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Addressing workplace bullying in higher education

The Inclusive Wellness Series, sponsored by Cornell’s Department of Inclusion and Belonging in partnership with the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement and the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity,  hosted a well-attended public talk with Dr. Leah Hollis on March 10 about her research on workplace bullying in higher education. Dr. Hollis is an associate professor at Morgan State University and a noted national and international expert on workplace bullying.

Dr. Leah Hollis

Driven by case studies and research discussed in her book, “ Bully in the Ivory Tower: How Aggression and Incivility Erode American Higher Education ,” Hollis shared how prevalent bullying is, and how it impacts the performance and well-being of employees.

“62% of respondents are affected by workplace bullying in higher education, and over the last ten years this percentage has remained relatively consistent,” Hollis said.

Sonia Rucker, AVP of Inclusion and Belonging, was instrumental in bringing Hollis back to Cornell after a visit nearly ten years ago.

Rucker explained, “We work a lot with the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX when they receive bias complaints. There were certain things that were coming up repeatedly with some of the complaints around behavior that wasn't exactly bias, but it had this element of hierarchy. People were uncomfortable addressing behavior if it came from someone who was higher than them within the organizational structure.”

In the changing environment of the workplace post-pandemic, there has been an uptick in the number of employees leaving work specifically because of bullying. “Bullying is expensive,” Hollis said. “It’s eroding human resources. It’s stealing the talent. It’s stealing the innovation.”

She offered several solutions to stop bullying before it becomes ingrained within an institution, emphasizing the influential role that leaders play. “If leadership ignores the problem, it becomes an even bigger problem.”

Hollis left the audience with the following message, “We have a responsibility to be civil to each other and to respect the difference of opinions. It takes a village to maintain a bully. The whole system works together to allow the bully to come forward. … And similarly, the whole system can work to end bullying as well.”

Grace DePaull is the Diversity & Inclusion Media Assistant with the Department of Inclusion and Belonging in the Division of Human Resources.

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Signs and Effects of Workplace Bullying

Gpointstudio/Image Source/Getty Images

• What Employers Can Do

Frequently Asked Questions

Workplace bullying is persistent mistreatment that occurs in the workplace. It can include behaviors such as verbal criticism, personal attacks, humiliation, belittling, and exclusion. It's important to note that anyone can be a bully or be bullied, regardless of the role they have in the workplace.

Unfortunately, bullying in the workplace is far from uncommon. According to a survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute, 30% of workers have directly experienced bullying while at work. People who work remotely were more likely to report such bullying, with 43.2% responding that they had been bullied on the job.  

Workplace bullying hurts the health and well-being of employees. It can also damage workplace productivity and performance. "Bullying's pernicious nature creates long-lasting scars that have an effect on the victim's sense of self-worth, self-assurance, and general mental health," says Azizi Marshall, LCPC , a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of the Mental Health at Work Summit and Center for Creative Arts Therapy.

This article discusses some of the signs and effects of workplace bullying. It also covers its impact on the workplace and what people can do to help prevent this type of behavior.

Signs of Workplace Bullying

If you're a target of bullies in the workplace, you probably start each week with a pit of anxiety in your stomach. Then, you count down the days until the weekend or next vacation. Inappropriate behavior by adult bullies may include:

• Berating people
• Coercing people to do things they don't want to do
• Dismissing someone's efforts
• Embarrassing people in front of their employer, co-workers, or clients
• Excluding others
• Intimidating people
• Lying to others
• Making snide remarks
• Minimizing others' concerns
• Taking credit for other people's work
• Threatening others
• Criticizing others unfairly

Workplace bullying is not always overt or openly hostile. It can also take more subtle forms, including gaslighting , where the bully engages in abusive behaviors but then denies the abuse. The goal of gaslighting is to make the victim of bullying doubt their reality and experiences.

Subtle workplace bullying can hide in plain sight, but recognizing its more subtle signs can empower individuals to reclaim their worth.

According to Marshall, some of these more subtle types of workplace bullying can include:

• Deliberately excluding people from conversations, decision-making, or work-related events
• Purposely ignoring, disregarding, or avoiding someone, such as by "forgetting" to invite them to work meetings
• Concealing or distorting information to achieve personal goals
• Feigning ignorance, changing the subject, or canceling meetings to divert attention from an issue
• Emotionally manipulating people by using shame or guilt to cause feelings of inadequacy, undue responsibility, or unworthiness
• Undermining someone's work to hamper their progress or ability to succeed
• Pitting people against one another to create a competitive, divisive environment
• Changing someone's responsibilities to disrupt their work and interfere with their sense of purpose
• Creating unrealistic or unattainable expectations or constantly shifting expectations to ensure failure
• Unfairly criticizing people's work to hurt the other person's self-esteem

Effects of Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying can have a range of negative effects. Research on bullying in the workplace quantifies the personal consequences for the victim and the fiscal consequences that affect the company's bottom line.

Health Risks

The effects of workplace bullying don't end when you leave the office. Experiencing bullying can cause physical and psychological health problems, including high blood pressure, mood changes, panic attacks, stress , and ulcers.

People who are bullied at work may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and changes in appetite. Bullying can impact sleep quality and duration as well.

Workplace bullying can contribute to increased stress, low self-esteem , and feelings of anxiety and depression. "One's sense of security is undermined by ongoing unpleasant interactions, which can cause anxiety, tension, and even melancholy," Marshall says.

Researchers have found that the coworkers of those who are bullied also experience negative effects, even when they themselves are not bullied. One study showed that victims of bullying and those who witness it are more likely to receive a prescription for psychotropic medications such as antidepressants, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills.

Bullying in the workplace can increase the risk of negative physical health effects and lead to decreased mental well-being for both the victims of bullying and their co-workers.

Effect on Job Performance

"Bullying at work has a negative impact on a person's ability to do their job. Due to the mental discomfort brought on by the bullying, victims frequently exhibit decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and difficulties concentrating," explains Marshall.

Bullied workers cannot perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Performance issues include:

• Inability to work or concentrate
• Loss of self-esteem
• Trouble making decisions
• Lower productivity

Bullied workers not only lose motivation, they lose time because they are preoccupied with:

• Avoiding the bully
• Networking for support
• Making plans to deal with the situation
• Ruminating about the situation
• Trying to defend themselves

Targets of bullying feel a sense of isolation.  Workplace bullying can leave the victim so traumatized that they feel powerless, disoriented, confused and helpless.

Changes in the Workplace

Workplace bullying has detrimental effects on employers, not just the victim and their co-workers who witness it. In addition to disrupting the work environment and impacting worker morale, it can also:

• Create a hostile work environment
• Impact workers compensation claims
• Promote absenteeism
• Reduce productivity
• Result in costly, and possibly embarrassing legal issues​

Other effects on the employer include:

• Additional costs to recruit and train new employees
• Erosion of employee loyalty and commitment
• Increased use of sick leave, health care claims, and staff turnover
• Increased risk of legal action
• Poor public image and negative publicity

Coping With Bullying in the Workplace

"To effectively respond to workplace bullying, it’s important to adopt an assertive and direct approach. Confronting the issue head-on and establishing clear consequences for unacceptable behavior is a must," explains Avigail Lev, PsyD , founder and director of the Bay Area CBT Center.

If you are being bullied at work, there are strategies that you can use to cope. Being proactive may help you feel better.

Set Boundaries

When a bully engages in abusive behavior, tell them what they have done and that it is unacceptable. Let them know that their behavior will not be tolerated and that if it occurs again, you will take action. Setting boundaries lets others know what type of behavior you are willing to accept. 

Marshall says that setting these boundaries to establish what is acceptable and improper can help you defend your rights and protect against future abuse.

Confront the Behavior

Once you establish a boundary, following through with the consequences is essential. Marshall suggests always remaining professional, avoiding retaliation, and utilizing "I" statements to assertively voice your concerns and address the specific behaviors that upset you.

If the abuse continues, call out the behavior the next time it happens. Ask them to leave until they can behave in a professional, work-appropriate manner. 

Therapist-Recommended Strategies

Other strategies that Lev recommends to cope with workplace bullying include:

• Detached empathy : It can be helpful to detach yourself emotionally from the other person's actions while maintaining a certain level of empathy. According to Lev, this allows people to become less reactive while staying grounded.
• Reverse DARVO: This self-defense strategy can be utilized to combat manipulation. "This involves recognizing and challenging the Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender tactics employed by the bully. It stands for Detach, Assert, Validate, and Observe. This helps people cultivate detached empathy and helps them stay non-reactive," Lev explains.
• The BIFF technique : BIFF stands for Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm. Lev suggests it can be an effective way to cope with gaslighting in the workplace. "When confronted with gaslighting, responding in a BIFF manner involves keeping interactions brief and to the point, providing factual information without engaging in lengthy debates, maintaining a friendly tone, and asserting your position firmly," she explains.

Keep Track of the Abuse

Whenever you feel that you have been bullied at work, document the details including the time and exactly what happened. Write down any witnesses who were present and save any documents or records that can corroborate the abuse.

Talk to Management or Human Resources

If you've tried resolving the bullying on your own without success, it is time to involve your employer. Check with your workplace employee handbook to learn more about what steps you will need to take to file a complaint.

Marshall notes, however, that not all companies are great at addressing bullying. In such instances, it may be helpful to get outside assistance from legal counsel or an employee assistance program.

Care for Yourself

In addition to taking decisive action to protect yourself from bullying, it is also important to take steps to care for yourself. Seek out social support , practice relaxation strategies for stress, and consider talking to a mental health professional if you are experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or distress.

Creating boundaries and directly confronting the behavior are two strategies that may stop bullies from targeting you. Recording and reporting the bullying is also important. You can also help care for yourself by seeking social support and talking to a therapist.

What Can Employers Do?

It's always in your best interest to confront workplace bullying and maintain a bullying-free workplace because prevention is more cost-effective than intervention or mediation. It's also the right thing to do if you care about your employees.

Workplaces can safeguard their employees' mental health and provide a pleasant and productive atmosphere for all by developing rules and procedures that condemn bullying, offering assistance options, and encouraging open communication.

Employers must offer education opportunities for managers, supervisors, and other authority figures, because the majority of workplace bullying comes from bosses. Strive to create a workplace environment that cultivates teamwork, cooperation, and positive interaction instead.

Employers should also take steps to reduce bullying in the workplace. Educate employees and managers about bullying and outline steps that workers can take if they are experiencing abuse in the workplace.

Workplace bullying can be openly hostile at times, but it can also take more subtle forms. In either case, it can take a serious toll on employee well-being and productivity. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of workplace bullying so that you can take action to protect yourself. Organizations can also take steps to reduce bullying, including helping employees learn how to respond when they witness someone being bullied at work.

Calling out the behavior and making it clear that it will not be tolerated are important actions, but it is also critical to care for yourself outside of the workplace. Talk to friends and loved ones, spend time doing things you enjoy, and look for ways to help relax. Talking to a therapist can also be helpful.

Check your employee handbook to see if it describes steps you should take to report bullying. This may involve talking to your manager or reporting the behavior to human resources (HR) so they can investigate. If your manager is the one engaging in bullying, you might need to report the behavior to HR or to someone who is a position higher up the chain of command.

Workplace bullying can involve a range of damaging actions that can involve verbal, nonverbal, psychological, or physical abuse. Examples can include threats, humiliation, excessive monitoring, unjustified criticism, intentionally lying about work duties, and intimidation.

Employers can help prevent bullying by making it a priority to create a supportive workplace and refusing to tolerate bullying behaviors. Co-workers can help by being supportive and speaking up if they witness abuse in the workplace.

Wu M, He Q, Imran M, Fu J. Workplace bullying, anxiety, and job performance: choosing between "passive resistance" or "swallowing the insult"? .  Front Psychol . 2020;10:2953. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02953

Workplace Bullying Institute. 2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey .

Nielsen MB, Magerøy N, Gjerstad J, Einarsen S. Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems . Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen . 2014;134(12-13):1233-1238. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.13.0880

Glambek M, Skogstad A, Einarsen S. Take it or leave: a five-year prospective study of workplace bullying and indicators of expulsion in working life .  Ind Health . 2015;53(2):160–170. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2014-0195

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Bullying in the workplace .

Lallukka T, Haukka J, Partonen T, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E. Workplace bullying and subsequent psychotropic medication: a cohort study with register linkages . BMJ Open . 2012;2(6). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001660

Robert F. Impact of workplace bullying on job performance and job stress .  J Manag Info . 2018;5(3):12-15. doi:10.31580/jmi.v5i3.123

Einarsen S, Skogstad A, Rørvik E, Lande ÅB, Nielsen MB. Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a moderated mediation analysis .  Int J Hum Resour Manag . 2016;29(3):549-570. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1164216

By Sherri Gordon Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. She's also the former editor of Columbus Parent and has countless years of experience writing and researching health and social issues.

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How to Confront a Bully at Work

• Savvas Trichas

Build a strong network of alliances to support you.

Early career professionals are more prone to bullying than their senior colleagues. Research shows that power imbalances between experienced and newer workers can create an authority gap that has the potential to generate abusive and intimidating behaviors from those who have higher status. If you’re a young professional dealing with bullying at work, how do you navigate the situation and guard yourself?

• Become a bee: Start by finding your sting — a visible way to defend yourself from bullying behavior. For instance, make it known that you are someone who follows rules and procedures. Playing by the book can give you a sense of security, help you stay on track, and give bullies less weaknesses to exploit.
• Don’t let your emotions overpower your reaction: Put aside your anger, frustration, and the urge to snap back. If you react instinctively, guided by your negative emotions, you may end up increasing the conflict, reducing mutual gain, and damaging any chances of future collaboration.
• Build golden bridges: As soon as you realize you are getting in an office battle zone, start gathering evidence to block all exits besides the one you consider fair. Ask yourself,  “How do I make it easier for the bully to reach the decision that I want them to get to?” This can be an excellent way to inhibit workplace intimidation before following the official path.

Whether it’s a difficult boss, an antagonistic coworker, or a disrespectful client, bullies exist in every area of the workplace. Professionals in the earliest stages of their careers know this better than anyone.

• ST Savvas Trichas, PhD is a keynote speaker who combines cutting edge research with instruction creating motivational moments with practical value. He is a 3-times TEDx speaker and has collaborated with several prestigious universities and organizations such as Stanford University, the University of Durham, the Ministry of Education and Culture, The Million Dollar Round Table, and the Association of Cyprus Banks. He is also associated with the FBI National Academy Associates Cyprus Police where he serves as a guest lecturer under the topics of management, communication, and deception detection.

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Standing up against workplace bullying behavior: Recommendations from newly licensed nurses

Carolyn r. smith.

1 College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA

Steven J. Palazzo

2 College of Nursing, Seattle University, Seattle, USA

Paula L. Grubb

3 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, USA

Gordon L. Gillespie

Workplace bullying exists in today’s healthcare system and often targets newly licensed nurses. Experiences of workplace bullying behavior may negatively affect the nurses’ physical and psychological health and impact job satisfaction and staff turnover rates at an organizational level. The purpose of this study was to explore strategies suggested by newly licensed nurses to prevent and intervene during incidents of workplace bullying behavior.

An exploratory qualitative design guided this study. Three open-ended questions asked included: What do you think could be done to prevent a future, similar incident of workplace bullying? If you or someone else attempted to the stop the bullying incident, please describe the actions taken. If you or someone else did not attempt to stop the bullying incident, please state what would need to happen for you to intervene on behalf of yourself or someone else. Surveys were distributed electronically to newly licensed nurses from three baccalaureate nursing programs who had participated in a workplace bullying education intervention study as students. A total of 79 responses were received. Responses to three open-ended questions about recent incidents of workplace bullying behavior were coded and analyzed. Then the Social-Ecological Model was used to organize results into individual, relationship, and organizational level strategies.

Most respondents reported experiencing workplace bullying behaviors in the previous six months. Three domains of strategies were identified: Preventing Future Bullying Behavior, Stopping Incidents of Bullying Behavior, and Promoting Others to Act.

Conclusions:

Results indicated newly licensed nurses desire to be supported by their peers and organization as well as strategies to intervene when bullying behaviors occur. Implications for clinical practice and education are presented.

1. Introduction

Workplace bullying (WB) in healthcare remains a persistent problem, particularly against newly licensed nurses. [ 1 , 2 ] Among healthcare workers, frequently experienced WB behaviors included being assigned an unmanageable workload (62%, n = 149), being ignored by others (35%, n = 85), coworkers withholding information need for clinical care (28%, n=68), and being humiliated or ridiculed (22%, n = 54). [ 3 ] In nurses, negative outcomes of WB behaviors include burnout and lack of engagement, [ 4 ] decreased work productivity, [ 2 ] organizational mistrust, [ 5 ] turnover intention, [ 6 ] sleep difficulties, [ 7 ] and general physical and mental health complaints. [ 1 , 2 , 7 ]

Debate still exists surrounding what label best reflects bullying behaviors experienced by nurses in the workplace (e.g., lateral violence, horizontal violence, mobbing). [ 8 ] Despite the debate, most researchers agree that bullying in nursing workplaces consist of “repeated, cumulative, and patterned form of negative behaviors of a perpetrator abusing his or her power over time toward the victim, resulting in the profound negative impact on the bully victim and organization” [ 9 ] (p. 263).

Several strategies have been recommended to address the persistence of WB in healthcare. First, the work culture needs to be redesigned to foster collegiality and a violence free workplace. Several researchers encourage the adoption of a “no tolerance policy”. [ 10 – 12 ] While this policy is a good start towards creating a safe work culture, the implementation of such a policy is typically not described, does not account for one-time behaviors atypical for the offender, and focused on how to respond after the event has already occurred. This necessitates the need for further interventions to be considered which are prevention-focused. Castronovo, Pullizzi, and Evans (2016) recommend hospitals adopt an assessment and public reporting process related to WB with the assumption hospitals will more effectively focus on prevention to prevent negative findings from being reported to the public. [ 13 ] Sguera et al. (2016) recommend team building sessions as a viable strategy to combat WB. [ 6 ] Team building in addition to other WB interventions requires all employees, staff and administration, to participate in work culture changes. [ 11 ] These changes coupled with strong diversity climates may lead to a reduction of WB behaviors. Diversity climates refer to efforts by organizations to actively mitigate status differences [ 4 ] and target gender, ethnicity, sexual-orientation, and role. Sliter et al. (2014) reported increased worker engagement and acceptance of others in work environments with strong diversity climates. [ 4 ]

Developing a positive work culture requires effective communication between employees. Effective communication is believed to reduce the incidence of WB. [ 14 ] It is important employees receive education on how to confront other employees demonstrating WB behaviors. [ 15 ] In a recent review of the literature, Koh (2016) recommends cognitive rehearsal as one strategy in developing effective communication among employees; concluding cognitive rehearsal when used with scripting specific responses in the presence of WB can help mitigate this behavior. [ 14 ] Ceravolo et al. (2012) delivered a workshop series on WB which emphasized interpersonal communications finding their intervention decreased the incidence of WB from 90% to 76%. [ 10 ]

Interventions such as communication workshops to combat WB require institutional resources and front-line managers as well as hospital administrators to oversee the use of these resources. This oversight relies on the leadership team being instrumental in identifying WB and creating safe work environments. [ 10 , 16 ] For effective leadership, individuals in these positions need to role model positive behaviors in the workplace. [ 17 ] This role modeling can be demonstrated by addressing incidents of WB as they occur even when the aggressor may be a respected employee. [ 15 ] In some organizations, the effectiveness of administrators and thus the organization are perceived as poor. This negative interpretation is commonly the result of some employees perceiving that the organization provides greater support to the aggressor than the target. [ 5 ] As a result, further research is needed to better understand WB in relation to the need for a safe work culture, effective communication, and improved administrator effectiveness. While most research is focused on describing the problem of WB against nurses, only some research has been trialed to test interventions. Greater depth is needed to identify additional strategies to prevent and mitigate WB.

One way to examine and categorize strategies to address WB is within the context of the Social-Ecological Model. [ 18 , 19 ] The Social-Ecological Model proposes there are four levels which can influence violence: individual, relationship, community, and societal. According to the model, the individual level examines factors such as a person’s biological and personal history that may influence risk of being a victim or perpetrator. Intervention strategies at this level need to target individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The relationship level examines interpersonal relationships that may influence an individual’s behavior and, as a result, contribute to them being a victim or perpetrator of violence. Proposed interventions at this level should aim to promote healthy interpersonal relationships through strategies such as conflict-resolution skills, effective communication, and mentoring. The community level looks at the context where social relationships occur such as workplaces, schools, communities, etc. Violence interventions geared toward this level include context specific policies, resources, and environments to support healthy relationships. The final level, societal, explores how societal and cultural norms, policies, and resources influence violence. Interventions at this level target policies and inequity that may promote victimization and perpetration of violence. The purpose of this study was to explore strategies recommended by newly-graduated nurses exposed to WB behaviors.

An exploratory qualitative design was used for this study. This research was part of a larger study exploring workplace bullying behaviors against nursing students and newly-licensed registered nurses. Institutional Review Board approvals were obtained from all study sites prior to participant enrollment and data collection.

2.1. Settings and sample

In Fall 2013, junior and senior-level students enrolled in three university-based baccalaureate of nursing programs in the Midwestern United States were invited to participate in a larger study addressing WB. Of the 335 eligible students, 185 (55.2%) provided informed consent and enrolled. The students received an educational intervention focused on increasing their knowledge of and ability to recognize behaviors that are WB. [ 20 ] Thirty months after initial study enrollment, the junior nursing students had been registered nurses for less than one year and the senior nursing students less than 2 years.

2.2. Definition for WB behaviors

From January through April 2014, study participants received an educational intervention focused on exploring WB. WB was defined as intense, negative behaviors intended to cause the victim to feel threatened, vulnerable, and powerless and which persist for a minimum of least six months. Considering all the current study respondents received the same educational intervention, the authors assumed respondents would recall and apply this definition of WB when answering the current survey questions.

2.3. Current procedures

During March and April 2016, all 185 study participants were emailed the current study survey link via SurveyMonkey (San Mateo, CA), a web-based HIPAA compliant survey collector. Participants who had experienced an incident of bullying behavior in the previous six months were asked to respond to three open-ended questions:

• What do you think could be done to prevent a future similar incident? This question was asked to facilitate participant use of a systems’ focus to identify prevention strategies of actual versus hypothetical events.
• If you or someone else attempted to the stop the incident of bullying behavior, please describe the actions that were taken to stop the action . This question aimed to identify a pool of strategies used in practice settings that may be novel in relation to recommendations made by workplace bullying experts.
• If you or someone else did not attempt to stop the incident of bullying behavior, please state what would need to happen for you to intervene on behalf of yourself or someone else to stop the incident . This question was asked because in nursing we need leaders at the bedside who will intervene on behalf of themselves or others when workplace bullying behavior occurs. Determining the circumstances, changes, interventions, etc., from the study participants to promote this leadership at the bedside is crucial.

Participants typed responses to questions directly into the web-based collector. Researchers transferred responses into a Microsoft Word (Redmond, WA) document for analysis.

2.4. Data analysis and trustworthiness

The qualitative data were analyzed using a descriptive content analysis approach. [ 21 , 22 ] First, the researchers read the data several times to obtain an essence of their composite meaning. Second, the researchers identified phrases mentioned by several participants which were deemed to answer the three research questions. Third, the researchers met and discussed each phrase and made decisions by consensus whether to keep or disregard. Fourth, the researchers developed a coding schema clustering the phrases by domain (i.e. which research question it answered) and Social-Ecological Model level (i.e. individual, relationship, community, societal). Fifth, the researchers independently coded each line of data according to the coding schema. Sixth, the researchers met and discussed their coding line by line. When discrepancies occurred in coding with at least one researcher, the researchers provided rationale for their coding decision. Discussion ensued until consensus was achieved for the coding of each phrase. Seventh, the researchers used NVivo 10 (Burlington, MA) to manage the phrases within their respective domains. Eighth, the researchers critiqued the NVivo output files to confirm the phrases were assigned to the correct domains. No errors were noted. No recommendations were provided to change the names of the domains or domain descriptions.

Team members endeavored to ensure the trustworthiness of study results through credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability strategies. [ 23 ] Credibility was enriched by providing representative statements for each domain of the study results and triangulation of sources. The study participants represented a diverse sample of newly licensed nurses from multiple practice settings. This heterogeneity of the sample allowed for a triangulation of sources (participants). Transferability was enriched by authors providing context for the study findings, so readers can make determinations about the applicability of the study findings to their respective work settings. Dependability was improved through an external audit. While three researchers on the study team performed the qualitative analysis, the fourth researcher conducted an external audit. During the audit, the fourth researcher examined the coding schema, coding decisions, and representative statements and judged the accuracy of the study findings based on the study procedures and data. Confirmability was increased by having three researchers first independently analyze the data and then come to consensus on the coding schema and subsequent representative domains, subdomains, and quotes. Notes were maintained for these coding decisions.

Of the 185 study participants, 79 (42.7%) submitted responses to the current survey. Sixty-eight (86%) self-identified as female, 67 (84%) self-reported their race as Caucasian, and 62 (78.5%) reported being employed fulltime as a registered nurse.

As shown in Table 1 , over 75% (n = 61) of participants self-reported experiencing bullying behaviors in the previous six months and were currently employed in a variety of nursing settings. Aggressors identified included fellow nurses, physicians, charge nurses, and other hospital staff. Less than half (n = 29) of those who experienced bullying behaviors had someone intervene, help mitigate, or stop the bullying incident. Interveners included themselves, fellow nurses, administrator/supervisors, and others. Table 1 contains descriptive statistics about the work setting of participants, aggressors, and interveners.

Target’s Department of Employment and Types of Aggressors and Interveners

Phrases from responses to the three open-ended questions were organized into domains representing strategies to address workplace bullying behavior. Strategies fell into one of three domains: Preventing Future Bullying Behavior, Stopping Incidents of Bullying Behavior, and Promoting Others to Act. Within each domain, phrases were interpreted through the lens of the Social-Ecological Model [ 18 , 19 ] to further sort strategies into one of three levels: individual, relationship, and community. Individual-level strategies were ones connected to an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Relationship-level strategies focused on addressing the ways individuals relate to and communicate with one other. Community-level strategies targeted factors found within and controlled by the workplace community or organization (e.g., overall climate, system structure, policies and procedures). No participant responses reported strategies which fit the societal level of the model. Descriptions of each domain and corresponding strategies as organized by levels of the Social-Ecological Model are presented below as well as summarized in Table 2 .

Suggested strategies by domain and level of Social-Ecological Model

3.1. Preventing future bullying behavior

Participants were asked what could be done to prevent future incidents of WB. Three strategies were identified at the individual level and focused on addressing an individual’s attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge. Several participants believed bullying occurred due to communication breakdowns. One participant summed up this sentiment in the following quote: “You often find there are often misunderstandings that can be that can easily be worked out through [nurses using] effective communication.” Therefore, the first strategy identified was Taking a communication class. This strategy was specifically mentioned in the following participant remark: “Tell the staff nurse [who bullied] to take a communication class.” Nurses believed increasing knowledge of effective communication skills by taking a class could reduce future WB incidents. Another individual level strategy recommended was Expressing confidence in my skills. Having a belief in oneself and projecting that confidence to others were thought as a way one could deter future WB. Upon reflection of how to prevent another incident of WB, one participant remarked “I could have spoken up about it [WB incident].” Similarly, another respondent stated “The number of years [on the job] don’t necessarily mean anything… I feel confident in my potential regardless.” Finally Adopting an open-minded attitude about others’ perspectives was suggested as a WB prevention strategy. One participant stated “To be honest, I’m not sure [what can be done to prevent WB in future]. This job is going to have stress and people can respond negatively to stress. I guess… have open minds to other’s concerns [can help].”

Numerous responses to prevent future WB represented strategies focused on the relationship-level or addressing one’s relationship to and with others. The first strategy was Helping coworkers and consisted of ideas focused on seeking out and/or providing help to coworkers to prevent future WB. Participants discussed asking [coworkers] for help after a WB event as well as asking coworkers to help address nurses known for WB behaviors. Helping coworkers also included wanting coworkers to step in and interrupt future WB incidents so that each nurse could have a chance to speak. Finally, coworker help included the strategy to talk with coworkers about stressors and attitudes that may lead to potential bullying incidents. This idea was exemplified by the following participant remark: “Interrupt and give each nurse a chance to speak, valuing each opinion. Talk with each nurse regarding stressors and attitudes.” The second relationship-level category was Addressing bully after event and focused on how to prevent repeated WB occurrences by speaking directly to the bully after the event. Some participants believed it was important to “confront the bully” and call out their negative behaviors. Specifically, participants wanted to let the bully know “how WB behavior makes one uncomfortable.” Participants also felt it was important to prevent future WB by addressing the bully directly rather than going to management or human resources. This perspective was repeated by numerous respondents and exemplified by the following quote: “They could have spoken to the individual who made the comment instead of going straight to the managers.” Overall, addressing the bully was viewed as a strategy to salvage one’s future working relationship with the aggressor.

Ideas to prevent future bullying incidents that targeted the unit or work organization were categorized at the community-level and included two categories of ideas. Fostering positive, team-oriented work environment focused on unit level strategies to promote a workplace where WB would be less likely to occur. Ideas included promoting and creating a team focused work environment. Participants believe that future WB would be prevented if employees are focused on maintaining a cohesive team approach. For example, one participant wrote: “I think that when behavior like that [WB] occurs, peers that have been working on that unit for some time need to remind each other of the importance of team work and how that reflects on patient safety.” In addition to a team focused environment, respondents also believed a supportive culture would prevent future WB. One participants’ response to how to prevent future WB captured this sentiment: “Tell the experienced nurses that they were new once too and should be supporting new nurses rather than putting them down.” The final idea suggested in this subdomain was to increase presence on the unit of a supervisor or manager. Having one’s supervisor physically on the unit more often was viewed to foster a team-oriented attitude among nurses and potentially serve as a deterrent to future WB incidents.

The second category of the community-level strategies, Using resources to prevent WB, focused on tapping into existing or creating new resources to prevent future bullying. Specific strategies identified included orienting preceptors of new nurses to their abilities so unrealistic expectations can be mitigated. One participant captured this idea succinctly: “Have the preceptor already informed of what the nurse’s experience is before they begin working together so it is not a surprise.” Another idea focused on the idea of providing mentorship programs so new nurses could develop relationships with others on the unit. Education of all staff, specifically on effective and professional communication, was viewed as an existing resource that could prevent future WB. “Communication about differences is always the key” and “establish and remind providers on handling discourse in a manner consistent of professionalism.” Other strategies suggested at the community-level included adoption of a zero-tolerance policy towards WB, have “management looking into the [WB] issue,” and increase staffing on the unit so that there is less stress with work assignments.

3.2. Stopping incidents of bullying behavior

New nurse respondents who had directly experienced or witnessed behaviors of bullying reported use of various strategies to stop the incidents. The only individual-level strategy in this domain focused on Understanding with clarity the scope of practice and job description. A participant recalled how they used knowledge of their job description to quash bullying behavior incidents: “I intervened by standing up for myself. I told the bully that I know my job description, and I’m not going to do your job and mine too.”

Four strategies used to stop bullying behavior occurred at the relationship-level. First, participants identified Discussing incident and/or seeking support from peers/manager as an approach when they experienced or witnessed bullying behavior (e.g. “I supported the peer after [the incident]”, “I myself spoke to the charge nurse and explained the situation”). One participant even reported that this strategy was successful: “I went to inform my manager of the problem… Once he was told about the issue with the other staff nurse, the rudeness and bullying stopped.”

Using de-escalation strategies was another approach the new nurses described to stop bullying behavior. De-escalation involves actions taken by the target to escape escalation of conflict or resolve conflict. Strategies ranged from getting everyone on the same page and adopting an appropriate tone of voice to reminding the aggressor you are still learning and trying to defuse the situation. One nurse recalled trying to de-escalate the situation by taking a positive spin: “I said thank you to both the nurses several times and stated that the incident helped my learning.” Another nurse attempted to de-escalate by reminding the bully that they were both still learning: “I asked her how much experience she had in this position and when she said she had less than a year, I told her that we were both learning then because nursing requires lifelong learning.”

A third relationship-level strategy to stop bullying behavior involved Upstanding activities. The term “upstanding” refers to proactive measures taken by people witnessing bullying behaviors taking place. Several of the respondents described someone stepping in to mediate the incident. For example, one nurse reported: “The nurse educator stepped in to help out, because she knows I was a new nurse and felt very overwhelmed at the moment.” Another respondent reported a similar response by a co-worker: “The nurse preceptor pointed out to the [bully] that it wasn’t okay to say that and that I was in training.” Another upstanding activity involved others encouraging the aggressor to understand others’ perspectives. One nurse talked about how she intervened when she witnessed a bullying event: “I tried to get the nurse [bully] to see it from the travel nurse’s point of view, which seemed to help. The next encounter went much better.”

The fourth relationship-level strategy to stop bullying behavior included participants reports of Responding with aggression. Some participants stated that they tried to stop the incident by talking over the aggressor to redirect the conversation. One nurse recalled how she used this strategy: “I stopped the aggressor from talking over our peer and asked her [peer] to begin her report again.” Others responded aggressively by calling out bullying behavior as being unacceptable. This strategy was illustrated by one new nurse’s recollection of how she handled an incident of workplace bullying behavior:

I stopped report and stated ‘I don’t know what your deal is or what you are trying to accomplish by interrupting and making gestures. I am new to your unit and did the best I could with resources available. I apologize if that means you, as the seasoned nurse will have to clean up some of what I have left behind, but your attitude leaves a lot to be desired and I will appreciate you not constantly interrupting and making gestures.’

Community-level approaches used to stop bullying behavior consisted of two strategies. First was Re-establishing equilibrium where participants described efforts made by unit employees and leadership to help the work environment get back to normal. A few participants reported bullying behaviors were stopped by keeping the bully away from others (e.g., “My charge nurses just try to keep her [bully] away from everyone else. Quite a few nurses are hoping that she quits soon”). Others described how bullying behaviors were stopped and balance restored on the unit through adjustments to nurse/patient assignments “to be more fair” - potentially reducing a source of stress. Finally, bullying behaviors were stopped and equilibrium restored through the removal of or firing the bully from the unit. One participant recalled how the bullying finally ended when “the nurse manager made the bullying nurse leave the ED for another unit.” The second community-level strategy to stop bullying behaviors was Engaging the system. Ideas described stopping bullying behaviors through use of existing resources available within the organizational system. For example, a few participants said they reported the bullying behavior incident using the workplace system available (e.g., safety report, incident report).

One participant’s response clearly articulated this approach: “After the incident we wrote a safety report and the charge nurse called the bully’s supervisor directly.” Others reported involving Human Resources (HR) and Management to get the bullying to stop. Finally, a few participants recalled how action was taken on the unit to investigate the alleged incident of bullying. One participant reported the following unit-level response to stop bullying behaviors: “The head of HR and the head of the department intervened. The manager was investigated and fired.”

3.3. Promoting others to act

In the final domain, participants offered up ideas on what would need to happen or change in the workplace to promote people to action to stop WB when it occurs. All ideas were organized into one relationship- and two community-level strategies. The relationship-level strategy was Fostering relationships in the workplace. Ideas in this strategy focused on getting to know your coworkers better with the hope of identifying when they may be escalating toward WB. It also included a shared understanding of the role that other professions play in the healthcare environment. One new nurse expressed how addressing this issue could promote positive action.

It is very difficult as a nurse, new or not, to tell a doctor they are wrong or are not doing the right things for a patient. They are trained longer and have more experience than many of us. It would take a deeper understanding of both roles by each form of practice to be able to communicate better and not rush a conversation. There needs to be more respect for nurses who are up close and personal with patients and are watching them decline. MDs need to be especially attentive to those that say something along the lines of, ‘Something is not right. Someone needs to see this patient.’

Finally, participants believe that better and more respectful communication between professions could help others address WB. For example, one participant postulated better communication could have been a strategy to use: “Next time [WB] happened, [I could] pull the physician aside respectfully and make sure she isn’t taking offense to what is being said.”

Two organizational-level strategies also identified ways to promote others to act against WB. One would be through Creating a safe work culture. Participants believed that safety needs to be a unit- and organizational priority to get employees to act and involves multiple ideas. First, creating a safe work culture would include making it safe to confront WB when it occurs. Participants currently express fear of becoming a WB target should they choose to intervene. One participant expressed feeling conflicted about not acting when they witnessed WB of a coworker: “I myself was still in orientation on the unit and felt too intimidated to stand up for the new nurse. I should have intervened anyway.” Similarly, another participant stated: “I think being afraid of being picked on next made me not want to get involved.” A second idea to create a safe work climate involved instituting policies about workplace behavior and clearly outlining expectations about professional interactions. Third, feeling safe to confront WB when it occurs requires institution of a supportive and respectful work environment for all. Participants specifically called for “doing classes on how to constructively correct someone” so that there would be “no fear of retaliation.” Next, participants wanted to be assured that reporting WB will lead to a change. There is a belief that current inaction of nurses to address WB stems from the lack of action by leadership to address WB when it occurred in the past. Finally, a safe work climate also involves having safe and constructive outlets for work stress.

The second community-level strategy to promote others to act against WB focused on Preventing bullying through administrative support and resources. Ideas suggested included increased scheduling of staff on the unit to allay WB that may be related to overburdened staff members. Another idea was to have an additional level of command between management and staff. This idea was highlighted when a participant reported how inability to speak to her manager contributed to lack of action to address WB: “I would need to speak to my nurse manager who only works the weekdays. This incident happened on the weekend and I could not speak with her.” Finally, the last idea was to increase employee understanding and use of the existing reporting system for WB.

4. Discussion

Study findings indicate most newly-licensed nurse participants experience WB behavior. Of those participants, fewer than half had someone intervene. Strategies used to intervene represented individual, relationship, and community levels. Moreover, study findings suggest preventing future WB behavior or promoting intervening, multi-level strategies may be needed. On individual and relationship levels, interventions that support positive work environments and minimize incivil and bullying behaviors using the Social Ecological Model as a framework can mitigate the effects such behaviors. Mastroianni and Storberg-Walker (2014) postulate that individual level well-being is connected to organizational well-being in ways that are interdependent. [ 24 ]

Identifying how an individual assimilates into the social context of the workplace through activities designed to engender competence in one’s workplace that emphasize leadership and engagement through collegiality are considerations to minimize the burden of incivil and bullying behaviors in the workplace. [ 24 ] Creating opportunities for employees so that they look forward to coming to work, such as work balance initiatives, mindfulness, meditation spaces, and taking ownership over one’s emotional intelligence, may be effective strategies to prevent WB behavior.

Strategies to better understand one’s emotional intelligence such as Meyers-Briggs assessment and Strength Finders may provide opportunities for increased self-awareness. The Communications Style Inventory can facilitate knowledge of how one communicates with others. [ 25 ] These self-awareness assessments may strengthen relationships among colleagues and mitigate the incidence and effects of bullying behaviors in the workplace. For example, men and women tend to have different communication styles. De Vries et al. (2011) found that women are more likely to become worrisome, tense, defensive, and project anger during stressful communications. [ 25 ] In contrast, men generally use questioning techniques during communications perceived as argumentative and/or unsupportive. These differences in communication styles can lead to interpersonal conflict and contribute to perceptions that WB is or is not occurring. In a sample of undergraduate medical students, more men used questioning behaviors as a trait significantly more often than women and women used emotionality behaviors significantly more often than men. [ 26 ] Respondents reported that getting to understand or know a coworker better (e.g., personality strengths, gender differences, communication styles) might provide recognition of escalation cues. It is unclear to what extent the impact of understanding one’s attitudes and beliefs has on reducing workplace violence, but attitudes and beliefs are a component of many change theory models.

Strategies focused on the organizational level may hold the most promise for addressing WB in this population. Prevention of future bullying behavior starts with fostering a positive work environment where relationships between coworkers and other health professionals may lead to attitudes of mutual respect and collaboration. Prior research supports that creation of diverse, supportive work cultures helped reduce WB [ 4 , 11 ] and nurses’ experience of workplace incivility - a precursor to WB. [ 6 , 27 ] Nurses who perceived leadership as supportive and unit staffing as adequate were less likely to experience incivility. [ 27 ] In addition, organizational level training on effective and respectful communication skills can foster openness and mutual respect between and among health care professionals [ 28 ] - important preventative strategies to decrease WB behavior. Therefore, organizations should consider implementing activities, such as monthly check-in meetings with managers and teambuilding with coworkers as well as communication skills training, to build rapport among all members of the healthcare team which in turn may moderate the effect of workplace incivility experiences on employee turnover. [ 6 ]

Another critical strategy to prevent future WB behavior involves increased awareness and usage of existing unit- and organizational-level resources to increase positive relationships and collaboration among staff members. Prior research supports the idea of positive relationships and collaboration as an important factor in addressing WB. Examining individual, work group, and organizational factors determined informal relationships and alliances between nurses in the organization may promote adoption of and support for bullying as normative behavior. [ 29 ] However, lack of clarity and consistency in what constitutes WB behavior could be impeding the creation of healthy work environments. Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, and de Castro (2015) examined 22 documents from regulatory agencies and hospital organizations pertaining to WB or workplace violence. Results indicated a wide variety of terms (e.g., disruptive behavior, harassment, bullying, intimidation, verbal abuse, threatening behaviors, inappropriate behavior) were used across the guideline, regulatory, and policy and procedures documents examined. [ 30 ] Moreover, most documents did not provide a clear definition of the term used. One way to create a positive work environment is through the development and adoption of organizational policies and education that use consistent terminology, define what behaviors constitute WB, and outline organizational-level sanctions of WB.

One distinct difference from prior research relates to the adoption of a zero tolerance for WB policy. Whereas prior research promotes adopting a zero-tolerance policy, [ 10 – 12 ] our results suggest newly licensed nurses view a zero-tolerance policy as just one component of a safe work culture which integrates multiple strategies to prevent and reduce bullying.

Mitigation of WB requires accessible and feasible strategies to be implemented in the moment and in the long term. Strategies mentioned by participants included keeping the perpetrator away through changing nurses’ patient assignments or removing the perpetrator from the unit as well as engaging existing organizational system such as reporting WB to managers and Human Resources. However, for managers to be effective, organizations should ensure managers are aware of current organizational WB policy and their role in addressing WB. [ 31 ]

Societal-level strategies also are needed to address WB among newly licensed nurses. Though participants in this study did not specifically recommend societal-level strategies, societal factors play a role in shaping nurses’ beliefs about bullying in the workplace. At present, no federal or state-level laws make workplace bullying illegal in the United States. [ 32 ] This is in direct contrast with societal efforts to address bullying experienced by students in U.S. schools. All 50 states and most U.S. territories have enacted state laws and/or policy requiring school districts to address the issue of bullying among students. [ 33 ] Though passage of laws to make WB illegal will not eliminate WB altogether, passage of legislation does show a societal level commitment to making the work environment one where individuals can feel safe.

Future research on WB prevention and intervention strategies needs to be conducted with health care professionals especially newly licensed nurses. Considering study participants expressed a desire for a variety of WB strategies, interventions targeting multiple levels of prevention and mitigation need to be developed and tested. Moreover, educational interventions should be developed to teach nursing students about WB behaviors, so they are better equipped as a newly licensed nurse to deal effectively with this issue.

Limitations

Several limitations impact the transferability of findings to similar populations. First, participants were graduates from one of three university-based nursing programs located in the Midwestern U.S. Therefore, WB behavior reported by participants may represent behaviors unique to this region and not reflect WB behaviors experienced by newly-licensed nurses throughout the U.S. or in other countries. Second, convenience sampling strategy generated the small sample and therefore is biased. Convenience sampling methods resulted in a 42% response rate for this survey. However, it remains unknown if individuals who received but did not take the survey experienced WB behaviors as a newly licensed nurse and if so, was their WB behavior experience like those who did respond. Third, our convenience sampling strategy also resulted in an overrepresentation of participants who work in an intensive-care or critical care setting. Prior research indicates nurses working in intensive care units may experience higher levels of WB than non-intensive care nurses. [ 34 ] Therefore, the results not be transferable to all newly licensed nurses. Finally, the cross-sectional survey study design prevented the research team from asking the participants follow-up questions or clarifying their responses. Therefore, researchers could only use the responses provided to the three open-ended questions in their qualitative data analysis.

5. Conclusions

The purpose of the study was to explore strategies to prevent and intervene during WB experienced by newly licensed nurses. Results indicate most participants experienced WB and less than half had someone intervene. Participants’ responses included a variety of strategies to prevent and stop WB with most aimed at the organizational-level. Organizations that hire newly licensed nurses should evaluate current policies, procedures, and resources to identify opportunities to make improvements which could prevent future WB. Additional research is needed to develop and test strategies to prevent and mitigate WB in health care professionals – especially those new to the professional environment.

Acknowledgements

This research study was funded by contract No. 211-2016-M-90432 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC-NIOSH). The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Conflicts of Interest Disclosure

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Workplace Bullying: 24 Examples & Ideas to Support Adults

According to Dr. Gary Namie (2021), workplace bullying is the only form of abuse in the United States that is not yet taboo. Because it is legal, it remains invisible.

The US Workplace Bullying Survey (Namie, 2017) states that 19% of Americans have experienced abusive conduct at work and another 19% have been witnesses. A whopping 63% are aware that bullying in the workplace occurs.

In this article, we define workplace bullying and share approaches on what can be done about it.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Work & Career Coaching Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients identify opportunities for professional growth and create a more meaningful career.

This Article Contains:

Bullying and harassment in the workplace, 21 examples of bullying at work, how to foster a safe work environment, anti-bullying policies in the workplace, supporting your employees: best guidelines, 3 ideas and activities for adults, training in anti-bullying interventions, 3 best books on the topic, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

One thing we know about workplace bullying is that it is eerily similar to school bullying and domestic violence (Kohut, 2008).

Bullying in the workplace is a sublethal and nonphysical form of psychological violence . Namie and Namie (2009) state several criteria must exist for negative behavior to be considered bullying, including a pattern of repeated behavior and health-harming mistreatment of an employee by one or more coworkers that prevents the target from accomplishing work tasks.

Mistreatment can take the form of threatening conduct, including verbal abuse, intimidation, humiliation, or sabotage. Specifically, behaviors might include being ridiculed in front of others, being lied about, continually being left out, and receiving repeated criticism without just cause (Kohut, 2008). These aggressions can leave employees feeling on guard, anxious, intimidated, fearful, powerless, incompetent, and ashamed (Kohut, 2008).

Harassment, on the other hand, violates a target’s civil rights and occurs when the target is a member of a protected status group. In the United States, there are seven protected classes: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and sexual orientation (Cotterell, 2018).

According to Namie and Namie (2009, p. 299), illegal harassment is status based, whereas “Bullying cuts across boundaries of status group membership.” In other words, “bullying happens when harassment is same-gender or same-race or when the bully enjoys potential legal protection because he or she is a member of a status-protected group” (Namie & Namie, 2009, p. 299).

Workplace torment is complicated, insidious, and ubiquitous.

• Profane, threatening, or disrespectful language or any form of verbal abuse.
• Degrading or demeaning remarks that might include insults or name calling.
• Harsh criticism in the presence of other employees.
• Comments that have a negative effect on work performance.
• Behavior that diminishes psychological safety , such as withholding vital job-related information, refusing to answer questions, or refusing to assist when requested.
• Routinely making unfavorable or unreasonable assignments.
• Retaliation against a whistleblower.
• Using position or authority to talk down to or demean another.
• Deliberate exclusion of individuals from meetings or activities they should be attending.
• Shunning, excluding, marginalizing, or using the silent treatment.
• Personal attacks or threatening comments.
• Setting someone up to fail.
• Not providing important assignment-related information.
• Racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, or religious slurs.
• Circulating private correspondence (emails, messages, texts) without permission.
• Rude nonverbal behaviors and/or gestures (e.g., eye rolling, snickering, finger pointing, staring).
• Taking credit for the work of another.
• Gossip mongering or rumor spreading.
• Interrupting.
• Telling personal jokes about a coworker (Bartlett & Bartlett, 2011).
• Forms of manipulation (Bartlett & Bartlett, 2011).

Indicators of being bullied

Namie and Namie (2009) include some signs that the target may be experiencing bullying:

• Feeling ill at the start of the work week.
• Loved one’s request that they stop obsessing about work.
• Favorite activities with friends and family no longer appeal to them.
• Days off are spent exhausted and lifeless.
• Others in the workplace have been told to stop associating with them.
• Constant agitation and anxiety.
• Being accused of incompetence, despite an excellent history.
• A transfer request mysteriously being denied.

How can we protect employees from uncivil workplace behavior?

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Although the United States is slowly waking up, it lags behind European countries when it comes to addressing workplace bullying (Davenport, Schwartz, & Elliott, 1999). In this endeavor, Salin et al. (2020) provide ideas for creating a safe work environment.

1. Redesigning the work environment

Reducing role ambiguity and providing opportunities for increased control and latitudinal decision-making can help reduce bullying and manage high-stress jobs. All of these factors have been correlated with workplace bullying (Salin et al., 2020).

2. Institute effective conflict management/resolution systems

Salin et al. (2020) identified interpersonal conflict as one cause of bullying. Developing a system for addressing conflict in relationships and problem-solving in the workplace can lead to a reduction in bullying issues (Salin et al., 2020). Leadership and emotional intelligence training can focus on improving self-awareness and interpersonal skills.

3. Effective leadership

Leadership style has been identified as an important predictor of workplace bullying (Salin et al., 2020).

4. Anti-bullying policies and codes of conduct

Anti-bullying policies should contain a clear statement coming from the top of the organizational chart regarding intolerance for bullying. In addition, the policies should identify what constitutes workplace bullying and the consequences for such behavior (Salin et al., 2020).

5. Raising awareness in the workplace

By raising awareness, organizations demonstrate a workplace culture that won’t tolerate bullying behavior.

Other ideas include addressing the workplace culture and values and developing a positive communication climate.

Kohut (2008) provides ideas for fostering a safe work environment, including:

• Zero-tolerance policies against bullying
• Encourage confidential communication with management
• Annual briefing on signs of workplace bullying
• Upper management reviews all complaints carefully and fairly
• Employee assistance programs
• Conflict resolution training for all employees
• Value all employees equally

The good news is that there are resources available to help organizations determined to affect change.

Using Utah Administrative Code r. 477-16 as a framework, Clark and Ritter (2018) outlined criteria to create a healthy academic workplace environment, which can and should be considered for cross-discipline application. Below are portions of their report.

Examples of desired behaviors (management responsibility)

• Be respectful and model civility.
• Take responsibility and be accountable.
• Celebrate and reward civil encounters and initiatives.

Examples of desired behaviors (employee responsibility)

• Participate and encourage ongoing civility training.
• Practice prevention strategies.
• Recognize and report acts of civility.

Example policy procedures

• Clearly written, comprehensive, easily accessible workplace bullying policies
• Specific step-by-step procedures for addressing bullying
• Wording that includes the reporting responsibility of all who witness bullying behaviors

Kohut (2008) offers an example workplace policy, outlined here.

• Our organization considers workplace bullying to be unacceptable and intolerable under any circumstance. This behavior degrades, harms, intimidates, offends, or humiliates employees. Bullying results in substantial turnover rates, training costs, and loss of productivity in addition to creating a lawsuit risk.
• Our organization adheres to a safe working environment for all employees, free of bullies.
• Our organization has/is creating an internal grievance and investigation system to deal with bullying allegations. Reports of bullying are treated seriously and investigated promptly and impartially.
• Our organization encourages employees (target or witness) to report incidents immediately. Managers will ensure that reportees are not retaliated against in any way. (Be sure to include contact person’s name and information.)

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The Workplace Bullying Institute (n.d.) was first developed in 1997 by Drs. Gary and Ruth Namie and is a bountiful resource for targets of bullies, witnesses, managers, and human resources personnel.

Some of the resources for targeted parties include the first steps to take in this situation, books that can help, coaching, and ideas for creating an action plan.

To fight workplace bullying, the institute offers help for writing policies and procedures, ideas for intervention with bullies, and training for all employees.

Other resources that may be of interest on their website include workplace bullying statistics and current legislation. Interestingly, only Utah and California in the United States have legislation for training mandates (Clark & Ritter, 2018).

This website includes a bevy of resources for stressed workers. What if you happen to work for a stressful boss? This website provides ideas on how to work under these conditions and strategies for interacting with your boss.

This practical workplace bullying guide  originating from the Government of South Australia provides information and insight and includes definitions, behaviors, and factors that contribute to workplace bullying.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada has published this website of resources to help combat workplace bullying. In it, you can find information on the impact of workplace bullying, organizational factors , working arrangements, and ideas to address bullying.

Exploring past resilience

Resilience in the Workplace aims to strengthen the abilities to negotiate adverse circumstances and bounce back effectively.

This worksheet provides an opportunity to reflect on a past setback and examine the strategies used to overcome it. A series of questions help guide the client to a deeper understanding of their holistic experience.

Self-Care Checkup

During adversity, self-care is crucial for mental wellbeing. When overwhelmed with issues, we can become complacent and even negligent in areas of self-care, which can decrease wellbeing.

This worksheet helps clients identify which domain – emotional, physical, social, professional, or spiritual – is lacking and in need of support.

A Time You Felt Different

This exercise is for all employees and is intended to build empathy.

Workplace bullies are defined by their lack of empathy, making exercises that address and build empathy crucial. The goal of this exercise  is to enhance empathy by practicing empathic listening with a coworker.

The exercise begins by mentally preparing to listen to another person. Listeners are asked to quiet the mind, listen beyond words, and set aside judgments to be fully present for the speaker.

There are a variety of training topics that can help reduce workplace bullying. Below are just a few.

Workplace Bullying and Violence: Training for Supervisors and Employees

J.J. Keller & Associates offers courses for every size organization. Their Workplace Bullying and Violence: Training for Supervisors and Employees includes an introductory video. They also provide online training.

Cultural intelligence

David Livermore has been writing and speaking about cultural intelligence for years. Cultural intelligence is an individual’s ability to function across national, ethnic, and organizational cultures. Livermore offers cultural intelligence assessments, online learning, workshops, and certification for course completion.

Cultural intelligence includes relational skills, tolerance of uncertainty, adaptability, empathy, and perceptual acuity – all necessary for an inclusive workplace. Culturally intelligent employees can help coalesce people and groups in the workplace.

Workplace training modules

Neil Katz and Associates have been providing a variety of organizational training topics for many years. Dr. Katz is a prolific writer, trainer, professor, and conflict resolution expert.

He and his team have provided training for an array of organizations, institutions, and community partners. They cover topics such as leadership, communication (conflict resolution) , teamwork , and emotional intelligence – all skills that can help reduce workplace bullying through better interpersonal interactions and intrapersonal insight.

1. The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job – Gary Namie and Ruth Namie

One of the first books I used to learn about workplace bullying was The Bully at Work, written by Gary and Ruth Namie, a husband and wife team passionate about workplace bullying. For years, they have led the march against workplace bullying.

The Bully at Work extols the impact of workplace bullying on the lives, careers, and families of millions of bullying targets. They are the founders of the Workplace Bullying Institute, established in 1997 to fight bullying.

Their book teaches targets, witnesses, administration, and human resources personnel what workplace bullying is, how to deal with bullies, actions people can take, and how targets can make themselves safe.

Find the book on Amazon .

2. The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying at Work – Margaret Kohut

This comprehensive text by Margaret R. Kohut begins with a definition of workplace bullying along with the scope of the issue, then pivots into Profiles of Workplace Bullies .

To explain this toxic behavior in the workplace, this section of the book breaks workplace bullying down by personality disorders such as the narcissist, the antisocial, the paranoid, and the histrionic.

It is both riveting and helpful, as Kohut describes common character traits of each disorder and what to expect from this personality as a boss, coworker, or subordinate.

The toll and types of workplace bullying are included, along with how to survive and what the law says (or doesn’t say) about it. Readers can find experiential exercises and a special section in the appendix on notoriously bad famous bosses. Spoiler alert: Leona Helmsley is included.

3. Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace – Noa Davenport, Ruth Schwartz, and Gail Pursell Elliott

This book describes mobbing as emotional assault inflicted on one person by a group of coworkers.

In addition to disrespectful and harmful behavior, mobbing often escalates into abusive and terrorizing behaviors. This book is a must-read.

Empathy, assertive communication , and team-building skills benefit all employees.

Working on these skills will allow personnel to have insight into their behavior and the behavior of others. The resources below are recommended to build on these skills.

This worksheet encourages participants to imagine the perspective of someone with whom they are experiencing difficulty or discomfort and to notice their thoughts and feelings in a quiet and controlled environment.

Looking at any situation through multiple perspectives allows insight and empathy. This exercise could benefit bullies, targets, and witnesses.

Stories and narratives have played a crucial role in society since people began speaking. This exercise helps encourage empathy by asking participants to step into the shoes of another to tell their story. Explaining what the subject of the story thought or felt adds an added empathic layer to the narrative.

Assertive communication

This worksheet outlines individual rights while acknowledging the role that others’ rights and opinions play.

The “right to make mistakes,” which acknowledges the human condition of making mistakes regardless of what others think, is particularly interesting.

This worksheet outlines strategies to help understand and use assertive language. Included in the worksheet is empathy, which is crucial to solving escalating conflict.

Team building

This exercise requires participants to build a degree of vulnerability in order to create trust. Trust in the workplace can help strengthen teams and open lines of communication.

This worksheet creates an opportunity for team members to move beyond their comfort zone and become better acquainted with those outside their immediate circle. The goal of this exercise is to build rapport, strengthen teams, and enhance team performance.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others overcome adversity, check out this collection of 17 validated resilience and coping exercises . Use them to help others recover from personal challenges and turn setbacks into opportunities for growth.

Some bullying dynamics have existed in organizations so long that the behaviors have become ingrained as part of the workplace culture. As a result, affected employees are resigned to believing that nothing can be done because the culture is too far gone (Clark & Ritter, 2018).

This is simply not true. Just as we have witnessed deeply troubling sociological issues evolve, workplace bullying, which transcends all demographics, is making strides.

Employees are finding their voice and standing up for their rights. Although the United States lags behind other European countries on this issue (Davenport et al., 1999), creating safe workspaces for all employees is gaining momentum through lawsuits, budding legislation, publicized narratives, and more.

Using the resources provided in this article, each of us can mobilize for safety. Join the movement.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Work & Career Coaching Exercises for free .

• Bartlett, J. E., & Bartlett, M. E. (2011). Workplace bullying: An integrative literature review. Advances in Developing Human Resources , 13 (1), 69–84.
• Clark, C. M., & Ritter, K. (2018). Policy to foster civility and support a healthy academic work environment. Journal of Nursing Education , 57 (6), 325–331.
• Cotterell, T. (2018). Understanding Title VII: What organizations need to know about employees in protected classes . Forbes.com. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/08/22/understanding-title-vii-what-organizations-need-to-know-about-employees-in-protected-classes/?sh=5b720cf53a32
• Davenport, N., Schwartz, R. D., & Elliott, G. P. (1999). Mobbing: Emotional abuse in the American workplace.  Civil Society.
• Kohut, M. R. (2008). The complete guide to understanding, controlling, and stopping bullies and bullying at work . Atlantic.
• Namie, G. (2017). 2017 Workplace Bullying Institute U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey [National statistics on workplace bullying]. Workplacebullyinginstitute.org. Retrieved October 2021, from https://workplacebullying.org/download/2017-wbi/?wpdmdl=2024&refresh=619558c1d89731637177537
• Namie, G. (2021). Workplace bullying: Introduction by Dr. Gary Namie [YouTube video]. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w1Xx7skPxs
• Namie, G., & Namie, R. (2009). The bully at work (2nd ed.). Sourcebooks Inc.
• Salin, D., Cowan, R. L., Adewumi, O., Apospori, E., Bochantin, J., D’Cruz, P., … Zedlacher, E. (2020). Prevention of and interventions in workplace bullying: A global study of human resource professionals’ reflections on preferred action. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 31 (20), 2622–2644.
• Workplace Bullying Institute. (n.d.).  About us.  Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://workplacebullying.org/about-us/

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What our readers think.

Your article is helpful. I was a victim of Bulling by a very narcissistic woman. management did nothing and believe all her BS and so did HR . I finally quit. It was making me sick. She was doing things behind my back, changing things and getting into my personal stuff on my day off. She even thought my Calander was hers on my desks and wrote in it what she needed to do. She took credit for things she did do. the list goes on. Shame on the company for letting her do all this with no consequences.

Am learning everyday. As l read the article. It help me a lot to know when act of bullying is used on me by a coworker or by customer. It also give an insight to when is used against me. Bullying is very terrible l don’t Wish to anyone.

Great article. Thank you for many new insights on how to recognize and defuse bullying in the workplace.

Hi, I run a group for dually diagnosed adults with developmental disabilities in an Adult Day Program. I plan to use this article in my vocational skill building group. I look so forward to adapting this content, and have them also look at my company’s policy for bullying. Thank you so much!

Hi Amica Id love more information on tour program. Im based in Australia.

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How to Stop Workplace Bullying

Set boundaries and start reporting to stop bullying in the workplace..

Posted November 9, 2022 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster

• How to Handle Bullying
• Take our Anger Management Test
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• Research finds an increase in bullying at work since the pandemic, with emotional, physical, career and financial implications for victims.
• Workplace bullying can occur in the forms of relational, physical, verbal, and damage to property.
• A new study shows that bystanders exist in 88 percent of workplace bullying incidents but fail to say anything.

Childhood bullying is a common topic of discussion and concern. Unfortunately, bullying doesn’t stop after you leave school. A 2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey revealed some startling statistics: About 48.6 million Americans have been bullied at work, translating into 30 percent of all adults. During the pandemic, harassment rose higher to 43 percent. Bullying is considered harassment when it is based on an employee’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual or gender orientation, age, disability, or national origin.

Studies show workplace bullying can take emotional, physical, career , and financial tolls as it causes anxiety and hinders job performance. Bullying in the workplace can be defined as:

• Unwanted aggressive behavior that causes psychological or physical harm.
• An observed or perceived power imbalance.
• A repetition of behaviors or a high likelihood of repetition.

Common Characteristics of a Workplace Bully

Overall, men have more power in the workplace and, thus, are more likely to bully. However, women are more likely to bully other women because they often experience marginalization and discrimination and tend to become competitive with one another.

It is a common misconception that only bosses or supervisors can be bullies because they are in a position of power and control, but individuals with greater seniority, in higher positions of authority, in the dominant social cliques, or individuals with various levels of privilege may also be in positions of power and control and susceptible to bullying.

Bullies typically:

• Lack empathy.
• Have few friends.
• Have a need for exploiting power and control.
• Struggle with interpersonal differences.
• Feel empowered by causing conflict or making others feel threatened, fearful, or hurt.
• Suffer from low self-esteem .
• May have been bullied themselves.
• May be a trauma survivor.

Types of Workplace Bullying

• Relational bullying: Gossiping, ignoring, excluding, or participating in cliques.
• Physical bullying: Dirty looks, invading personal space , offensive gestures or facial expressions, physical assault.
• Verbal bullying: Passive-aggressive comments, negative or critical comments about appearance or personality , demanding, bossy behavior, rumors, hostile language, name-calling.
• Damage to property: Stealing or damaging items.

Examples of workplace bullying

• A boss who puts you down, swears at you, calls you names, or physically intimidates you by standing behind you while you work at your desk.
• A group of coworkers that makes snarky comments, makes faces at you, excludes you from social activities, and makes you feel unwelcome.
• A colleague who backstabs you by spreading rumors and prevents you from accessing resources that you need to get your work done, including causing a paper jam in your printer the day your big report was due.

Healthy workplace environments can make you feel like you are part of a community. Meanwhile, unhealthy workplaces where bullying is tolerated can have the opposite effect and can be detrimental to your self-esteem and mental health–possibly triggering or exacerbating conditions such as depression , anxiety, substance use disorders, trauma, PTSD , and more.

Bullying in Virtual Workplaces

Bullying in virtual environments might look like demeaning behaviors, belittling, or talking over somebody during meetings or video calls. The same types of verbal bullying, such as passive aggression , critical comments, gaslighting , and personal attacks that can happen in person, can happen over video platforms.

Steps to Stop Bullying at Work

1. Remember that your safety comes first.

• Keep safe–create physical distancing.
• Keep your distance and keep your options open.
• Keep your cool, breathe deeply, and avoid being reactive.
• Avoid interrupting or provoking bullies to deescalate the situation.
• Practice empathy in an effort to diffuse them.
• Detach, don’t get hooked, and avoid defensiveness.
• Be consciously responsive, not emotionally reactive.
• Hang onto your confidence .
• Remove yourself and seek assistance.

2. Say something to the bully and document it. Maintain eye contact. Stand tall with your shoulders back. Hold your ground. Speak honestly, assertively, and diplomatically. Use “I” statements to express your feelings and set healthy boundaries . Demonstrate respect for yourself and others with a tone that is professional and firm. Be direct and neither passive nor aggressive when setting boundaries with statements such as:

• “I am not comfortable with the volume of this conversation. If we can’t both speak calmly, I will need to end this call.”
• “It is not okay to call me that name.”
• “I feel uncomfortable being blocked by you. I need you to please move.”

Document what you said by writing it down or emailing yourself so you have a time-stamped record in case the event happens again and you need to file a formal report. Keep it factual, objective, and true. “Today, Sue said, “you are a loser” and I replied, “It is not okay to speak to me that way. That is workplace bullying, and I will not tolerate it.”

3. Tell someone and file a report. Tell somebody else what happened. Tell your boss. If it’s your boss that’s the bully, tell your boss’s boss. If you feel comfortable going to HR do so. If you do not, tell a trusted mentor or even coworker who may have a trusted boss or supervisor higher up in the organization. Some organizations even allow anonymous reporting of bullying or harassment in the workplace, so look at your company’s employee policies and procedures.

4. Practice self-care.

• Seek therapy or counseling to heal and recover from the harmful effects of workplace bullying. Remember, you may have some free and confidential sessions through your employer’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Work a confidence or assertiveness training program.
• Cultivate equanimity and emotional intelligence by practicing mindfulness like meditation , deep breathing, and yoga. Studies reveal mental and physical health benefits include improving stress regulation and decreasing emotional reactivity.
• Create a support system at work by seeking out like-minded colleagues and finding a trusted mentor.
• Work a mental fitness program for recovery, such as The Financial Mindset Fix: A Mental Fitness Program for an Abundant Life .
• Visit stopbullying.gov for more information and resources.
• Seek legal advocacy.

Empowering the Bystander

A recent study shows that bystanders exist in 88 percent of workplace bullying incidents, and the usual response is apathy and overlooking what they have observed rather than having the moral courage to say something and file a report. Fear is what prevents these silent observers from stepping in–fear of becoming a target, fear of retaliation, and fear of making the situation worse.

Empowering the bystander is one of the most effective ways to stop workplace bullying.

Bystanders need to do one of three things:

• Say something right then and there in front of everyone: “That’s not okay!”
• Say something in private to either the bully (“That wasn’t cool”) or the victim (“Are you okay? Do you want help filing a report?”).
• Tell a supervisor or HR rep.

Don’t ignore workplace bullying, or nothing will change.

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” —Albert Einstein

https://workplacebullying.org/2021-wbi-survey/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02953/full

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0149206315617003

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359395200_The_Connection_betwe…

https://www.joyce-marter.com/book/the-financial-mindset-fix/

Joyce Marter, LCPC, is a psychotherapist, entrepreneur, mental health thought leader, national speaker, and author.

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• Bullying in the Workplace

On this page

What is workplace bullying, is bullying a workplace issue, what are examples of bullying, what might not be considered bullying, how can bullying affect an individual, how can bullying affect the workplace, are there any laws addressing bullying in the workplace in canada, what can you do if you think you are being bullied, what can an employer do, what are some general tips for the workplace.

Bullying is usually seen as acts or verbal comments that could psychologically or 'mentally' hurt or isolate a person in the workplace. Sometimes, bullying can involve negative physical contact as well. Bullying usually involves repeated incidents or a pattern of behaviour that is intended to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people. It has also been described as the assertion of power through aggression.

Yes, bullying is a workplace issue. In Canada, occupational health and safety laws include the concept of due diligence. Due diligence means that employers shall take all reasonable precautions, under the particular circumstances, to prevent injuries or incidents in the workplace. Every person should be able to work in a safe and healthy workplace. The legislation in your jurisdiction will describe the roles and responsibilities for workplace parties with respect to workplace harassment and violence, including developing and implementing policies and programs. Definitions of harassment and violence often formally include bullying, but can be implied if not.

Please refer to the following OSH Answers documents for more information:

• Internet Harassment or Cyberbullying
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace – Family (Domestic) Violence
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace – Legislation
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace – Dealing with Negative Interactions
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace – Parking Lot Safety
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace – Warning Signs
• Violence and Harassment in the Workplace – Working Late

While bullying is a form of aggression, the actions can be both obvious and subtle. It is important to note that the following is not a checklist, nor does it mention all forms of bullying. There is no way to predict who may be the bully or the target.

This list is included as a way of showing some of the ways bullying may happen in a workplace. Also remember that bullying is usually considered to be a pattern of behaviour where one or more incidents will help show that bullying is taking place, but it may be one incident, especially one that has a lasting effect.

Examples include:

• Spreading malicious rumours, gossip, or innuendo.
• Excluding or isolating someone socially.
• Intimidating a person.
• Undermining or deliberately impeding a person's work.
• Physically abusing or threatening abuse.
• Removing areas of responsibilities without cause.
• Constantly changing work guidelines.
• Establishing impossible deadlines that will set up the individual to fail.
• Withholding necessary information or purposefully giving the wrong information.
• Making jokes that are 'obviously offensive' by spoken word or e-mail.
• Intruding on a person's privacy by pestering, spying or stalking.
• Assigning unreasonable duties or workload which are unfavourable to one person (in a way that creates unnecessary pressure).
• Underwork – creating a feeling of uselessness.
• Yelling or using profanity.
• Criticizing a person persistently or constantly.
• Belittling a person's opinions.
• Unwarranted (or undeserved) punishment.
• Blocking applications for training, leave or promotion.
• Tampering with a person's personal belongings or work equipment.

If you are not sure an action or statement could be considered bullying, you can use the "reasonable person" test. Would most people consider the action unacceptable?

It is sometimes hard to know if bullying is happening at the workplace. Bullying can be very subtle and may be more obvious once a pattern of behaviour is established.

Also, many studies acknowledge that there is a "fine line" between strong management and bullying. Comments that are objective and are intended to provide constructive feedback are not usually considered bullying, but rather are intended to assist the employee with their work.

As described by WorkSafeBC, bullying and harassing behaviour does not include:

• Expressing differences of opinion.
• Offering constructive feedback, guidance, or advice about work related behaviour.
• Reasonable action taken by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of workers or the place of employment (e.g., managing a worker's performance, taking reasonable disciplinary actions, assigning work).

Prince Edward Island also adds that when done reasonably and fairly, the following actions are generally not considered workplace bullying or harassment:

• with good reason, changing work assignments and job duties;
• scheduling and workloads;
• inspecting the workplace;
• implementing health and safety measures;
• delivering work instructions;
• assessing and evaluating work performance;
• disciplinary actions; and/or
• any other reasonable and lawful exercise of a management function.

People who are the targets of bullying may experience a range of effects. These reactions include:

• Feelings of frustration and/or helplessness.
• Increased sense of vulnerability.
• Loss of confidence.
• Inability to sleep.
• Loss of appetite.
• Stomach pains.
• Panic or anxiety, especially about going to work.
• Family tension and stress.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Low morale and productivity.

Bullying affects the overall "health" of an organization. An "unhealthy" workplace can have many effects. In general, these effects include:

• Increased absenteeism.
• Increased turnover.
• Increased stress.
• Increased costs for employee assistance programs (EAPs), recruitment, etc.
• Increased risk for incidents.
• Decreased productivity and motivation.
• Decreased morale.
• Reduced corporate image and customer confidence.
• Poor customer service.

Many jurisdictions have defined bullying separately or have included bullying as part of the definition of behaviours associated with harassment or violence. For example, Prince Edward Island has defined harassment in their Workplace Harassment Regulations as:

(b) "harassment" means any inappropriate conduct, comment, display, action or gesture or any bullying that the person responsible for the conduct, comment, display, action or gesture or the bullying knows, or ought reasonably to know, could have a harmful effect on a worker's psychological or physical health or safety, and includes (i) conduct that is based on any personal characteristic such as, but not limited to, race, creed, religion, colour, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, physical size or weight, age, nationality, ancestry or place of origin, gender identity or pregnancy, and (ii) inappropriate sexual conduct that is known, or ought reasonably to be known, to the person responsible for the conduct to be unwelcome, including, but not limited to, sexual solicitations or advances, sexually suggestive remarks, jokes or gestures, circulating or sharing inappropriate images, or unwanted physical contact.

Other resources include in British Columbia, WorkSafeBC has developed policies and resources related specifically to workplace bullying and harassment. The Treasury Board of Canada has published “ People to People Communication – Preventing and Resolving Harassment for a Healthy Workplace ”.

If there is no legislation which specifically addressed bullying, the general duty clause to provide a safe and healthy workplace establishes the duty of employers to protect employees from risks at work. These risks can include harm from both physical and psychological health aspects.

In addition, federal and provincial human right laws prohibit harassment related to race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, disability, pardoned conviction, or sexual orientation. In certain situations, these laws may apply to bullying.

If you feel that you are being bullied, discriminated against, victimized or subjected to any form of harassment:

• Firmly tell the person that his or her behaviour is not acceptable and ask them to stop. You can ask a person you trust, such as supervisor or union member to be with you when you approach the person.
• The date, time and what happened in as much detail as possible.
• The names of witnesses.
• The outcome of the event.

Remember, it is not just the character of the incidents, but intent of the behaviour and the number, frequency, and especially the pattern that can reveal the bullying or harassment.

• Keep copies of any letters, memos, e-mails, etc., received from the person.
• Report the bullying or harassment to the person identified in your workplace policy, your supervisor, or a delegated manager. If your concerns are minimized, proceed to the next level of management.
• Do not retaliate. You may end up looking like the perpetrator and will most certainly cause confusion for those responsible for evaluating and responding to the situation.

(Adapted from: Violence in the Workplace Prevention Guide . CCOHS)

The most important component of any workplace prevention program is management commitment. Management commitment is best communicated in a written policy. Since bullying is a form of violence and harassment in the workplace, employers may wish to write a comprehensive policy that covers a range of incidents (from bullying and harassment to physical violence).

A workplace violence and harassment prevention program should:

• Be developed by management and employee representatives.
• Apply to management, employee's, clients, independent contractors and anyone who has a relationship with your company.
• Define what you mean by workplace bullying (and harassment and violence) in precise, concrete language.
• Provide clear examples of unacceptable behaviour and working conditions.
• State in clear terms your organization's view toward workplace bullying and its commitment to the prevention of workplace bullying.
• Precisely state the consequences of making threats or committing acts.
• Outline the process by which preventive measures will be developed and implemented.
• Encourage reporting of all incidents of bullying or other forms of workplace harassment and violence.
• Outline the confidential process by which employees, including witnesses, can report incidents and to whom.
• Assure no reprisals will be made against employees who choose to report their experiences.
• Outline the procedures for investigating and resolving complaints.
• Maintain confidentiality during the resolution process.
• Describe how information about potential risks of bullying and violence will be communicated to employees.
• Make a commitment to provide support services to victims.
• Offer a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to allow employees with personal problems to seek help.
• Make a commitment to fulfill the prevention training needs of different levels of personnel within the organization.
• Make a commitment to monitor and regularly review the policy.
• State applicable regulatory requirements, where possible.
• Encourage everyone at the workplace to act towards others in a respectful and professional manner.
• Have a workplace policy in place that includes a reporting system.
• Educate everyone that bullying is a serious matter.
• Try to work out solutions before the situation gets serious or "out of control".
• Educate everyone about what is considered bullying, and whom they can go to for help.
• Treat all complaints seriously, and deal with complaints promptly and confidentially.
• Train supervisors and managers in how to deal with complaints and potential situations. Encourage them to address situations promptly whether or not a formal complaint has been filed.
• Have an impartial third party help with the resolution, if necessary.
• Do not ignore any potential problems.
• Do not delay resolution. Act as soon as possible.

(Adapted from: Comprehensive Workplace Health Program Guide . CCOHS)

• Fact sheet last revised: 2020-12-22

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Bullying and harassment

If you work in education, your workplace probably has a bullying policy for pupils. But are staff equally protected? We explain how to recognise bullying and harassment at work, and how to respond if it is happening to you.

Guides / 11 mins read

What's in this guide:

What are workplace bullying and harassment?

Workplace bullying and the law, how bullying and harassment can affect your health and wellbeing, how to deal with a bullying incident.

• Taking formal action against workplace harassment

Life after bullying

Sources of support.

Does the behaviour of someone at work make you feel humiliated, intimidated, frightened or extremely uncomfortable? If so, it could be a case of workplace bullying.

Bullying and harassment can take place in almost any workplace. In a survey carried out by the trade union NASUWT in 2023, 9% of teachers said workplace bullying had negatively affected their mental health.

Bullying of education staff can come from a range of sources: a headteacher or senior leader, or from peers, parents or pupils. ‘Upward bullying’, where senior staff are bullied by junior colleagues, can also be an issue.

Working in education is uniquely high-pressured. The never-ending cycle of high-stakes inspections and test results, combined with continual change, under-resourcing and crisis situations, can create an atmosphere of stress and blame where bullying can become commonplace.

The good news is that the different types of workplace bullying – and their impact on mental and physical health – are becoming increasingly well understood. A growing number of education organisations are making efforts to create a workplace environment where people feel comfortable discussing concerns so they don’t fester and lead to bullying. Many are taking positive measures to protect staff by introducing anti-bullying policies, creating employee support schemes or holding training sessions to raise awareness. The law also gives you wide-ranging protection against bullying and harassment at work.

According to workplace experts Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service):

Bullying is behaviour from a person or group that's unwanted and makes someone feel uncomfortable.

Harassment is when bullying or unwanted behaviour is related to any of the following (known as 'protected characteristics' under the Equality Act 2010):

• gender reassignment
• pregnancy and maternity [which have special protections in law]
• religion or belief
• sexual orientation  

Workplace bullying may be verbal, physical or psychological. It can happen face to face or online. It might be a one-off incident but is more often a repeated pattern of behaviour. It is classed as harassment if it violates a person’s dignity or creates a hostile environment for them – whether the perpetrator intends this or not.

Examples in education settings include:

• Your headteacher repeatedly subjects you to unnecessary unannounced observations and criticises your teaching methods unfairly.
• Your head of department assigns you an unreasonably heavy workload compared to that of your colleagues.
• Your line-manager unjustly overlooks you for promotion or training opportunities.
• Your senior leadership team redesign your job, giving you more than your fair share of challenging classes and unpleasant classrooms, or forcing you to teach outside your area of expertise.
• A co-worker touches you inappropriately in the staffroom.
• Colleagues repeatedly exclude you from social events.
• Your assistant frequently undermines you in front of parents.
• The caretaker calls you a homophobic nickname.
• A governor uses racist or sexist language about you in meetings.
• A parent spreads false rumours about you on social media.
• A student threatens you or physically attacks you.
• A group of pupils make up offensive jokes, cartoons or graffiti about you.

I suffered a really difficult time in my last school. I didn’t feel hugely supported at work, experienced daily injustice and felt very unhappy. I had been teaching at the school for 22 years, however my last three years there were really tough. I was bullied and indiscriminately placed on a support plan which undermined my confidence. Helen, primary school teacher

The bullying might not necessarily take place at your school or college. If you are targeted during a residential trip, staff training day or work Christmas party, it’s still classed as workplace bullying.

Are you sure?   Before making an accusation, you must be certain that the other person’s behaviour is actually bullying or harassment. Constructive criticism and performance measurement procedures are part of working life. Changes to your role, or suggestions for altering your working practice, may be unwelcome but they are not bullying if they are reasonable and given fairly. If in doubt, chat to your union rep or a trusted colleague.

There’s no single UK law covering workplace bullying, but your employer has a duty to tackle discrimination and protect your health, safety and wellbeing (including mental wellbeing) at work. This is enshrined in several pieces of legislation:

• The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against racist, sexist, ageist, homophobic and ableist behaviour and other types of discrimination that have ‘the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment’ in relation to ‘protected characteristics’ (see above). This Act also protects workers against pregnancy and maternity discrimination.
• The Employment Rights Act 1996 allows workers to claim unfair dismissal if they are forced to leave their job because of their employer’s actions (e.g. discriminatory practice) or inactions (e.g. failure to deal with a complaint).
• Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 , employers must provide a safe and healthy working environment. This includes protection from bullying and harassment.
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks to employees’ safety and health (including mental health) and take measures to eliminate or reduce these risks as far as
• Other legislation that may be relevant includes the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (which defines stress as a disability), Protection from Harassment Act 1998 , Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Computer Misuse Act 1990 .

Unfortunately, legal protections don’t apply if you’re self-employed (a visiting music teacher or sports instructor, for example) or doing voluntary work.

Because of the complex legal situation, it’s helpful to have expert support to deal with bullying or harassment at work. You can get legal advice from:

• a trade union (if you’re a member)
• your workplace employee assistance scheme (if there is one)
• an employment lawyer (for a fee)
• the Mind legal line (for guidance on mental health-related law) on 0300 466 6463

… and advice on workplace issues, and how they affect your mental health or wellbeing, from:

• the Education Support helpline on 08000 562 561
• the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100

Workplace harassment can sometimes be a serious criminal offence. If you are physically or sexually assaulted, raped, threatened physically, subjected to racial or homophobic hate crime, or your personal safety is threatened in any way while at work, consider taking the matter to the police.

Harassment and bullying can have a damaging impact on your mental health and, consequently, on your performance at work. Targets of workplace bullying often report low self-esteem, isolation, depression or anxiety. Some find their physical health suffers as they struggle with insomnia or self-medicate with alcohol or recreational drugs. The mental pressure of continued bullying can also manifest in physical symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, high blood pressure, skin rashes or an irritable bowel.

I was being bullied at work. It got so bad I started self-harming. It really affected my mental health. I ended up in a very dark place and took two overdoses. Anna, teacher at a school for children with special needs

Find someone you can turn to for moral support – perhaps a close friend, family member or colleague who can help you make sense of what’s happening and offer you the kindness and support you need.

If the stress and anxiety of the situation are making it difficult for you to work effectively, see your GP. They may be able to help by referring you to talking therapies or community services, signing you off work for a while, or prescribing medication – if that’s an appropriate treatment and one you feel comfortable with.

You can also call the Education Support helpline on 08000 562 561 . It’s completely confidential and open round the clock, no matter the issue.

When you’re being bullied, call out the unwanted behaviour there and then if possible. Try saying something like: “Please don’t touch me like that” or “Please don’t use that word when you talk to me”.

Just as when you deal with children, focus on the behaviour and not the person. Try not to respond emotionally by losing your temper or crying. Instead stay calm (even if you don’t feel it inside), be assertive but not aggressive, and stick to the facts. Avoid retaliating or you could be open to accusations of bullying yourself.

If the bullying persists, consider having a one-to-one chat with the perpetrator, if you feel safe to do so. This will give you an opportunity to explain what you don’t like about their behaviour and how it affects you. They may be unaware of the impact of their words or actions.

Read your organisation’s policy document on bullying in the workplace (if there is one) and explain to the perpetrator how your experiences fit with the definition of bullying in the policy. Make clear that you will take formal action if the situation doesn’t change.

Resolving the matter without going though formal procedures is often preferable. Doing this alone can be daunting, so you might want support from your union rep or mentor (if you have one), or from a trusted colleague or manager. You could even ask them to talk to the bully on your behalf if you don’t feel able to.

Taking formal action against workplace harassment  

What if you don’t have the confidence to confront your bully? Or you do, but the harassment doesn’t stop? Or the bullying is too serious to be dealt with informally? The next step is formal action – also called ‘raising a grievance’. Most employers have a written policy on how to do this, so read it carefully and follow the guidance given.

If you’re considering formal action, it’s useful to keep a diary of your experiences beforehand. Collect evidence of the bullying too if you can – screenshots, notes, emails and recordings can all back up your accusations. If there are witnesses to the bullying, ask if they would be willing to support you.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your formal complaint, or the harassment continues, you could take legal action against your employer at an employment tribunal. Some workers have great success overturning workplace injustices – and being financially compensated – through the tribunal process. Bear in mind, though, that tribunals can be gruelling and stressful. You must stick to strict protocols and timeframes, and not every case is successful. You must inform Acas if you are considering going down this route, and it’s best to get support from your union (if you belong to one).

If you don’t get the outcome you were hoping for by taking formal action, and you can’t face an employment tribunal, there’s always the option of changing something about your working life. Working with a different age group or adjusting your hours might reduce your contact with the bully. Or you may feel you’d be happier in a different workplace or even a different career.

Being bullied or harassed at work is an incredibly stressful and overwhelming experience. Even when the situation is resolved, feelings of self-doubt and anxiety can linger.

Always remember that you are not to blame. Bullying is an abuse of power – whether that power is physical, psychological, social, societal or organisational. It is never the victim’s fault.

It can take time to recover from such a traumatic experience, so take good care of yourself. Eat well, exercise regularly and surround yourself with people who give you emotional support and validation. Counselling can also be beneficial, helping you move on mentally and emotionally. If you have ongoing mental health issues, such as panic attacks, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, visit your GP to discuss the best treatment options.

I had counselling through Education Support… The helpline was amazing. You guys were my light in a very dark tunnel. Anna, teacher at a school for children with special needs

While some bullying victims feel relieved to return to normal in their role or workplace, others find they can only experience ‘closure’ by moving to a new job, new area or new type of work. Whichever path you choose, know that you will be stronger and wiser and that many other people you meet in your education career will share similar experiences.

I spoke to the Education Support helpline after I finished at the school as I was still feeling very frustrated and upset. I felt I needed to talk to someone about it. The helpline was just really good at listening. Teaching has been my life and what happened had really affected my health. As time goes on my anxiety levels have decreased. I’ve got targets and things to aim for in my new life as a supply teacher. Now I’m appreciated again. The helpline was really supportive and helped me with my feelings and moving on. I felt emotionally burdened and they just got to the nub of it. I’m gradually building my confidence again. Helen, primary school teacher

• Education unions All the trade unions for teachers, school leaders and support staff offer guidance and support on workplace bullying
• Acas – www.acas.org.uk/discrimination-bullying-and-harassment Freephone helpline – 0300 123 1100
• UK government – www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment
• Citizens Advice www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/discrimination-at-work/checking-if-its-discrimination/if-youre-being-harassed-or-bullied-at-work/
• Education Support   Confidential and free helpline for everyone working in education – 08000 562 561

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Workplace Bullying and Harassment: What's the Difference?

Workplace civility policies can cover both unlawful and inappropriate conduct

​As HR professionals strive to ensure a safe and inclusive workplace for everyone, they should note that some harmful bullying behaviors that aren't technically unlawful harassment can still be addressed in a workplace civility policy .

An employer's policies can be more protective of employees than the law can, said Ann Fromholz, an attorney with The Fromholz Firm in Pasadena, Calif. "If having a workplace free from bullying is important to employers, they can go a long way to achieving that by modeling behavior, having a good policy and enforcing that policy."

What Is Bullying?

Bullying is generally defined as unwelcome behavior that occurs over a period of time and is meant to harm someone who feels powerless to respond.

Verbal bullying includes teasing and threatening to cause harm, according to stopbullying.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Social bullying in the workplace might happen by leaving someone out of a meeting on purpose or publicly reprimanding someone.

A 2017 survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute estimated that 61 percent of U.S. employees are aware of abusive conduct in the workplace, 19 percent have experienced it and another 19 percent have witnessed it.

These behaviors may or may not constitute unlawful harassment. Bullying is actionable under federal law only when the basis for it is tied to a protected category, such as race or sex, explained Jessica Westerman, an attorney with Katz, Marshall & Banks in Washington, D.C. Specifically, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits harassment on the basis of color, national origin, race, religion and sex. Other federal laws prohibit such behavior on the basis of age, disability and genetic information. 

Additionally, if bullying amounts to some other civil or criminal wrong, such as assault or battery, it could amount to a claim under state law, Fromholz noted.

So a manager who is mean to everyone—who is sometimes known as the "equal opportunity harasser"—might not be engaging in unlawful conduct. But that doesn't mean it must be tolerated in the workplace. Bullies can create morale problems and other workplace issues, noted Kate Gold and Philippe Lebel, attorneys with Drinker Biddle in Los Angeles, in an e-mail. 

"Employers can have codes of conduct that address respect in the workplace and hold employees accountable if they do not treat others with respect," Fromholz said.

State Law Trends

"In the absence of federal legislation prohibiting generic workplace bullying, several states are considering legislation that would provide severely bullied employees with a claim for damages if they can prove that they suffered mental or physical harm as a result of the bullying," Westerman said.

Legislatures in 29 states have introduced workplace anti-bullying bills in recent years, according to the Healthy Workplace Campaign.

For example, S.B. 1013, a bill that was introduced in Massachusetts in 2017, would prohibit all "abusive conduct" against employees—even if it isn't based on a protected characteristic.

Tennessee's Healthy Workplace Act prohibits workplace bullying that is not tied into a protected category, but it only applies to public employers, Gold and Lebel said. Public employers are immune from liability if they adopt a policy that is compliant with the statute, though individuals would remain liable despite the adoption of the policy.

There is pending legislation in Tennessee to extend protections to the private sector, they noted.

Since Jan. 1, 2015, California businesses have been required to train supervisors on how to identify abusive conduct as part of their sexual harassment prevention training. "So far, however, there is no private right of action for bullying in the workplace," Fromholz said.

[SHRM members-only toolkit: Complying with California Sexual Harassment Training Requirements ]

"It would not be surprising to see more states pass laws requiring employers to train employees on anti-bullying," Gold and Lebel said. However, legislation that creates a separate cause of action for bullying unconnected to a protected class could open the floodgates for lawsuits by employees who feel their boss is abusive or even just unfair or mean." 

HR's Role

Even without a law against general bullying, employers can create policies and practices to prevent and prohibit such behavior. Westerman suggests that employers:

• Conduct a climate survey to learn about the problems in their particular workplace and use the survey's findings to tailor policies and procedures to that workplace. 
• Adopt clear, written anti-bullying policies in as many languages as are spoken in the workplace.
• Foster an organizational culture that prioritizes inclusion and doesn't tolerate bullying by regularly demonstrating a commitment to anti-bullying policies.
• Conduct bystander intervention training, which empowers co-workers to intervene when they witness bullying or harassing behavior. This "helps create a sense of collective responsibility for eliminating bullying and other problematic behavior in the workplace," Westerman said.
• Conduct workplace civility training, which may reduce the likelihood that bullying will occur by promoting respect among employees from different backgrounds and at different job levels.
• Implement clear and straightforward procedures so that employees know how and where to report incidents. These procedures should include multiple confidential reporting channels.
• Make an effort to maintain employees' confidentiality throughout the investigation. If employees need to be identified, investigators should notify employees about the possibility that co-workers will learn about their complaints.

Workers who are victims of bullying or harassment should know they can promptly report incidents to their supervisors, management-level employees, human resource representatives or other employees designated to receive reports, Westerman said.

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Work health, and well-being, related articles, the changing face of worker safety, health, and well-being in a post-pandemic future, how covid-19 has changed the standards of worker safety and health — and how organizations can adapt, a healthy workplace starts in bed, it’s not just personal: the economic value of preventing bullying in the workplace.

by Katherine J. Igoe

People who are bullied at work can suffer a myriad of negative health impacts—poor mental health, sleep deprivation, and stress-related illness among them. This can also impact their workplace at the organizational level, especially since some bullied workers leave their jobs, file HR claims, pursue legal action, or simply suffer from low morale. It’s a problem that both the employer and the employee bear, but often is only addressed at the employee level.

Health care is one such industry in which the effects of bullying can be prominently felt. Health care professionals often operate under multiple entrenched hierarchical structures, providing more opportunity for senior professionals to potentially act negatively towards those with less experience and training.There can be bullying individuals in any workplace, but a larger, long-term problem arises when there is a toxic work environment that either tolerates or enables bullying.

Erika Sabbath , faculty member in Work Health and Well-being: Achieving Worker Health and assistant professor at the Boston College School of Social Work, says, “If you can figure out how to make a workgroup more collegial, you not only prevent bullying, but also other kinds of work stress that lead to poor health, like being overworked, feeling like you can’t speak up, or feeling like you don’t trust your coworkers. All of these elements can thrive in a negative work environment.”

There’s a personal value to preventing bullying in the workplace, but recent research has also quantified mental health spending as a result of bullying—and the results have striking implications for both employers and employees.

If you can figure out how to make a workgroup more collegial, you not only prevent bullying, but also other kinds of work stress that lead to poor health.

The Economic Impacts of Bullying in the Workplace

Researchers sought to understand if there was a quantifiable way to measure bullying’s impact on mental health care spending—costs that the worker would partially have to bear in terms of copay, deductible, and/or out of pocket costs, but also one that an employer would partially bear via increased premiums or insurance costs.

The Boston Hospital Workers Health Study encompasses two prominent Boston hospitals that self-insure. Patient care workers within the study were asked to fill out a survey about bullying, and the accompanying dataset provided information about their mental health care utilization within the following year.

On average, workers who experience one or more types of incivility or bullying spent as much as twice the amount of money on mental health care as those who experienced none. Participants who were exposed to bullying spent more money on mental health care than those who were unexposed. Bullying was thus an indicator of both a change in mental health and spending around it.

Not every employer bears these exact costs, but the results are quite applicable across organizations. Sabbath, who was the lead author of the study, explains that “actually seeing that people who are bullied spend more on mental health care than people who aren’t is a powerful metric for an employer.”

In other words, there’s a financial, as well as personal, incentive to preventing bullying in the workplace. And at the larger level, these results connect to cultivating a culture of health—the promotion of health and well-being across employees, consumers, community, and environment. Nicolaas Pronk , program director of Work Health and Well-being , president of the HealthPartners Institute, chief science officer at HealthPartners, Inc., and adjunct professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says, “In building a culture of health, these issues reflect upon important drivers such as leadership, organizational paradigms, and organizational values.”

On average, workers who experience one or more types of incivility or bullying spent as much as twice the amount of money on mental health care as those who experienced none.

Responding to Bullying in a Work Environment

With the knowledge of bullying’s impacts in mind, it can still be challenging to effect long-term, large-scale reduction of bullying. Altering people’s behavior may be difficult without altering the environment around them. “We talk about changing the work, not the worker: try to make work better for everybody to improve the mental health of the entire group, rather than sanctioning a bully or catching people once they’ve developed a mental health problem,” says Sabbath.

Investment from an employer and buy-in from managers are both necessary to make impactful organizational change. As Pronk notes, “This starts with leadership, which is often a major complication in terms of the ability for businesses to move forward.”

An effective starting point is to support the victim of bullying in the short-term (and avoid blaming them for what’s happened), and training supervisors to value the human aspect of management in the long-term.

Workplace mental health can be a hot topic in workplace culture, but it still can be misunderstood as a community health problem that simply shows up at work. The study shows, however, that work itself can influence employee mental health—and that managing bullying at the individual level is not necessarily as effective as addressing the culture as a whole.

An effective starting point is to support the victim of bullying in the short-term, and training supervisors to value the human aspect of management in the long-term.

Future Avenues of Research in Workplace Bullying

The study did not assess the sources of the bullying that the health care professionals experienced. Pinpointing the origins may help with response and prevention. Sabbath, however, is primarily interested in the common organizational environments that could incentivize toxic behavior. In other words, “What organizational or working conditions give rise to bullying? It doesn’t emerge in a vacuum,” she explains.

Entrenched hierarchical structures, like the ones that health care professionals can often face, is one such organizational condition. Attacking the root environmental sources can in turn have trickle-down effects on the workers within the system, provided that the right methods are put in place.

“Building a culture of health involves both a process and an impact loop,” says Pronk. “Process reflects the ability to listen to what needs to be addressed and bringing it forward. Impact includes openness, credibility, respect and trust, learning, growth, and development, achievement, and finally exceptional business performance.”

“These impacts connect the individual workers to the organization’s performance in a symbiotic manner.”

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health offers Work Health and Well-being: Achieving Worker Health , which provides the full set of skills needed to improve worker health, safety, and well-being in the workplace .

Why anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training is important

That’s why it is important to provide anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training in the workplace. When implemented effectively, this type of training can help organizations avoid major compliance issues, improve team dynamics and professional relationships, and build a more ethical culture that positively impacts business performance.      

Why harassment, bullying, and discrimination training is important 

To ensure your training is effective, it’s important to first understand why anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training is important in the first place. Harassment prevention training raises awareness across the organization of what harassment is, how to identify if it is taking place, and the role employees can play in helping to create a safe workplace culture. Here are five key reasons why delivering harassment, bullying, and discrimination training is important to employees and organizations.  

1) Training educates employees on what types of harassment, bullying, and discrimination exist 

Harassment, bullying, and discrimination are some of the most common forms of misconduct in the workplace. There are many different types of words, gestures, or actions that are classified as workplace harassment. We detail some of the most prominent examples—and some of their warning signs— in another article .  

2) Training addresses the intersectionality of workplace harassment, bullying, or discrimination  

Incorporating intersectional experiences into anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training is important because it reminds employees that there are many elements to a person’s identity. And unfortunately, that can also mean there are many ways in which a person can be targeted for who they are. For example, targeting a person because of their gender is a common form of workplace harassment. According to a 2021 global study from Deloitte , over half of surveyed women said they have experienced some form of harassment or non-inclusive behavior at work in the past year, ranging from unwanted physical contact and disparaging remarks to having their judgment questioned and being given fewer advancement opportunities on account of their gender.   

But other aspects of a person’s identity are targeted for harassment, bullying, and discrimination as well. The 2021 Deloitte study also found that LGBT+ women are almost four times more likely to say they have experienced jokes of a sexual nature and five times more likely to have experienced belittling comments about gender. In addition, one in 10 women of color say they have experienced comments about their race in the workplace. They are also more likely to have experienced comments about their communication style than white women (15% vs. 5%).  

A 2020 study from the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) and the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund found that nearly one in nine people (11%) said that they had experienced both sex and race discrimination at work. Nearly one in five people (18%) said that they had experienced discrimination or harassment based on sex and other aspects of their identities. For example, they were harassed because they were a woman with a disability, a woman of color, or a woman born outside of the country they currently live in.   

3) Training teaches employees how to identify bullying and harassment in the workplace 

Workplace harassment and bullying can have serious effects on morale, productivity, and overall performance—both for individual employees and the business at large. However, knowing the types of behaviors and warning signs that indicate someone is being harassed or bullied at work can help create better prevention strategies and improve performance across the board. We cover many of these details in a recent article .  

4) Training can help people report incidents of harassment, bullying, or discrimination at work 

Unfortunately, fear of retaliation is a legitimate concern for employees when deciding whether or not to report incidents of workplace harassment, bullying, or discrimination. The NWLC and TIME’S UP study found that more than seven in 10 survivors (72%) who experienced workplace sexual harassment faced some form of retaliation when they reported it. Of those who experienced retaliation:   

• More than one-third of people (36%) said they were fired from their job.  
• Nearly one in five people (19%) said they were given poor performance reviews, had their work products or behavior scrutinized, or were otherwise treated poorly.  
• More than one in seven people (15%) said they were slandered or had their reputation damaged in some way by their perpetrator or employer.  

Delivering ongoing harassment prevention training can help clarify how to report and investigate allegations of misconduct. Employees should know the steps they need to take if they are dealing with harassment or witness a colleague being bullied. Training that also communicates your company’s zero-tolerance approach to any form of workplace harassment, bullying, or discrimination can help employees feel safe and encouraged to come forward.  

5) The costs of workplace harassment, bullying, and discrimination can be severe 

If people do not report incidents of workplace harassment or discrimination, the costs it can bring to employees and their organizations can be substantial. A 2019 report from Deloitte estimating the economic costs of workplace sexual harassment in Australia found that, when unchecked, harassment in the workplace imposes a significant number of costs—including:   

• $2.6 billion in lost productivity, or $1,053 on average per victim.  
• $0.9 billion in other financial costs, or $375 on average per victim.  

At an average weekly wage of $1,244 across the economy, each case of workplace harassment represented approximately four working days of lost output.   

• The largest loss of productivity—staff turnover, 32% of costs—resulted in lost income to individuals, lost profits to employers, and reduced tax paid to government.   
• Significant losses also resulted from absenteeism (a measure of the lost output due to employees taking paid or unpaid leave due to workplace harassment) at 28% of costs, and manager time from responding to complaints at 24% of costs.   

Employers bore 70% of these costs, government 23%, and individuals 7%. The estimated lost wellbeing—i.e., the loss of a physically and/or mentally healthy lifestyle—for victims of actual or attempted sexual assault was an additional $250 million, or nearly $5000 per victim on average. These numbers show that without effective anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training , the financial toll of workplace harassment or discrimination takes is striking.  

How effective anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training can help 

Implementing anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training is an important and effective management tool for avoiding major compliance issues, improving team dynamics and professional relationships, and building a more ethical culture. Deploying this type of training on a frequent basis—using digestible content to help information stick—can help teams get out in front of problems and even trace problems back to its root cause, a useful tool for managers who might be separated from other aspects of the workplace environment. When the training is delivered at scale, it can help prevent countless harmful situations throughout an entire company. Here are two best practices to ensure your anti-harassment and discrimination training is effective:  

• Demystify the reporting and investigation process. Do employees know what to do or where to go if they do witness misconduct?  In addition to having specific policies on reporting, investigations, and disciplinary actions, a simple one-page infographic, flow chart, or summary on the systems and channels of reporting can help provide clarity. These communication assets should complement dedicated awareness-raising campaigns and education, tailored to your employee population.    
• Don’t just focus on speaking up—also focus on listening up. Humans were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. Speaking up puts the onus on the individual employees to act, whereas “listening up” is a leadership and organizational capability that can be cultivated. The LRN Benchmark of Ethical Culture notes that most employees raise ethical concerns to their manager. So, i t is critical that managers are trained to handle concerns appropriately, and not just about misconduct; any employee concern should be received seriously. Demonstrating respect and follow-through—even if the result is not what the employee hoped for—is critical to maintaining trust and confidence in the organization and its leaders.  

The key takeaway 

All teams will have to deal with disagreements between employees at different points throughout their careers. But some of the most emotional conflicts that anyone will encounter in the workplace will involve harassment or discrimination in some way, even indirectly. The cost of such behavior is significant to employees and organizations alike, but deploying anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training can help ensure this behavior is not tolerated by anyone.

To learn more, request a demo of LRN's newly designed anti-harassment, bullying, and discrimination training. And click here to view LRN’s collection of AHD training resources.  

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Preventing Workplace Bullying: 7 Steps Employers Can Take Now

While many federal and state laws protect employees against harassment, workplace bullying often isn’t covered unless it is based on a protected characteristic, such as race or gender. But that doesn’t mean employers should ignore disruptive behavior just because it’s not technically unlawful. Here’s what you need to know about workplace bullying and seven proactive steps you can take to prevent it.

Recognize the Reality of Workplace Bullying

Nearly 80 million workers have been affected by workplace bullying, according to a survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute . Other survey findings include:

• About 30% said they have personally experienced bullying, and an additional 19% said they have witnessed it.
• Remote workers were more likely to say they’ve been bullied (43%, with 50% occurring in online meetings and 9% through email).
• Sixty-five percent identified their boss as being a bully, 21% said a co-worker was a bully, and 14% said a subordinate was a bully.

How can you overcome these startling statistics? To help foster a healthy, safe, and welcoming work environment, employers should consider creating robust policies that address abusive conduct.

“Aside from creating a legal defense, these types of policies may prevent inappropriate or harassing conduct, as well as create positive employee morale,” says Emily Litzinger , an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Louisville, Ky. “Positive workplace morale can result in higher productivity, retention and better recruiting efforts.”

Know When Bullying Becomes Illegal

The Workplace Bullying Institute defines bullying as “repeat mistreatment,” which includes workplace sabotage; verbal abuse; and abusive conduct that is threatening, intimidating, or harassing. But what behaviors are deemed unlawful in the workplace?

Legal Basics

As a starting point, employers should be aware of the laws that protect employees, including:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , which prohibits workplace harassment based on national origin, race, color, religion, and sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy).
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act , which prohibits such behavior based on age, starting at age 40.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act , which prohibits harassment based on disability.

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — the agency that enforces these laws — harassment is unlawful when enduring offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

The types of conduct that the EEOC recognizes as offensive include:

• Offensive jokes, slurs, epithets, or name-calling.
• Physical assaults or threats.
• Ridicule or mockery.
• Insults or put-downs.
• Offensive objects or pictures.
• Interference with work performance.

But offensive conduct may not always be unlawful, even when based on a protected characteristic. “Petty slights, annoyances and isolated incidents — unless extremely serious — will not rise to the level of illegality,” the EEOC states. “To be unlawful, the conduct must create a work environment that would be intimidating, hostile, or offensive to reasonable people.”

Potential Broad Liability

Notably, an employer could be liable for harassment by an employee’s supervisor, co-worker, or client, among others who may work closely with the employee. Moreover, when harassment creates a hostile work environment, employees may have a claim if they are affected by the behavior, even if they are not the target of the harassment.

“Any time that bullying relates to an employee’s protected characteristic, it could potentially lead to a claim under Title VII or other federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws,” says Lisa McGlynn , an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Tampa, Fla. For example, it would not be illegal to bully someone just because their football team lost, because this would not be a protected characteristic. However, the behavior could cross the line into unlawful harassment if it is related to a co-worker’s race, sex, or other protected characteristic.

Do Jokes Count?

What if comments are meant as a joke? Perhaps, for example, an employee accused of bullying says they called an older member of the team “grandpa” in jest. While a one-time remark is likely unactionable, McGlynn says, behavior like this can be a violation if it is related to a protected characteristic — such as age — and is either severe or pervasive.

State and Local Laws

State and local laws can include more — or different definitions of — protected characteristics. For example, some states specifically prohibit discrimination based on weight or hair texture. In other states, however, these characteristics would not be specifically protected.

“For employers that operate in multiple locales, it is important to know what your state and local laws might require beyond federal anti-discrimination laws,” McGlynn notes.

Cultivate a Healthy Workplace

Employment laws are not general civility codes, but employers can establish their own guidelines and expectations. Just be sure these rules don’t run afoul of applicable employment and labor laws, including the National Labor Relations Act .

Many employers want to go beyond simply checking the boxes for legal compliance to create a healthy and productive workplace culture. You can be proactive by taking the following seven steps:

1. Look at the Big Picture. “My key suggestion for employers is to focus on structural and systemic prevention of bullying,” says Ludmila Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP , professor of graduate organizational psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California in Costa Mesa, Calif. “Systemic prevention is the key to success and creating healthy organizations.”

2. Set Clear Expectations. “Employers should include policies that clearly define what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior,” Litzinger recommends. “Employers are encouraged to use examples that relate to the workplace.”

3. Be Consistent. Employers that do not consistently enforce their policies run the risk of negatively affecting morale and reducing the positive impact these policies aim to produce, Litzinger adds. Moreover, inconsistencies can create legal liability.

4. Train Employees . Employers may want to add anti-bullying to their harassment prevention program. Notably, some employers must already do this under state law. In California, for example, employers with at least 50 employees must include “abusive conduct” prevention as a component of their mandatory anti-harassment training.

5. Establish a Reporting Process. “Employers should strive to create an environment in which employees feel free to raise concerns and are confident that those concerns will be addressed,” according to the EEOC. Make sure your employees and supervisors know who to contact when they need assistance.

6. Promptly and Thoroughly Investigate Complaints . Take complaints seriously and consider designating an experienced person or team to conduct investigations .

7. Assess Company Culture. Praslova recommends that employers conduct regular assessments of their organizational culture to detect early signs of a toxic environment.

We will continue to monitor developments in this area and provide updates as warranted, so make sure you are subscribed to  Fisher Phillips’ Insight System  to get the most up-to-date information. For further information, contact the authors of this Insight or your Fisher Phillips attorney.

A version of this Insight originally appeared in  SHRM’s HR Quarterly . ©2024. All rights reserved. Republished with permission.

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6 tips to keep your cool—and your job—after bullying at work.

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Lisa D. Foster , Business Coach Specializing in Leadership through Emotional Intelligence.

Bullying—whether it’s overt or covert, physical threats, verbal aggression or psychological intimidation—is all too common in the workplace, affecting nearly one-third of American workers . Despite overwhelming evidence that psychological safety is necessary for workplace performance (see Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson's book The Fearless Organization ), too many offices and industries tolerate a culture where the powerful pick on those below or around them.

From schoolyards to corporate board rooms, some people never grow out of bullying tactics. And sadly, they're often effective—at least for a while. When bullies rise through an organization, the culture becomes toxic. The bully’s self-aggrandizement and self-serving goals become prioritized over organizational performance, often leading to disastrous results.

Bullying has infected a corporate culture when upper management insists on unrealistic success and doesn't allow criticism from lower-ranking employees; this often leads to spectacular failures. As Edmondson describes in her book, NASA's culture of enforced silence led to engineers being unable to speak up about damage to Columbia before that disaster; unrealistic goals at Volkswagen led to the "green diesel" debacle. And as the documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing makes clear, Boeing also ignored engineers' concerns around the 737 MAX . Countless smaller companies fail the same way every year.

What Bullying Is

Bullying is defined by the Anti-Bullying Alliance as "repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power." It occurs when privilege, power and ego are at stake, creating a mix of toxic behaviors aimed at maintaining an unfair advantage.

People targeted by bullies are often confused. That's because bullies thrive on confusion and chaos. The target may question themselves, wonder if they have done something wrong or even blame themselves. Some people simply resign, which serves the bully’s purposes just fine. When that happens, the psychological scars can undermine the target’s confidence for years.

Bullies look confident and powerful, but inside, they are usually plagued by insecurity. Their own self-doubt makes the competence of others a threat to the core of their being. They will stop at nothing to protect their sense of self-importance.

Recognize The Signs Of Bullying

In my work with clients dealing with bullying, I've found that bullies manifest in two ways; I call them "screamers" and "schemers." Screamers are full of sound and fury. Schemers quietly engage in slow-simmering undermining campaigns to destroy the reputation of the target. The origin of such smear tactics may never be apparent. Deflated, demeaned and ultimately powerless, the target often leaves, again serving the bully well.

If you are feeling confused or silenced at work, if your best efforts are demeaned or criticized or if your boss is making unrealistic demands, you may be the target of a bullying attack.

Six Tips For Surviving A Bullying Attack

1. identify allies..

Because a bullying attack is disorienting and painful, you need support to handle any anxiety, stay grounded in reality and develop an action plan. Find someone outside of work, ideally a therapist or coach, who can guide you. If possible, also identify someone at work invested in maintaining a safe workplace, someone close to the bully’s organizational level or an HR professional. Be careful not to draw in anyone who could become another victim of the bully. If you can’t find someone trustworthy inside, rely on outside support as your lifeline.

2. Document your facts.

Write a narrative of what happened. Document your most important contributions to the company in five to seven bullet points that can be externally verified. Then document the accusations or behavior of the bully in one to three bullet points. This timeline can provide a reality check for you and the bully and can clarify the situation for your allies. Avoid judgmental words, and let your competence speak for itself.

3. Stand your ground.

Bullies respond to power only. Rational arguments are useless against an irrational opponent. By respectfully and repeatedly insisting on your right to do your job and be treated with respect, you signal power. Never back down or apologize to a bully. This emboldens them and signals weakness.

4. Have come-back phrases ready.

When a bully attacks, it’s hard to think clearly. Have phrases ready so you can start asserting yourself face-to-face, if need be, or in an email. Consider, "How dare you speak to me like that" or "Let me be clear" as entryways to your defense. Then calmly present facts to expose their lies.

5. Take the high road.

Standing your ground is a matter of principle and ethics, which are the antidote to bullying. If someone is disrespectful, calmly ask to be respected. If someone loses their cool, observe them dispassionately. Then ask, "Are you done yelling?" Your cool will build respect among onlookers and frustrate the bully’s attempt at humiliation.

6. Be willing to leave.

You may or may not want to remain in an unsafe workspace, but being willing to leave might be your only power. If you have documented your competence, offering your resignation may alter the calculation within the organization and give you the power to renegotiate terms under which you are willing to stay.

Standing up to a bully is never easy. I know because I’ve done it myself, and I’ve coached my clients through it. However, acquiescing to demeaning behavior or tolerating enforced silence can affect your mental health and even your physical health.

So find allies to stand with you and speak up. You just might become the hero who averts disaster and helps build a better company culture.

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

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Strategies for preventing school bullying-a life education perspective.

• 1 Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Xinfeng, Hsinchu, Taiwan
• 2 The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, SAR China

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Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Life education, Loneliness, school bullying, stress

Received: 07 May 2024; Accepted: 13 Aug 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Shih and Lin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Yi-Huang Shih, Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Xinfeng, Hsinchu, Taiwan

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Politics latest: Fears of 'all-out war' as foreign secretary heads to Israel for talks

David Lammy is heading to Israel for talks with senior ministers as the foreign secretary looks to help prevent "an all-out war" in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the Tories take credit for positive economic news - but A-level results day brings universities' financial strife to the fore.

Thursday 15 August 2024 22:35, UK

• Foreign secretary heading to Israel amid fears of 'all-out war'
• Chancellor 'fuming' at positive economic data, claim Tories
• Analysis: A good week the government can't take credit for
• Ukraine allowed to use British weapons in Russia | Follow war live
• Universities told they must 'manage budgets' | Results day catch-up
• Listen: Can universities make their sums work?
• Analysis: Politics at heart of fundamental threat facing universities

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With those details in our previous post of David Lammy's imminent Middle East visit, notably to Israel, we're bringing the Politics Hub to a close for the time being.

Be sure to scroll back through the Hub to catch up on what was a busy day both domestically and internationally for British ministers.

We had a significant update on how the economy's doing, A-level results day was somewhat marred by fears about the future of our universities, confirmation reached us of Ukraine using British tanks in Russia, and we had that news of the foreign secretary heading to Israel.

Thanks for joining us - and we'll see you next time.

More details of the foreign secretary's trip to Israel have been released.

The Foreign Office has announced David Lammy will be heading to the Middle East with his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne in what is the first joint UK-France visit in more than a decade.

They will meet Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz and strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer, though there is no confirmation of whether they will also speak with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A diplomatic source told Sky News earlier today Mr Lammy's main objective was to try to prevent "all-out war" in the Middle East, and we understand a meeting with the Israeli leader is expected too ( see 16.27 post ).

It comes amid fears of an Iranian attack on Israel, possibly carried out with the help of Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran has warned of a response following the killing of Hamas's leader in Tehran last month.

Mr Lammy and Mr Sejourne will call for calm and also for a ceasefire in Gaza, with talks on that having begun in Qatar today.

Mr Lammy said it was a "dangerous moment" for the region and "all parties must engage seriously in negotiations".

By Alix Culbertson , political reporter

People living in areas at the highest risk of flooding face cuts to key services due to a sharp rise in flood defence costs, councils have warned.

The government is being urged to overhaul funding for the bodies overseeing flood alleviation as soaring costs have seen an average rise of 28% over the past two years, according to data from the District Councils' Network, which represents 169 English councils.

Higher energy and fuel prices - needed for pumping stations - increasingly extreme wet weather and wage increases are the main causes of the cost of flood defences being pushed up for the current 2024/25 financial year.

By Deborah Haynes , security and defence editor

Ukrainian troops have used British Challenger 2 tanks in their offensive inside Russia, Sky News understands.

It is believed to be the first time British tanks - operated by Ukrainian soldiers - have been used in combat on Russian territory.

The Ministry of Defence in London declined to comment on operational detail, but did tell Sky News there has been no change in policy.

Ukraine's armed forces did not offer a comment.

According to government policy, the UK has confirmed Ukraine is free to use British weapons on Russian territory.

A source said this included Challenger 2 tanks and signalled that they had been used during the Ukrainian incursion, which began on 6 August.

On what was A-level results day, the education secretary was asked about the controversial prospect of raising tuition fees as many universities grapple with serious financial challenges.

Our business correspondent Paul Kelso   says the picture across the sector right now is pretty negative.

And that's because, anecdotally at least, there's been a 30% fall in how many overseas students are applying for British universities.

 " That matters because overseas students underwrite the British university system," says Paul. "They may make up about 26% of the academic population, but provide 46% of the fees."

So why the drop in applications? Britain's top universities have long been extremely popular with international students.

Paul says the sector thinks it's being driven largely by visa rule changes the previous government introduced, which include preventing foreign students from bringing family members with them.

It was a bid by Rishi Sunak to bring down levels of immigration.

The change and subsequent drop in applicants "poses a fundamental threat to the financial health of the university sector", says Paul.

"Domestic fees simply do not cover the cost".

The Sky News Daily podcast looked into this further - watch a clip below and find the full episode at the top of this page.

As students receive their A-level results, many of the universities they'll enrol in are facing their own concerns.

Academics have warned years of underfunding and a lack of lucrative international students at British universities after visa changes risk the sector's ability to provide top-class education and, for some institutions, whether they'll be able to keep teaching at all.  

On this episode, Niall Paterson is joined by two university vice-chancellors, Professor Jane Harrington at Greenwich and Professor David Maguire at East Anglia, to hear the realities and challenges faced by universities across the country.  

Plus, our business correspondent Paul Kelso explains why higher education is facing the crisis it's in now. 

👉 Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts 👈        

The Scottish first minster held talks with the deputy prime minister in Edinburgh today - and had a bone to pick.

John Swinney raised the UK government's decision to begin means testing the winter fuel payment, which means only those eligible for existing benefits will still receive it.

The SNP administration at Holyrood said yesterday it would have to adopt the same policy because the controversial move had left it with a £160m gap in spending power.

Mr Swinney has conceded it will impact "tens of thousands" of pensioners and "expressed concern" with Angela Rayner today.

He also reiterated his desire for an "injection of investment" in the country's public services.

But he's still hoping for a more positive relationship with the Labour government than his party had with the Tories, working together on "shared priorities" such as reaching net zero.

By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent 

Make no two bones about it – it has been a good week on the economic news front.

Today's stellar GDP growth figures at 0.6% are in line with expectation but are also a reflection of a strong year of growth, with the UK the fastest growing in the G7 this year - although it has lagged slightly behind the US in Q2.

This - coupled with falling unemployment, wage growth and pretty stable inflation (listen to the podcast on this in the previous post) - means the macroeconomic situation has not looked this good in years.

Normally the government would be crowing from the rooftops about such good news.

Instead, the Treasury this morning continues to talk about the "scale of challenges" and being determined "to fix the foundations".

Why? Because they want to stop the Conservatives - who are unsurprisingly very frustrated - from being able to claim the last government left the country in a good state.

Politically, this is important for Labour – part of a wider strategy to thrash the Tory record, while cementing future credit for economic good news.

Despite the attempt to shape narratives, in the end voters will only really thank Labour if this stellar economic growth continues.

Inflation is up for the first time this year.   

Prices went up by 2.2% in the year to July – moving the rate above the Bank of England target of 2%.  

Experts had expected an up tick as energy prices are falling by less than they did a year ago, and the increase doesn't seem to change hope for further interest rate cuts in the months to come.

But what else can we expect from the economy this autumn as the new government continues to warn about the "challenges" it's inherited, and as the chancellor prepares her first budget in October?

Joining Niall Paterson  is our business correspondent Paul Kelso and political correspondent Darren McCaffrey . 

👉 Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts 👈       

It's time for your evening bulletin from the Politics Hub - summing up the main things you need to know today:

• The foreign secretary , David Lammy, is heading to Israel for talks with the country's prime minister;
• A source described the meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu as "an attempt to prevent all-out war" in the Middle East , amid fears of an Iranian attack on Israel and talks over a ceasefire in Gaza;
• Mr Lammy described it as a "crucial moment for global security" .
• Sticking with foreign policy, and the Ministry of Defence has said it's  happy for Ukraine to be using British weapons inside Russia ;
• Sky News understands tanks supplied by the UK are also being deployed across the border  during Kyiv's surprise incursion.
• On the domestic front,  the Tories claim the chancellor will be "fuming"  after new figures showed  Britain's economy grew during the previous quarter ;
• Rachel Reeves has repeatedly bemoaned the government's economic inheritance from Rishi Sunak's administration, but  GDP is up 0.6% - higher than other major European countries ;
• And on A-level results day , the education secretary told Sky News it would be  "unpalatable" to raise tuition fees  despite the financial challenges facing Britain's universities.

That's all for now - we'll bring you any further political news and analysis over the next few hours.

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