The problem of workplace bullying is growing at such a rapid rate that we no longer separate bullying from harassment, because it’s easier to just deal with the issue head on.
Some 2.5 million Australians have been impacted by workplace bullying at some point in their working lives, and now a major employer hopes that by conducting reference checks on potential young employees will break the cycle of bullying in the workplace.
Remember that fight two of your employees had that wasn’t fully resolved? It could be the cause of absenteeism, bullying and harassment in your business.
The tragic suicide of Brodie Panlock, whose death was linked to extreme workplace bullying, has resulted in changes to the law classifying bullying as a criminal offense in Victoria, with prison terms of up to 10 years. These legislative changes also have wide-ranging implications for business owners.
Employees that witness workplace bullying are just as likely to be impacted by it as those who are bullied, with such behaviour occurring most commonly in businesses with less constructive leadership.
Workplace bullying is in the spotlight as the Victorian Government through WorkCover deploys a team of specialist inspectors to crack down on bullying in the workplace after the tragic death of 19-year-old Brodie Panlock. In the wake of Ms Panlock’s death, up to 40,000 workplaces will face snap inspections as a part of the WorkCover […]