BULLYING TACTICS

According to research, more than one in five of UK employees has been bullied at least once in the past year. There is also worrying new evidence that victims of bullying feel unable to report these incidents or other unethical behaviour witnessed in a work environment. A recent Mercer survey reveals that 20% of staff do not feel free to report instances of harassment. Furthermore, 14% feel unable to report dishonest or unethical behaviour, and 60% of staff feel they are treated without dignity and respect, regardless of their position or background. Collectively, this evidence points towards a work culture defined by fear and lack of respect. The first effective step in tackling the problem is for employers to measure the extent of harassment in their organisation through a confidential employee survey. The survey should be broad and cover a full range of topics. This gives balanced results and avoids an obvious focus on harassment, which can lead to over-reporting. More generally, a well-designed survey process can build employee confidence by showing that an organisation is willing to respond to employee concerns.