Whether or not Gordon Brown threw mobile phones and trashed computer keyboards in angry explosions, bullying is in the eye of the beholder or, to be more precise, the receiver. And that is partly what makes it so pernicious for individuals, teams and whole organisations.

Bullying is regular intimidation that undermines the confidence and capabilities of the victim. It can take many forms. As well as violence and violent gestures, bullying can involve verbal abuse and allocation of blame or picking on someone unfairly. It can also include public humiliation or a subtle war of words that undermines an individual’s confidence.

In many ways bullying is similar to harassment. And the costs to employers are many and can be catastrophic. For instance, a workplace where bullying takes place may see increased sickness absence, under-performance and high staff turnover.

And in the worst case scenario, employers can face an employment tribunal with potential awards against them above £100,000.

To find out  how to spot bullying and stamp it out see our Bullying in the Workplace Factsheet.

Tags: bullying at work
Posted by steve walker
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