A new study published by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has highlighted the fact that workplace bullying is becoming more commonplace.
From 1998 through to 2015, reports of bullying in the workplace have gone up by four per cent, with approximately 20,000 people seeking advice from Acas every year.
Furthermore, an estimated £17.65 billion – approximately 1.5 per cent of UK GDP – is also lost on an annual basis because of activities that isolate or abuse victims, through the impacts it has on businesses.
Some of the impacts are: higher employee turnover (including the loss of people who are qualified and experienced), which also incurs additional recruitment costs; reduced productivity; sickness and absences; industrial action and unrest; and employee assistance, which can be given through counselling sessions and occupational health services.
Among the other costs – both direct and indirect – are weaker performance and quality of service across an affected business, as well as financial penalties, which can also include compensation and litigation costs.
Acas’s chairman, Sir Brendan Barber, said: “Bullying is on the rise in Britain and it is more likely to be found in organisations that have poor workplace climates where this type of behaviour can become institutionalised.
“Callers to our helpline have experienced some horrific incidents around bullying that have included humiliation, ostracism, verbal and physical abuse.
“Businesses should be taking workplace bullying very seriously as the annual economic impact of bullying-related absences, staff turnover and lost productivity is estimated to be almost £18 billion.”