News Article

Bullying at work


Posted by Carl Gryniewicz | Date Posted 31.08.2007 | Time Posted 14:33:40 | Views: 523

New research reveals that two thirds (66%) of managers believe that lack of management skills is the major factor contributing to bullying.

The survey questioned 512 senior managers across the UK. Other factors cited by managers themselves include unrealistic targets (27%), authoritarian management styles (56%), personality (57%) and failure to address incidents (37%).

The survey also reveals regional variations in managers' attitudes to workplace bullying. In the North East the figure is higher than the national average with 74% citing lack of management skills as a major factor contributing to workplace bullying. In the South West managers believed that personality was the most influential factor with 66%.

The top reason why organisations should deal with bullying at work was low morale (66%). Falling productivity was second with 37% and reducing absenteeism was third with 24%. In Scotland 77% managers cited low morale, higher than the national average.

The survey also asked managers what they believed was the most prolific type of bullying used. 71% of managers cited misuse of power while 63% cited overbearing supervision and 55% cited exclusion. In the North East verbal insults was cited as the main type of workplace bullying with 81% - higher than the national average.

Ban Bullying At Work day will take place on 7 November.


Published in sections: Health and Safety ::

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