In today’s competitive, dog-eat-dog culture it can be easy to forget just how shocking bullying can be, especially for targets of bullying in the workplace. Sometimes it is so much easier for us to be a bystander rather than a witness.
Well, every now and then it is important to keep things like bullying in perspective. With that in mind, here are my Top Five shocking workplace bullying statistics.
1. 96% of people have experienced workplace bullying
According to a VitalSmarts Report of 2,823 people, 96 per cent of people have experienced workplace bullying. What is worse 54 per cent of workplace bullies have been at it for five or more years. The report also states that only 51 per cent of respondents believe their company has a policy for dealing with bullies.
2. Workplace bullies regularly receive good evaluations and promotions from their bosses
An Emerald Insight survey has found that workplace bullies often maintain a high level of social ability and often thrive in workplaces. This allows them to abuse and undercut their co-workers and maintain good relationships with their superiors.
3. 25% of RCMP employees in British Columbia had been verbally harassed or tormented within the past year.
A bi-annual national survey conducted by the RCMP in 2009 also found that nearly 60 per cent of RCMP employees have considered quitting their jobs in the last six months – frustration and lack of recognition were the most common reasons for wanting to quit, according to the survey.
4. In 74% of cases of workplace bullying, the bullying that occurred was boss to subordinate bullying.
To make matters worse, in over 66 per cent of the cases threats were made, usually related to being let go or demoted. As part of the research for “The Bully’s Trap” I interviewed 300 targets of bullying in Canada and the U.S over a four-year period.
5. Only 3% of bullied targets file lawsuits and 50 per cent never file a complaint
Also, according the 2007 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, 60 per cent of bullies are men while 57 per cent of the victims are women – while 64 per cent of employers ignore the problem.