Is There a Bullying "Epidemic" in our Workplaces?

Many employees in Australian organisations claim that they are "bullied" by their leaders, managers or supervisors. 

In fact, some describe "workplace bullying" as being in epidemic proportions in the modern workplace.

A common explanation for a the so-called epidemic is pressure. As competition ramps up, leaders, managers and supervisors are increasingly under pressure to deliver results. This in turn might cause them to pressurise staff to deliver, or at least be more direct them - - which in turn might be labelled by some as "bullying".

The question really is: Is a lack of understanding of what constitutes workplace bullying fuelling the so called epidemic?

This is a question well worth trying to answer. 

For leaders, managers and supervisors it is important to understand what workplace bullying is. Equally important, employees should have a clear view of the difference between being directed or pressured, and bullying.

Ellen Cobb in Management Issues says:

In general terms, bullying describes a wide variety of negative workplace behaviours including verbal threats, personal attacks, humiliation, innuendo, and deliberate isolation of a colleague. Separate incidents may be relatively innocuous but are often sustained or persistent in character, with a cumulative negative effect.  

Safe Work Australia builds on this definition by commenting on the repeated or persistent nature of what is termed "unreasonable behaviour".

Workplace bullying is defined as repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety.

Repeated behaviour refers to the persistent nature of the behaviour and can involve a range of behaviours over time.

Unreasonable behaviour means behaviour that a reasonable person, having considered the circumstances, would see as unreasonable, including behaviour that is victimising, humiliating, intimidating or threatening.

A single incident of unreasonable behaviour is not considered to be workplace bullying however it may have the potential to escalate and should not be ignored.

It would seem reasonable to say that a "one-off" incident would not constitute bullying and I believe that is where some of the lack of understanding of the term is situated.

I am aware of many situations where employees describe a "one off situation" as "being bullied". While the situation might have been unpleasant and unnecessary is does not appear, from considering the definitions provided, that the behaviour is classified as bullying.

In trying to garner a better understanding of the meaning of "workplace bullying", it is probably useful to consider, in more detail, what bullying is NOT.

Once again, Safe Work Australia sheds some light on this topic.

Safe Work Australia says bullying is NOT:

Reasonable management action taken in a reasonable way

"It is reasonable for managers and supervisors to allocate work and to give fair and reasonable feedback on a worker’s performance. These actions are not considered to be workplace bullying if they are carried out lawfully and in a reasonable manner, taking the particular circumstances into account."

Discrimination and sexual harassment

"Behaviour that involves discrimination and sexual harassment in employment is unlawful under anti-discrimination, equal employment opportunity, workplace relations and human rights laws."

Workplace conflict

"Differences of opinion and disagreements are generally not considered to be workplace bullying. People can have differences and disagreements in the workplace without engaging in repeated, unreasonable behaviour that creates a risk to health and safety. However, in some cases, conflict that is not managed may escalate to the point where it meets the definition of workplace bullying."

My conclusion is that in fact "workplace bullying" does NOT exist in epidemic proportions in Australian workplaces - and that there may well be a perception that we do have such an epidemic because of a lack of level of understanding of the term "bullying" For example, some employees confuse the term "bullying" with "workplace conflict" or "management action".

That is not to say that bullying is non-existent in our workplaces.  

Finally, it is worthwhile pointing out that workplace bullying can occur beyond the employee - leader working relationship.  Workplace bullying can occur on a team member to team member basis was well.

This post, however, has focussed on the leadership - employee type workplace relationship.