Call To Tackle Workplace Bullying

Union leaders have won government backing for a campaign calling on firms to stamp out bullying in the workplace. Amicus said only 2% of employers currently had a policy of zero tolerance towards bullying at work. The union said bullying was costing industry up to £2bn a year in sick pay, staff turnover and lost productivity.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling said employers needed to do more to deal with the problem which was “bad for staff and…bad for business”.

“People who feel harassed or victimised can’t do their job properly, and businesses that do not tackle bullying suffer from days lost through stress and illness, decreased productivity and damage to their reputation,” Mr Darling said.

Amicus General Secretary Derek Simpson said one of the best ways to tackle bullying behaviour in the workplace was to “nip it in the bud”.

“Our project aims to tackle this problem in partnership with employers by taking a zero tolerance approach to bullying from the outset,” Mr Simpson said.