Bullying is a costly management problem.  Yet, all too often, instead of being the first line of defense, the Human Resources Department reinforces the bullying and further undermines the victim. The result is costly turnover, poor morale, and expensive litigation.  Stopping bullying makes economic sense for employers.  Does your company have an anti-bullying policy?  Is it strictly enforced, even when the bully is a highly valued employee?  Are employees encouraged to report bullying and protected from retaliation?   If not, your company is the proverbial accident waiting to happen. – PGB ([email protected])

“Bully bosses are the bane of management. They are the ones who take credit for their subordinates’ ideas, engage in abusive behavior, humiliate employees in public, talk behind people’s backs, and send others to do their dirty work. Bullies often make the numbers; that’s why it’s hard to get rid of them. When bullies resist all help, they must be removed from the organization. FROM:  Article by John Baldoni, Harvard Management Update; Sept. 2005, Vol. 10 Issue 9, p1-3, 3p.

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THE TAB FOR EMPLOYERS

It is astonishing that American employers tolerate workplace bullying.  Never-mind the devastation that bullying wreaks on the target, bullying wreaks havoc on the company’s bottom line. Bullying results in higher health costs, needless turnover, lower morale and motivation, lost work hours, absenteeism, etc. etc. etc.

Consider:

• According to Christine Pearson at UNC-Chapel Hill and Christine Porath of USC’s Marshall School of Business (The Cost of Bad Behavior: How Incivility Is Damaging Your Business and What to Do About It (2009))  targets of bullying react in the following ways:

-48% decreased their work effort,

-47% decreased their time at work,

-38% decreased their work quality,

-66% said their performance declined,

-80% lost work time worrying about the incident,

-63% lost time avoiding the offender

• Bullying causes needless turnover.

According to the Level Playing Field Institute, more than two million managers and professionals flee their jobs every year as a result of workplace unfairness, including bullying. The cost of replacing just one $8-per-hour employee can range from $3,500 to $25,000, depending on the industry. The  exodus of two million workers costs businesses $64 billion.

Research shows that bullying also contributes to turnover among witnesses of bullying, who suffer emotional distress that is almost as great as that experienced by the victims of bullying. Furthermore, more than a quarter of employees who leaves because of unfairness do not recommend the employer to potential employees, and many do not recommend the company’s products and services to others.

• Bullying results in costly litigation.

Even if the employer wins, it can cost the employer tens of thousands of dollars to defend the lawsuit.

The employer doesn’t always win. In Indiana, a medical technician was awarded $325,000 after successfully suing a surgeon who bullied him in an operating room for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress and assault.

A lawsuit, and attendant publicity, can be harmful to a business in terms of public perception and the ability to attract quality employees.

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Five Tips for Businesses on Handling Workplace Bullying

(Excerpted from Teresa A. Daniel,  Stop Bullying at Work (ISBN 9781586441357, September 2009, $17.95)

To properly approach the bully and create individual change:

1.  Confront and monitor existing bullies.

- Talking directly to the bully about the consequences of his or her behavior;

- Training bullies about how to treat others fairly in the workplace; and

- Implementing performance evaluation and appraisal mechanism to discourage bullying behaviors, such as a 360-degree performance feedback system.”

2. Obtain a senior management commitment to a bully-free environment. Organizations need to demonstrate in visible and continuous ways that senior management is committed to addressing and eradicating the bullying phenomenon. Because of the power differential that exists in the relationship between the bully and the targeted employee, the reluctance to report bullying appears to be linked to the belief that nothing will be done and also to the fear of retaliation if something is done.

3.   Develop an anti-bullying policy. “Any policy that you develop should be customized to fit your organization’s specific culture, values, and needs. An anti-bullying policy will generally address the following types of issues: your company’s commitment to a culture of mutual respect and zero-tolerance of bullying, clear definitions of bullying, managerial responsibilities, complaint procedures, any support or counseling offered to the target, assurances that all complaints are taken seriously and will be treated confidentially, a ‘no retaliation’ provision, and who to contact to get further information.”

4.  Create monitoring, investigation, and complaint systems, disciplinary procedures, and follow-up measures. “Whether or not you elect to develop and implement an anti-bullying policy, a specific internal group or department needs to be identified as being responsible for receiving complaints and educating your employees. An investigation is a necessary response to a bullying complaint. All complaint resolution systems must include an effective disciplinary procedure that spells out the consequences for failure to abide by the company’s policy, including progressive discipline.”

5.  Train employees about conduct expectations. “Periodic training of employees must be conducted to ensure a culture of respect and accountability, and also that all employees understand the company’s expectations about their workplace conduct – what is and is not acceptable – and the consequences for failing to observe these requirements.”

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Research shows that  Human Resources often creates an environment where bullying “remains unchallenged, allowed to thrive or actually encouraged in an indirect way.” If the victim seeks help, HR  protects the employer’s interests rather than to seek a fair and just resolution. “The absence of collective voice … renders employees completely vulnerable, with no avenues for redressal … Issues of justice and morality inevitably arise … With managers being judge and jury combined, the correctness of managerial decisions remains largely unchecked … .”  FROM:  Premilla D’Cruz and Ernesto Noronha, Protecting My Interests: HRM and Targets’ Coping with Workplace Bullying, The Qualitative Report Vol.15, Number 3 (May 2010) http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR15-3/dcruz.pdf.

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In the case of despots, you need to depose them; in the case of bullies, you need to boot them. Few are worthy of rehabilitation. Power for them is both a means to an end as well as the end itself. “ -  John Baldoni, 12 Steps to Power Presence: How to Assert Your Authority to Lead, (2010)

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Excerpt from the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell:

Organizational Practices that cause worker stress:

• Favoritism
• Inflexible rules
• Low pay and benefits
• Poor supervision
• Job insecurity
• Responsibility without authority
• Lack of input in decisions
• Poor chances for advancement or growth
• Unclear responsibilities or expectations
• Multiple supervisors
• Lack of recognition
• Poor communication
• Mandatory Overtime

* Patricia G. Barnes is an attorney with experience in both domestic violence and employment law. She is available for consultation, training on creating a healthy and positive management environment for employees and speaking engagements.

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