Legal
Issue No. 3 - December/ 2001/january
stamping out bullying in the workplace
by Michael Hegarty
Every year in Australia, over 500 workers suffer a traumatic death from work and up to 2200 die from work-related disease. Although these statistics are disturbing, they provide no insight into the large number of people injured each year as a result of their work.
Work injuries reduce productivity. Even if an injury is minor, lost time accumulates. Frequent incidents may make staff reluctant to perform duties or use equipment.
Manual handling is a well known cause of injury, even though this problem is well recognised and training is widespread. But a lot of injuries also occur in the comparatively safe environment of an office.
In an office there may be little to cause serious harm other than the people who work or visit there. However, violence in the workplace is a major emerging problem; not necessarily direct violence, but more subtle and insidious.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
The cause of violence is people - workers, service providers and staff members’ families and friends. In many industries today staff are working longer with greater work loads. They work harder and often have less assistance. If a business is facing a tight financial situation or its viability is doubtful, staff may become stressed and insecure, particularly if they hear rumour and gossip. Domestic concerns unrelated to the work environment may also be brought in to the workplace. On top of this management and employees must be increasingly responsive to the needs of their customers and changes in business practices and technology. Stress builds up, and staff may express frustration against work mates. This may lead to bullying.
A stronger, experienced worker or merely a stronger character may exercise his or her frustration by targeting a weaker character or someone of a lesser perceived standing. Victims may include younger employees such as apprentices and trainees. Workers with disabilities, from Aboriginal or ethnic...
