Banish the bullies, stop stress
November 7th 2007 “It’s time to banish the bullies from the UK’s workplaces to help us stop the stress this country faces in its workplaces,” the president of IOSH has said.
Speaking on Ban Bullying at Work Day and National Stress Awareness Day (7 November), Lisa Fowlie said that recent research revealed that up to one fifth of all UK employees have experienced some form of bullying or harassment over the last two years, with even higher rates among black, Asian, women and disabled individuals.
“Bullying or harassment in any form is not acceptable and employers must clamp down hard on any individuals engaging in this form of behaviour. Not only is bullying unpleasant for an individual in the immediate, it can be a cause of stress longer-term.
“Research indicates that victims of bullying take seven extra days each year off work compared to those who are not bullied, contributing to the loss of 18 million working days nationally. That’s a lot of unnecessary suffering for the victims, and a huge waste of resources for business.”
Symptoms of stress caused by bullying can manifest themselves in a variety of ways and aggravate cardiovascular disease, migraines and digestive problems.
“Many people think of stress as being a psychological problem, but the physical effects can be unpleasant. I want employers to realise there’s no excuse for applying unreasonable or excessive pressure on staff, or for allowing bullying and harassment to go on in their workplace. It’s bad for staff, bad for your company and bad for productivity.”
IOSH has an occupational health toolkit which covers stress, including providing training material and advice on tackling stress factors. Visitwww.ohtoolkit.co.uk for more details. Resources on bullying can also be found at www.iosh.co.uk/technical
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