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Abstract
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Over the past month, reports have emerged detailing accusations by multiple complainants of bullying or harassment toward employees by high-profile leaders or senior staff in government positions and organisations across society. Common to all these cases have been pointed failures on the part of leadership to adequately address negative behaviours, such as those documented at UNAIDS and Save the Children UK.
These gross lapses in conduct are inexcusable and a stark reminder that bullying is ubiquitous, present in schools from nursery to university, the workplace, and even virtual spaces, and at the centre of this phenomenon is the unchecked exploitation of imbalances of power between or among individuals. As explored in the Lancet Psychiatry Series on bullying, decades of research point to physical, social, and psychological consequences in children and adolescents. Bullying during adulthood has been less studied but is probably similarly harmful and exceedingly common. One survey in the USA found that 19% of adults have suffered abusive behaviour at work. Not only does bullying affect those who are directly involved, but it can also compromise the organisation itself by creating a workplace atmosphere that hampers communication and limits productivity. In health-promoting organisations and health care, which are often traditional and hierarchically organised, bullying might be a potential mediator of key issues in workforce protection, including absenteeism, burnout, and higher rates of suicide ...
Language: en |