Tackling the workplace bullies

Bullying is on the rise in workplaces across the UK, a hard-hitting Acas study has revealed.

The Acas paper, published this week and available on Acas’ website, Seeking better solutions: tackling bullying and ill-treatment in Britain’s workplaces, draws from research on workplace bullying as well as the 20,000 calls to its helpline last year. It found more incidences of bullying within certain groups such as public sector minority ethnic workers; women in traditionally male-dominated occupations; workers with disabilities or long-term health problems; lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender people; and workers in health care. 

Despite the prevalence of bullying, Acas found that inexperienced employers can feel they lack the skills to go through complex grievance and disciplinary procedures that bullying allegations may involve, and managers often move staff around than dealing with underlying behaviours.

Acas describes bullying and harassment as any unwanted behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated, degraded, humiliated or offended.

Acas Chair, Sir Brendan Barber, says: “Callers to our helpline have experienced some horrific incidents around bullying that have included humiliation, ostracism, verbal and physical abuse. 

“But managers sometimes dismiss accusations around bullying as simply personality or management style clashes whilst others may recognise the problem but lack the confidence or skills to deal with it. Businesses should be taking workplace bullying very seriously as the annual economic impact of bullying-related absences, staff turnover and lost productivity is estimated to be almost £18bn.”