On-the-job bullying can take a number of different forms, from a supervisor’s verbal abuse and threats to cruel comments or relentless teasing by someone that you work with. And it could become the next major battleground in employment law. That is because many are considering legislation that would allow workers sue their employers or fellow members of staff for harassment that causes physical or emotional harm.
Many companies already recognise the problems that workplace bullying can cause, including the fact that it can sap morale, lead to increased employee turnover and even affect the bottom line. Half of the employers in a 2011 survey by the management association reported incidents of bullying in their workplace. It was also revealed that about a quarter of human resources professionals themselves said they had been bullied.
Some employers have begun to put in place anti-bullying policies, but advocacy groups want to take the matter even further. They have been urging policy makers to give legal rights to workers who do not already fit into a protected class based on race, gender or age. One reason that the issue has attracted more attention in recent years is that parents who deal with school bullying also realise that it can happen in the workplace.