Gordon Brown’s staff aren’t the only ones who say they’re bullied at work

The Prime Minister has made headline news this week as he faces allegations of bullying his staff. It’s not the first workplace bullying story to make the news. Late last year, the Tower of London sacked two men for bullying its first female yeoman warder and a recent high profile employment tribunal case involving a News of the World reporter resulted in the awarding of £800,000 to the victim.

With workplace bullying at the centre of the public’s attention once again, just how widespread is it?

Public service trade union, Unison, says bullying at work has doubled in the past decade, with around one-third of workers saying they have been bullied in the last six months. One explanation for the sharp rise in complaints is a better awareness of bullying; however, another explanation is the financial crisis. With job insecurities, heavier workloads, salary freezes and cost cutting on the rise, the additional stress could be causing some to lash out through bullying.

As an employer, you are responsible for preventing bullying in your workplace. You have an obligation to protect your employees’ health and safety at work. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to make clear the standards of behaviour that are expected of everyone in your office, as any grievances could be escalated to an employment tribunal if they are not dealt with effectively.

Whilst it is not possible to make a direct complaint to an employment tribunal about bullying, Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, says it may be possible to bring a complaint under laws covering discrimination and harassment.

For more information on bullying in the workplace and how best to handle it, visit the UK’s Bullying in the Workplace website.

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