Workplace bullying and harassment is described as an unreasonable behaviour aimed at humiliating, threatening, or isolating the victim. It usually starts small, in the form of inappropriate remarks, but due to its recurrence, it becomes a major source of stress and anxiety. By law, we need to manage this risk by starting to train our employees for the bullying and harassment training.
Victims suffer the most from bullying behaviours but what not a lot of employers are aware of is that everyone in the workplace is affected by it, too.
Below, we listed five indirect ways bullying affects the organisation.
Non-target employees will feel negative. Seeing how a bully can go on for a long time without being caught or sanctioned, they are likely to feel unsafe themselves. If they are close friends with the victim, then by extension they’d feel distressed and apprehensive towards the bully. Their professional relationship may even be strained by this fear.
Reduced productivity. Are you familiar with the proverb: the chain is as strong as its weakest link? Such a metaphor applies to a work unit in which one team member is overly distracted due to bullying. The victim’s negative experiences may take a toll on their self-esteem, inhibiting them from thinking creatively and performing well.
Cost of absenteeism. There are many ways in which victims of bullying cope with the problem; avoidance being a common one. In an attempt to avoid bullying-related stress, they remove themselves from the setting that reminds them of it. This absence causes a delay in the team’s output. Colleagues are also forced to carry out the unattended tasks, which may drive them to resent their absent teammate.
Low employee morale. When worst comes to worst, the bullied employee may opt to permanently detach from the hostile workplace. A resignation could result in the disruption of the balance built by the employee’s being in the group. This may result in a bit of turmoil for the remaining team members as they reorganise themselves. New blood typically bridges this gap, but it will take time until they fully integrate into the work unit.
Cost of recruitment and training for new employees. This comes as a given after an employee leaves the company. Employers will have to allocate funds for the recruitment and selection process. There is no assurance that an eligible applicant will show up overnight, but even then, they will still need to undergo training before fully assuming the vacant position.
Now that we have logically proven that the effects of bullying aren’t limited to the victim, it’s high time to discuss what you can do to prevent it from taking place in your place of work.
At WHS & Training Compliance Solutions, we are firm believers in the impact of educating employees about the psychological and organisational harms of bullying- which is why we have dedicated ourselves to providing quality online training for employees and work leaders alike.
We are offering onsite Workplace Bullying and Harassment training. Contact us for group booking and more information
Have you seen our online WHS training programs?
Our Online Workplace Bullying and Harassment course come in two training formats:
- self-paced study
- instructor-led video conference
Other E-Learning Prevention WHS training programs:
Group bookings for online WHS training programs – Contact us. We have group booking discounts.
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