Date: 19 November 2007

Source: Personnel Today

The TUC has called on businesses to act, based on research conducted the University of Manchester. The study revealed that in the last six months one in 10 workers were bullied, while one in four have been victims in the last five years.

The research, which coincided with National Ban Bullying day yesterday has been highlighted by the TUC.

By producing new anti-bullying guides it hopes to help union safety representatives work with employers to create a new workplace culture where bullying, intimidation and harassment eradicated.

Brendan Barber TUC general secretary said: “People on the receiving end of cutting remarks or verbal outbursts from the workplace bully are the ones paying a heavy price for employers’ failure to deal with the problem.

The stress and anxiety felt by the victims can make them physically ill, lose all their self-confidence and mean that they dread coming into work.”

But it’s not just employees who are suffering. Companies will feel the effects too if they don’t tackle the problem.

“Staff being bullied are likely to take more time off because the harassment is making them ill and the low morale they suffer as a result almost always affects their ability to do their job, making them much less productive,” Barber added.