Research published by The Work Foundation suggests that the UK workplace is increasingly becoming a zero tolerance zone for bullies.
“Employee Codes of Conduct” found that eight out of 10 responding organisations now have a code of conduct on bullying and harassment. And these seem to be taken seriously – with a third of respondents saying that workers breaking the code would be sacked. Only 6% would give an informal warning.
A third (32%) of respondents also consider codes on bullying to be a priority for a well-run workplace, along with work safety (41%) and corporate confidentiality (33%).
Angela Ishmael, head of Dignity at Work at The Work Foundation says: “Not so long ago bullying was seen by many organisations as little more than a challenging and forceful work style. It is good to see that the tide is turning, and that employers are more committed to creating work environments where employees no longer need to work in fear.
“Codes of conduct are a useful litmus test of the quality of management. To make the UK workplace a genuinely bully free zone, such initiatives need backing from the top, supportive colleagues, managers who will help people to raise their concerns, and a responsible work culture which tackles the causes and consequences of bullying and harassment before individuals are victimised and jobs are lost.”
Do you think that formal policies are need to prevent bullying at work? And do they work? Post your comments below.
