Bullying In The Workplace Still Prevalent

If you are interested in all aspects of team development training, one unpleasant prospect to consider is the unpopular presence of workplace bullying, and is a particularly appropriate topic to address in light of Anti-Bullying Week.

According to statistics gathered by the Trades Union Congress for a report published during the same week in 2015, 29% of people- nearly a third- have been bullied at work.

The report, undertaken for the TUC by YouGov, also stated that women were more likely to be bullied than men, with the 40-59 age group most affected.

Nearly half of victims say that the bullying has had a negative effect on both their mental health and their productivity, and more than a quarter say that they have been affected physically.

Of those people, 22% claim that they have had to take time off work because of it, with more than one in three people to leave their job because of it.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said, “There is no place for bullies in the modern workplace. Bullying causes stress and anxiety and can have long-term effects on victims’ physical and mental health. No one should have to leave their job because of bullying.

“If bullies are allowed to dominate a workplace, wider office morale and productivity suffers too. Employers must have a zero-tolerance policy.”

While bullying is endemic in all professions, recent reports from the Guardian and Telegraph newspapers suggest that bullying within the NHS is prevalent, with many staff suffering physically and mentally as a result.