Causes and Prevention of Workplace bullying

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Workplace bullying and harassment occurs more often than most people would like to think,

and it happens in some of the most unlikely jobs. Workplace bullying is defined as repeated

mistreatment of others, often described as abusive misconduct (Namie, 2014). Bullying can take the

form of physical or verbal abuse, or gestures intended to coerce or insult. In the workplace, motivators

for bullying behavior may be insecurity, threat of being outperformed, dislike of a specific individual or

group of individuals, attempt to gain favor of managers and supervisors, attempt to belong to an in-

group, or a reaction to a perceived 'wrong.' According to a 2014 national survey, at least 27% of U.S.

workers have experienced workplace bullying first hand, at some time. Many more are aware of

bullying situations at work, but are not direct targets of bullying behavior (Namie, 2014). The survey

suggests that awareness of bullying may also be an issue. Over a quarter of survey respondents

indicated they have never witnessed or experienced any incidents of bullying at work.

Workplace bullying is a serious issue that must be addressed. It ...