Workplace bullying final

SHRM Survey Findings: Workplace
Bullying

February 28, 2012

Definitions

 Workplace bullying: Persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating or insulting behavior or
unfair actions directed at another individual, causing the recipient to feel
threatened, abused, humiliated or vulnerable. Workplace bullies and targets may be
employees, clients or vendors of the affected organization.

 Target: The person toward whom the bullying behavior is directed.

Workplace Bullying ©SHRM 2012
2

Key Findings

 Are organizations experiencing workplace bullying? About one-half (51%) of organizations reported
that there had been incidents of bullying in their workplace. Compared with two years ago, most
organizations indicated that incidents of bullying had either stayed the same (48%) or decreased in
frequency (34%), while 18% reported an increase in frequency of bullying.

 Which bullying behaviors are most common? Among organizations that experienced incidents of
bullying, nearly three-quarters (73%) reported verbal abuse, three out of five (62%) reported malicious
gossiping and/or spreading lies/rumors about workers, and one-half (50%) reported threats or
intimidation.

 Do HR professionals experience bullying? About one-quarter (27%) of HR professionals reported
having been bullied in the workplace. Of those who had been bullied, more than one-half (57%) had
reported their experiences to someone in the organization.

 What are the outcomes of workplace bullying? The three most common outcomes of bullying
incidents that organizations experienced were decreased morale (68%), increased stress and/or
depression levels (48%) and decreased trust among co-workers (45%).

3

Workplace Bullying

Incidents of Bullying in the Workplace
Policies and Prevention/Awareness Training
Response to Incidents
HR’s Responsibility
Typical Reporting Channels/Mechanisms
Bullying Behaviors and Targets
Outcomes of Bullying

4

Has your organization ever experienced an incident of workplace
bullying?

Yes, 51%
No, 49%

Note: n = 265. Respondents who answered “don’t know/not sure” were excluded from this analysis.

5

Has your current organization ever experienced an incident of
workplace bullying?

Comparisons by organization staff size
Larger organizations (500 -2,499 employees) are more likely to have experienced an incident of workplace bullying than smaller
organizations (1-499 employees).

Small organizations Large organizations Differences based on organization staff size

1 to 99 employees (38%)
500 to 2,499 employees (71%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations

6

Compared with two years ago, have incidents of workplace bullying in
your organization...?

48%

34%

18%

Increased in frequency Stayed the same Decreased in frequency

Note: n = 105. Respondents who answered “not sure/don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. Only respondents whose organizations had experienced
an incident of workplace bullying were asked this question.

7

Does your organization have a formal (written, documented) workplace
bullying policy?

No, and we have no plans to put a
44%
workplace bullying policy in place

Yes, our workplace bullying policy is
40%
part of another workplace policy

No, but we plan to put a formal
workplace bullying policy in place in 13%
the next 12 months

Yes, we have a separate workplace
3%
bullying policy

n = 400

8

How is your organization’s workplace bullying policy communicated to
employees?

In the employee handbook 28%

During employee orientation 25%

In the company code of conduct 18%

On the company intranet or website 9%

Through training not dedicated solely to
8%
bullying prevention

During staff meetings 6%

By e-mails from HR or management 3%

Through bullying prevention training 2%

Other 1%

Note: n = 166. Only respondents whose organizations had a workplace bullying policy were asked this question.

9

How is your organization’s workplace bullying policy communicated to
employees?

Larger organizations (2,500-24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1-99 employees) to communicate their
workplace bullying policy through the company intranet or website.


1 to 99 employees (8%) 2,500 to 24,999 employees (45%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations

Comparisons by organization sector
Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to communicate their workplace
bullying policy through the company intranet or website.
Publicly owned for-profit Privately owned for-profit
Differences based on organization sector
organizations organizations
52% 13% Publicly owned for-profit > privately owned for-profit

Privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than publicly owned for-profit organizations to communicate their
workplace bullying policy in the employee handbook.
56% 91% Privately owned for-profit > publicly owned for-profit

10

To what employees does your organization provide bullying prevention
and/or awareness training?

HR staff (n = 332) 35%

Management-level employees (n = 335) 34%

Nonmanagement-level employees (n = 333) 28%

Executive-level employees (CEO, CFO, etc.) (n =
28%
318)

Other (n = 204) 8%

Note: Respondents who answered “not applicable” were excluded from this analysis.

11

To what employees does your organization provide bullying prevention
and/or awareness training?


Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1-499 employees) to provide bullying
prevention and/or awareness training to nonmanagement employees.


25,000 or more employees (60%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations

12

How does or would your organization respond to alleged perpetrators
of bullying?

Response depends on the specific circumstances 76%
Internal investigation 65%
Written warning 40%
Performance improvement plan 27%
Referral to an EAP or counseling 24%
Suspension 17%
Termination (zero-tolerance) 13%
Mandatory counseling 11%
Probation 10%
Reassignment to another department or area 7%
Mandatory anger management training 5%
Paid administrative leave 3%
Demotion 3%
Outsource the investigation to a third party 2%
Other 5%
Note: n = 305. Respondents who answered “N/A, the organization typically does not respond to allegations of bullying and/or has not had any reported
incidents of bullying” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
13

How does or would your organization respond to alleged perpetrators
of bullying?

Government agencies are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to respond to allegations of bullying by placing an
alleged perpetrator on paid administrative leave.

Privately owned for-profit
Government agencies Differences based on organization sector
organizations
2% 13% Government > privately owned for-profit

14

Who is responsible for handling the organization’s response to
workplace bullying?

The HR department/function 87%

Management-level staff 46%

Executive-level staff 28%

The bullying worker’s immediate supervisor 20%

The target worker’s immediate supervisor 16%

Legal counsel 14%

The security department 7%

A workplace bullying/workplace violence committee 1%

Other 2%

Note: n = 316. Respondents who answered “N/A, no set responsibility” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple
response options.
15

workplace bullying?

Comparison by organization staff size

Larger organizations (2,500 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1-99 employees) to report that legal
counsel is responsible for handling the organization’s response to workplace bullying.


2,500 to 24,999 employees (20%)
1 to 99 employees (3%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations
25,000 or more employees (25%)

16

workplace bullying? (continued)


Publicly owned for-profit organizations and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than government agencies to
report that the HR department/function is responsible for handling the organization’s response to workplace bullying.

Publicly owned for- Privately owned for- Differences based on organization
Government agencies
profit organizations profit organizations sector
Publicly owned for-profit, privately owned
93% 91% 65%
for-profit > government

Government agencies are more likely to report that legal counsel is responsible for handling the organization’s response to
workplace bullying compared with privately owned for-profit organizations.
organizations

Government agencies are more likely to report that the security department is responsible for handling the organization’s response
to workplace bullying compared with privately owned for-profit organizations.
organizations
17

To what extent does your current organization:

Have a grievance process for investigating and
22% 12% 26% 40%
addressing allegations of bullying? (n = 336)

Have a "safe" system for reporting bullying? (n = 330) 25% 13% 24% 39%

Have a commitment to preventing/reducing bullying in
19% 13% 33% 35%
the workplace? (n = 337)

Monitor bullying behavior? (n = 336) 37% 19% 31% 13%

Conduct regular bullying prevention/awareness
57% 17% 16% 9%
training and orientation programs? (n = 333)

Not at all To a slight degree To some degree To a large degree

Note: Respondents who answered “not applicable” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

18

In your opinion as an HR professional, to what extent should it be HR’s
responsibility to step in (to investigate, document, discipline, etc.) when
bullying is reported or suspected in the workplace?

77%

20%

1% 2%

Not at all To a slight degree To some degree To a large degree

n = 338

19

Through what channels or to whom within your organization are
incidents of bullying typically reported?

The HR department/function head 89%

The target employee’s direct supervisor 50%

The bullying employee’s direct supervisor 40%

Executive-level staff (excluding the CEO) 27%

Other management-level staff (nonexecutive) 25%

The employee relations representative within HR 19%

Hotline or other reporting system 18%

CEO, president or owner 14%

Union representative 6%

The security department 2%

Board of directors 1%

Other 2%
Note: n = 129. Only respondents whose organizations had experienced an incident of workplace bullying were asked this question. Percentages do not total
100% due to multiple response options.
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incidents of bullying typically reported?


Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (100-499 employees) to typically report
incidents of bullying to other management-level staff (nonexecutive).


100 to 499 employees (18%) 25,000 or more employees (71%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations

Smaller organizations (1-99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (500-2,499 employees) to typically report incidents
of bullying to the CEO, president or owner.


1 to 99 employees (29%) 500 to 2,499 employees (6%) Smaller organizations > larger organizations

incidents of bullying through a hotline or other reporting system.



21

incidents of bullying typically reported? (continued)

Comparisons by organization staff size (continued)

incidents of bullying to the security department.



Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely to typically report incidents of bullying to the security department compared
with privately owned for-profit organizations.
13% 1% Publicly owned for-profit > privately owned for-profit

22

Which of the following bullying behaviors have occurred in your
workplace?

Verbal abuse, including shouting, swearing, name calling or
malicious sarcasm 73%

Malicious gossiping and/or spreading lies/rumors about workers 62%

Threats or intimidation 50%
Cruel comments or teasing, such as about appearance or lifestyle
(e.g., insulting workers’ habits, attitudes or private lives) 47%

Ignoring or excluding workers 43%

Unduly harsh or constant criticism 41%

Aggression 38%
Abuse of authority (e.g., giving unduly negative appraisals, denying
opportunities, giving unreasonable or menial assignments, etc.) 36%
Unjustified interference with work performance (e.g., withholding
resources or information, hiding or destroying documents, etc.) 25%
Use of technology for bullying (bullying behaviors occurring via e-
mail, text messages, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) 19%

Physical assaults 16%

Other 1%
100% due to multiple response options. Workplace Bullying ©SHRM 2012
23

Which of the following bullying behaviors have occurred in your
workplace?


Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1 -499 employees) to have
experienced use of technology for bullying (bullying behaviors occurring via email, text messages, Twitter, Facebook, etc.).


25,000 or more employees (71%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations


Government agencies and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely to have experienced cruel comments or teasing,
such as about appearance or lifestyle, compared with nonprofit organizations.
Privately owned for- Nonprofit Differences based on organization
Government agencies
profit organizations organizations sectors
Government, privately owned for-profit >
56% 19% 71%
nonprofit

24

What relationships have been involved in reported incidents of bullying
in your organization?

Employee directed at peer (i.e., same or similar
82%
level employee)

Supervisor directed at employee 56%

Employee directed at supervisor 37%

Employee directed at client 9%

Client directed at employee 8%

Board member directed at employee 4%

Employee directed at consultant 3%

Consultant directed at employee 3%

Employee directed at Board member 1%

Other 3%
100% due to multiple response options.
25

What has your organization experienced as outcomes of the bullying
incident(s)?

Complaints about decreased morale 68%
Complaints about increased stress and/or depression
levels 48%

Complaints about decreased trust among co-workers 45%

Decreased productivity 42%

Increased turnover 38%

Complaints about decreased trust in management 37%

Increased absenteeism 23%
Increased reported concerns about violent incidents in
the workplace 16%

Increased reported concerns about work/life balance 12%

Complaints about decreased trust in HR 8%

Actual escalation to violent incidents in the workplace 3%

Other 2%
Note: n = 104. Only respondents whose organizations had experienced an incident of workplace bullying were asked this question. Respondents who
answered “N/A, not aware of any effects or outcomes” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
26

What has your organization experienced as outcomes of the bullying
incident(s)?


Nonprofit organizations are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to report experiencing complaints about
increased stress and/or depression levels as a result of workplace bullying incidents.

Nonprofit organizations Differences based on organization sector
organizations
41% 77% Nonprofit > privately owned for-profit

27

Workplace Bullying Targeted at HR Professionals

Incidents of Bullying
Perpetrators
Incident Reporting

28

Have you ever been bullied in the workplace in your role as an HR
professional?

Yes, 27%

No, 73%

n = 332

29

By whom were you targeted?


Non-HR employee 29%

Management-level staff (nonexecutive) 24%

My supervisor within the HR department 17%

Another HR employee other than my supervisor 16%



Client 1%

Other 2%

Note: n = 90. Only respondents who had been a target of workplace bullying in their role as an HR professional were asked this question. Percentages do not
total 100% due to multiple response options.
30

Did you report your experiences to anyone in the organization?

No, 43%

Yes, 57%

Note: n = 90. Only respondents who had been a target of workplace bullying in their role as an HR professional were asked this question.

31

What was the level of the person(s) in the organization to whom you
reported the incident(s)?

My supervisor within the HR department 38%


Management-level staff (nonexecutive) 22%


Non-HR employee 4%

Another HR employee other than my supervisor 4%


Other 8%

Note: n = 50. Only respondents who had reported being a target of workplace bullying in their role as an HR professional were asked this question.
Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
32

Demographics

33

Demographics: Organization Industry

Manufacturing 22%
Health care and social assistance 12%
Professional, scientific and technical services 12%
Finance and insurance 10%
Educational services 8%
Transportation and warehousing 6%
Public administration 6%
Retail trade 5%
Construction of buildings; heavy and civil engineering construction; specialty trade contractors 4%
Accommodation and food services 3%
Wholesale trade 3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3%
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 3%
Mining 3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 2%
Utilities 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2%
Information, publishing industries 1%
Management of companies and enterprises 1%
Repair and maintenance 1%
Personal and laundry services 0%
Private households 0%
Other services except public administration 12%

Note: n = 326. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
34

Demographics: Organization Sector

Privately owned for-profit organization 57%

Nonprofit organization 20%

Publicly owned for-profit organization 15%

Government sector 8%

n = 322

35

Demographics: Organization Staff Size

1 to 99 employees 23%

100 to 499 employees 36%

500 to 2,499 employees 20%

2,500 to 24,999 employees 15%

25,000 or more employees 5%

Note: n = 319. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

36

Demographics: Other

Does your organization have U.S.- Is your organization a single-unit company or a
based operations (business units) only multi-unit company?
or does it operate multinationally? Single-unit company: A company in which
the location and the company are one 34%
U.S.-based operations only 77% and the same.
Multi-unit company: A company that has
Multinational operations 24% 66%
more than one location.
n = 327
n = 331

Are HR policies and practices determined by the
What is the HR department/function multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work
for which you responded throughout location or both?
this survey? Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies
49%
and practices
Corporate (company wide) 64%
Each work location determines HR policies and
Business unit/division 18% 4%
practices

Facility/location 18% A combination of both the work location and the
multi-unit headquarters determine HR policies 47%
n = 226
and practices

n = 226

Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
37

SHRM Survey: Workplace Bullying

Methodology

 Response rate = 15%

 Sample composed of 401 randomly selected HR professionals
from SHRM’s membership

 Margin of error +/- 5%

 Survey fielded May 9-27, 2011

For more poll findings, visit www.shrm.org/surveys
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHRM_Research

38

Workplace bullying final

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