Targets of WORKPLACE BULLYING lost their jobs 61% of the time
Serious health-harming abuse
BELLINGHAM, Wash., Feb. 25, 2014
/PRNewswire/ -- The Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI)
defined workplace bullying as "abusive conduct that is threatening,
intimidating, humiliating, work sabotage or verbal abuse" in its 2014
national survey. Key results: 27% of all adult Americans have directly
experienced it, 21% have witnessed it, 56% of perpetrators are bosses,
68% of perpetrators are men, and 60% of targets (recipients) are women.
Since WBI introduced workplace bullying to the country in 1997 public
awareness has risen to 72% according to the new survey. Similarly
positive is that the percentage of bullies who are bosses has declined
over the years.
Employers do little to stop workplace bullying. The majority (72%)
reacted to complaints in inappropriate ways: 25% did not investigate,
31% either discounted it as not serious or considered it routine, 11%
defended bullies, and 5% actively encouraged the abuse.
In cases where bullying ended, targets lost their jobs 61% of the time
— either terminated, forced to quit (constructively discharged), or
voluntarily quit.
"Unfortunately the victims of this serious health-harming abuse are
the ones asked to stop it," says WBI director Dr. Gary
Namie, "If there were a law as in Canada
and other industrialized nations, employers would have to protect
workers."
According to the survey an overwhelming majority of Americans (93%)
supported enactment of a new law that would protect all workers from
repeated abusive mistreatment at work. Only 1% strongly opposed such a
measure.
Complete results can be downloaded at:
http://www.workplacebullying.org/wbiresearch/wbi-2014-us-survey/
WBI commissioned Zogby Analytics to conduct the survey of a national
representative sample of all adult Americans (MOE ± 3.2%). Major
funding from OnLock Digital Authentication LLC.
WBI is the first and only U.S. organization dedicated to the
eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals,
research, books, public education, training for
professionals-unions-employers, legislative advocacy, and consulting
solutions for organizations. workplacebullying.org
Contact: Gary Namie, PhD, Workplace Bullying
Institute, 360-656-6630
SOURCE The Workplace Bullying Institute