If you’re like most people in Florida, you may well have experienced or witnessed some form of bullying as a kid. Even if simply name calling and nothing more, this can and does happen. In fact, bullying is not limited only to the school yard but can and does happen in the workplace as well. When it does happen, everyone in an organization and the organization itself may suffer.
Forbes explains that workplace bullying may take many forms but is generally not physical in nature and instead takes the form of psychological mistreatment. This psychological mistreatment, however, may result in physical problems for employees who not only experience bullying firsthand as targets but for those who witness it as well. Whether in the form of interfering with one’s work, intimidation, humiliation or threats, bullying at work can create toxic environments.
Companies who have bullies active in their organzations may be at risk for losing good employees who simply can’t take the abuse any longer. This also forces employers to incur the costs associated with recruiting, hiring and training new employees. Morale and productivity among those who remain may drop, also costing companies. A University of Phoenix researcher asserts that as many as three fourths of workers in the U.S. have either seen or been the target of workplace bullying.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give Florida employers and employees alike important details about workplace bullying and how serious the problem really may be.