Workplace Bullying - A Common Issue Often Overlooked

Workplace bullying is picking up speed as a national issue. According to abcnews.com, Workplace bullying can lead to increased employee turnover and can even affect your company's bottom line with a loss of productivity and corporate morale. Half of the employers in a 2011 survey by the management association reported incidents of bullying in their workplace. Workplace bullying can include a supervisor's verbal abuse or cruel comments or teasing from a co-worker. Experts believe that workplace bullying could become the next major issue in employment law as a growing number of states consider legislation that would let workers sue for harassment that causes physical or emotional harm. Some employers have put into place anti-bullying policies, but advocacy groups are urging states to give legal rights to workers who do not already fit into a protected class based on race, gender or national origin.

In a 2010 survey conducted by The Workplace Bullying Institute, it was found that 35% of the U.S workforce report being bullied at work; an additional 15% witness it. Half of all Americans have directly experienced it. Workplace bullying prevents work from getting done and in its most severe forms can cause hypertension, auto-immune disorders, depression and anxiety.

In May 2010, New York was the one of the first states to pass the Healthy Workplace Bill. This bill would let workers sue for physical, psychological or economic harm due to abusive treatment on the job. As of 2013, 8 states have an active Healthy Workplace Bill. Twenty three states have introduced the bill since 2003 but without the bill passing. Sioux City, Iowa was the first school district in the nation to address workplace bullying for their adult employees. They have voluntarily created polices and credible enforcement procedures to purge destructive individuals. According to HealthyWorkplaceBill.org, The true purpose of the Healthy Workplace bill is to get employers to prevent bullying with policies and procedures that apply to all employees.

While no state or federal law is currently in effect, it is up to each individual company or employer to take seriously the effects of workplace bullying and to put in place effective policies that are enforced by organizational leaders. SafetySkills offers an online safety training course to help get your company started on the right path. Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Workplace teach the employee effective skills to resolve disputes and react with practical conflict coping strategies. To view more about this course and the other courses in our Human Resources Compliance online training course series, please click here.