National Workplace Bullying Survey

The report is based on all the responses (3,235) received since the launch of the survey in mid-March 2005. It provides a view of workplace bullying from the perspective of the victim.*

The feedback indicates that workplace bullying is perpetrated by a range of individuals, from directors to reports, with immediate managers being cited most often. It takes a variety of forms. Unfair criticism and intimidating behaviour are the most commonly cited examples, while some respondents indicate that they have been the victims of physical abuse.

Just over half of victims of bullying said that they had been bullied for over a year. Almost 23% had been bullied for 6 to 12 months.

Workplace bullying affects people in different ways. The most commonly cited effects are worry about going to work, and a lowering of self-esteem and self-confidence. It also has an impact on performance. 60% of respondents say that it has affected the quality of their work, and 51% say that it has caused them to take time off.

People respond to workplace bullying in different ways. 75% say that they discussed it with family or friends while 58% talked with colleagues. Just 32% made a formal complaint. 53% say that they started looking for another job and 22% took legal advice.

5% of respondents say that their actions solved the problem, while 31.5% say that they achieved a partial solution. Unfortunately, over 38% say that their actions had no effect, while a quarter of victims say that they actually made the situation worse.

When asked about how their organisation deals with workplace bullying, 44% of respondents say they do not know, 25% say that their organisation has specific policies and procedures in place, while the rest say that it is dealt with through the normal grievance procedures.

*It should be noted that the responses to the survey are taken at face value. The views expressed are not corroborated.