Personal And Organizational Consequences Of Workplace Bullying

Worksafe

New Zealand guideline on workplace bullying states that bullying is “as significant workplace hazard that affects employee health and business productivity”. In other words, workplace bullying can incur devastating consequences at both individual and organization level.

Personal consequences

Numerous studies prove that victims of workplace bullying experience negative psychological effects. An international researches show evidence of higher depression, negative emotions, anxiety and high level of stress in workplace bullying victims, in compared with those have not experienced this situation. Stress is the significant health consequences cause by workplace bullying, which often leads to poor mental, physical health. Furthermore, negative impacts of workplace bullying go beyond workplace. Once bullying happens, workers will bring those negative feelings and experiences home with them, resulting in negative impacts on their relationship and home life.

Heightened workplace bullying positively relates with increased alcohol consumption. Victims search for drinking “to self-medicate distressful feelings resulting from problematic social conditions”. While harassment behaviors (such as sexual harassment) are unlawful under the Employment Relations Act, it is not the case for workplace bullying. Therefore, it is difficult for victims to make complaints or to rely on legal support. Instead, many may go for drinking to cope with their emotional distress.

Organizational consequences

Workplace bullying is not simply an interpersonal issue. Its impact can negatively widespread to the organization, resulting in huge visible and invisible costs.

Workplace bullying negatively influences organizational performance and significantly increases staff overturn. Being bullied will reduce not only staff productivity, but also their satisfaction and commitment for the organization. It may increase absenteeism (for example: use of sick leaves) and staff’s intention to leave.

A study in UK found out that nearly one-fourth of employees decided to leave after they were bullied. Once bullying takes place, it affects not only victims themselves but also witnessing staff and motivate them to quit job to avoid repetitive situation. From business viewpoint, these issues mean waste of time and resources for organization to manage; for example, increasing costs for compensating, recruiting new staff, relocating people and schedule.

In addition, organization’s reputation may also suffer as unhealthy workplace and tolerating immoral behaviors. These costs are indirect and invisible but surely deteriorate organization’s prestige; especially for organizations in small countries like New Zealand. Professor Tim Bentley of AUT's New Zealand Work Research Institute, in his response to Heral said that workplace bullying is costing businesses in New Zealand around 10 millions of dollars each year, while data of New Zealand public sector is not found, similar link can be referred.