- Recent surveys have shown that up to 60% of people are dissatisfied at work. There are many reasons for this but issues of poor leadership, bullying and misuse of power are significant.
- There is no clear line between bullying and 'robust management'. Employment tribunals, academics, trades unions and government are all muddling themselves through. Many employers are giving bullies the benefit of the doubt. Individuals are left largely to fend for themselves.
- According to some estimates up to as many as half of us are bullied at some time in our lives.
- In a recent survey of Human Resources professionals (Digital Opinion for Personnel Today and Andea Adams Trust, 2005) nearly three quarters of respondents said they were aware of bullying in their organisation. A similar proportion is reported in higher education (Times Higher Ed., 2005).
- Not too long ago, behaviour remarkably redolent of bullying was considered 'character-building'; in schools, the workplace and in families. It still seems to be so in many organisations. How much has really changed?
- In the workplace, bullying is often overlooked or even rewarded because the perpetrator may well score highly in conventional performance measurements.
- The Chartered Management Institute has recently reported, "Bullies in UK offices are using a range of subtle tactics and behaviour to intimidate colleagues at work". Their survey also sugests that bullies' ability to torment is enhanced by increasing levels of organisational change and ineffective action by employers.
- Many organisations' policies do not work. Some surveys report that in up to 80% of complaints about workplace bullying, the complainant is the one who is moved out while the prpetrator remains untouched. Others report that some HR departments help the bullies rather than the bullied (Times higher ed., as above).
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