as to what classes as bullying, another finding that should set alarm bells ringing among employers is that over a quarter of respondents (26.22%) did not know what to do if they are being bullied at work. This likely means that organisations have failed to provide adequate training and education to their employees in relation to the company’s anti-bullying policy – or, even worse, they do not have such a policy in place.
Any tolerance of shouting at work by senior managers in the workplace can result in a serious problem.
A toxic work culture is bad for business
The results of this survey show that workplace bullying remains a key issue that many employers need to get to grips with. Tackling bullying and harassment is not only a moral imperative, it is also essential from a purely commercial perspective. A toxic workplace culture where such behaviour is tolerated will inevitably result in a demotivated workforce, high employee turnover, absenteeism and reputational damage.
Conversely, a healthy workplace culture, in which employees feel valued as individuals and empowered to speak out, will result in high rates of staff retention, increased productivity and a strong reputation in the marketplace. To quote Richard Branson: “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”
Shouting at work: A big no-no
Let us illustrate this point by looking at shouting at work, which 57% of survey respondents didn’t think constitutes bullying. Some employers may have a relaxed attitude to senior managers shouting at the employees working under them, seeing it merely as a sign of ‘being passionate’.
While there is no legal definition of bullying, shouting clearly accords with some of the descriptions of what classes as bullying provided by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS): unwanted behaviour that is intimidating, an abuse of power and a cause of emotional harm.
Any tolerance of shouting at work by senior managers in the workplace can therefore result in a serious problem, especially if the employee or employees on the receiving end of it make a formal complaint and take their employer to a tribunal. The damage done to the company’s reputation can have a hugely detrimental effect, and the monetary costs can be high.
Education and accountability are key
The best way to root out such behaviour is for employers to develop and implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that leaves no room for ambiguity on what classes as bullying. This policy should be clearly communicated to every employee regardless of their role and seniority.
The above should be accompanied by rigorous training for both employees and managers so that they know how to recognise and prevent bullying behaviours. It is also vital that employers set up and maintain a safe reporting mechanism and rigorous investigation process. Crucially, this needs to be upheld even when members of the senior management team are implicated.
Given that women are disproportionately affected by workplace bullying, employers should focus on female employees in particular when it comes to implementing the requisite bullying reporting processes, and ensure that everybody is aware of the support available to them.
Leaders set the tone
Ultimately, none of the above steps to combating workplace bullying will bear fruit unless employees see their managers leading by example.
A positive workplace culture starts at the top, and it is therefore incumbent on senior managers – from the CEO downwards – to encourage respectful and inclusive behaviour among all employees. They must also make it clear that it is safe to speak out against inappropriate behaviour, so that no one has to suffer in silence.
