Managing and preventing bullying at school and the workplace

Direct and hidden costs of bullying

RAYMOND T. LEE

Bullying does not occur only in our children’s schoolyards but is increasingly pervasive in universities and our places of work. In a previous research, Céleste Brotheridge and I defined bullying as repeated, unreasonable, and inappropriate behaviors targeted at one or more workers, which causes humiliation and distress and creates an unpleasant learning or work climate. Bullying comes in many forms and varieties, ranging from face-to-face confrontation to written remarks posted on the internet. We are still trying to understand the nature and causes of bullying behaviors, especially in work settings. What are the direct and hidden costs of bullying?

Bullying behaviors are often hard to pinpoint and start out as ambiguous, subtle, and discreet actions that are easily dismissed as petty nuisance. By the time the behaviors have escalated to direct, aggressive and undermining tactics that leave no question in a target’s mind about their intention, the cycle becomes difficult to break, and the target has usually fallen prey to the bully.

In the past five to six years, the frequency of bullying reported in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada has skyrocketed. One website reported that nearly half of the workers were bullied by coworkers or their bosses. A November 2005 article in the Canadian Association of University Teachers Bulletin reported that over 40 per cent of teachers in the U.K, were bullied by their colleagues and students. In Ontario, 38 per cent of middle-school teachers were verbally abused, physically threatened, and faced other forms of intimidation by their students. Nearly 20 per cent of them sought professional help.

Bullying is equally extensive in other work settings. In our 2006 Saskatchewan study of service and production workers, we found that 40 per cent of the sample reported being bullied.

Bullying is costly. The personal toll on victims can be extensive. At the extremes, some have committed suicide and others have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. Brotheridge, a professor at the University of Québec at Montreal and a leading researcher on workplace bullying, warns that: “Given bullying’s deleterious effects on employee health, it is reason for concern.”

According to a report tabled in the British parliament, 40 million working days are lost yearly because of bullying, more than 160 times the number of days lost through strikes. One in four victims will have left their jobs because of bullying. An Australian

Bullying is costly. The personal toll on victims can be extensive. At the extremes, some have committed suicide and others have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder.

study calculated that bullying costs employers CDN$17 to $36 billion per year. Direct costs include sick days off, time in preparing for and attending mediation and court hearings, and replacement of staff. Hidden costs include bad publicity, low staff morale, and reduced productivity.

Ideally, firms should establish policies and practices that promote mutual respect in workplace relationships. In Manitoba, several organizations have taken the lead to manage and prevent bullying. In 2004, the University of Manitoba implemented a policy for promoting a “Respectful Work and Learning Environment.” The policy provides for ways in which to manage complaints made by staff experiencing bullying, and the steps for resolving bullying. In 2005, the Pembina Trails School Division introduced a “Good Samaritan” policy that applies to students who have witnessed classmates being bullied. The witnesses are required to report the incidents immediately to the appropriate authorities.

In light of bullying’s prevalence and heavy personal and social costs, provincial-wide policies and guidelines need to be set. Quebec recently passed legislation that directly addresses workplace bullying. The Quebec Ministry of Labour relies on the following criteria to determine whether bullying has occurred: Has negative, hostile behavior taken place? Has the behavior been repeated? Have the worker’s integrity and dignity suffered? And has the behavior created a hostile environment for the worker?

Bullying can best be addressed by promoting awareness through educational forums for all workers. In 2005, Brotheridge led a workshop for the Saskatchewan Mediation Association that addressed five key questions: How do I know I’m being bullied? What triggers bullying? How does bullying affect victims? What should I do if I’m being bullied? What should I do if I see others being bullied?

Promoting awareness and taking proactive measures will foster healthier, more respectful relationships among workers, and make good business sense for their employers.

Raymond Lee is professor at the I. H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba. His research, with professor Céleste Brotheridge, examines the prevalence, causes and effects of workplace bullying on the well-being of workers in Canada. This article is based on a report titled, “Dealing with Workplace Harassment and Bullying: Some Recommendations for Employment Standards of Manitoba,” submitted to Employment Standards of Manitoba on Dec. 12, 2005.