Are there bullies operating in your firm?

There are probably bullies in your company.

It’s not a comfortable thought, but it’s likely to be true. A TUC poll found that nearly a third of people (29%) are bullied at work, and 46% of safety representatives identified bullying as one of the top five problems in their workplace, so chances are it’s happening under your nose right now.

“Bullying and harassment in the workplace can include verbal aggression or yelling, isolation, an unrealistic workload, continuous criticism of a person and/or their work, constantly interfering and dictating and continuous ill treatment,” Linda James, Founder and CEO of Bullies Out, told HR Grapevine. “Bullying causes huge distress to a person and is recognised as a major cause of stress in the workplace. How can we expect someone who is being bullied to concentrate on their role and flourish to the best of their ability?”

Research from MHR found that many have experienced bullying, micro-management, aggressive and threatening behaviour from their managers during recent employment, and this can have a serious impact on the mental health of those on the receiving end.