Psychologist reveals why you wouldn't stop a bully at work

Would you intervene if you saw someone being bullied in your workplace? A new study suggests not.

Dr Iain Coyne, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Psychology at Loughborough University’s School of Business and Economics, claimed that people are less likely to physically step in if they see someone being victimized in their workplace.

Dr Coyne said: “Bystanders are people who witness bullying but are not involved directly. These individuals can discourage or escalate bullying by speaking up on the victim’s behalf, or supporting the bully either actively or passively.

“So, if bystanders do not intervene they can be seen as providing passive support to the perpetrator to continue with their actions. If their support can reduce bullying, then understanding bystander behaviour online and developing approaches to enhance positive support online is a key intervention.”