Bullying in the workplace is also known as harassment. It can involve threats, physical or verbal intimidation, or put-downs meant to harm another employee.  

According to a 2019 Monster.com survey, around 50% of employees reported being bullied by a boss or manager. The survey also mentioned 39% reported bullying by a team member, and 4% noted they were bullied by someone else, such as a client. Here is how workplace bullying affects your employees’ mental health.

Types of Workplace Bullying

There are various types of bullying in the workplace. This can include intimidation, such as threatening to fire an employee or finding ways to cause someone to get fired. Sexual harassment in the workplace is another form of bullying. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 25 to 80% of women experience workplace harassment in their lifetime.  

Other types of bullying can also include name-calling, racial discrimination, withholding of resources, unfair workload allocation, and even isolating an employee.  

How Bullying Affects Your Workforce  

Not only can workplace bullying be detrimental to the person who is experiencing it, but it can also create a hostile work environment. In fact, one out of five employees finds their environment to be hostile, according to a study done by Rand Corporation.  

This can lead to decreased productivity and heightened levels of stress among employees, which can negatively impact the ability of employees to work together as a team.  

How Should Employers Respond?

Employers should make every effort to listen to reports of bullying. They should offer counseling experts who can provide mediation skills that might help resolve some instances of bullying.  

The employee who is harassing others should also face strict consequences to protect other employees. This fosters an environment that has a zero-tolerance policy against bullying. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing workplace bullying, please visit workplacebullying.org for more resources.