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One-fifth of workers 'victims of bullying'

24/10/2006

Twenty per cent of employees in the UK labour market have suffered from some form of bullying or harassment in the last two years, new research suggests.

A survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that public sector workers are more vulnerable to bullying than those in the private sector, with 22 per cent of workers suffering compared to 17 per cent.

Bullied workers are more likely to resign, be less productive and become prone to anxiety or depression, leading CIPD employee relations adviser Mike Emmott to suggest that it is in employers' interest to tackle bullying at work.

"Bullying and harassment is a serious problem in many workplaces and employers need to
take the issue more seriously," Mr Emmott said.

"Line managers need to be able to recognise signs of bullying or harassment and take action to deal with the situation before it gets out of hand. Employees who are being bullied or harassed need to know how to complain, and feel reassured that they won't be victimised if they do."

The survey found that black and Asian employees, together with women and those who are disabled, are significantly more likely to suffer from bullying. Thirty-seven per cent of disabled people complained of harassment, compared to 29 per cent of ethnic groups.

"There is a real need for employers to explore the underlying issues, and consider for example if they should provide diversity training," Mr Emmott added.

"People need to respect the contribution that others can make, regardless of gender, race and disability," he concluded.

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