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Adding Up the Costs of Bullying in the Workplace | Business | Learning English/*
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RSS FeedAdding Up the Costs of Bullying in the Workplace??25 March 2011
Photo: Getty ImagesBullying in the workplace can take many forms Share ThisDiggYahoo! BuzzFacebookdel.icio.usStumbleUponRelated ArticlesObama, Hillary Clinton Speak Out Against Anti-Gay BullyingGreater Efforts Are Urged to Get and Keep Girls in SchoolHow an Involved Parent Can Help Prevent BullyingBullying: Comments From Around the World Girl's Suicide in US Brings Fresh Attention to BullyingRelated LinksThe Workplace Bullying Institute Anti-Bullying Website from the US Department of EducationTO DOWNLOAD the MP3 of this story, click on the MP3 link in the upper right corner of the page. Double-click any word to find the definition in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
President Obama held a White House conference this month to discuss ways to prevent bullying in school. But bullying is a problem not just among young people. Workplace bullying can involve threats, baseless criticism, discrimination and favoring some employees unfairly over others.
Thirty-five percent of Americans in a survey said they had been bullied at some time at work. The poll by Zogby International and the Workplace Bullying Institute found that another fifteen percent have witnessed it.
What some workers might consider bullying by another worker or a supervisor might not be true. But experts say productivity suffers in workplaces where employers tolerate or accept bullying. People take sick leave more often. Some take legal action.
Jennifer Sandberg is a law partner in the Atlanta offices of Fisher & Phillips. She represents companies in labor cases. She says employers can avoid most problems simply by acting in a professional, businesslike way.
JENNIFER SANDBERG: "The best advice I can give to managers and supervisors is not to worry about the law, but rather to be sure that their behavior is professional."
She says this means that everyone plays by the same set of rules.
JENNIFER SANDBERG: “There are still basic rules that every single person in an organization needs to follow.”
People who bully spend less time on productive work. They can make the workplace tense and unhealthy.
Executive coach, CNN commentator and author Lauren Mackler calls it a "toxic" environment. She advises people to avoid emotional conflict and child-like reactions when faced with insulting criticisms.
She also says people who show self-respect can be less likely targets of a bully. She gives examples like dressing well and looking people in the eye when talking to them.
And Lauren Mackler advises people who feel bullied to consider how the bully got that way.
LAUREN MACKLER: "You can equate the behavior with the degree of pain that the bully carries inside."
She says bullies were often bullied themselves as children.
LAUREN MACKLER: "That'll help you to have more compassion inside instead of judging the person and further feeding a toxic interaction.”
But bullying can cause some people to leave their job. Ms. Mackler says replacing experienced workers can cost one and a half times their yearly pay, or even more.
Last April, Australia's Productivity Commission considered the cost of bullying in a report on workplace safety. The lowest estimate of the cost to the Australian economy ten years ago was six to thirteen billion dollars.
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report.? Follow us on Facebook and YouTube at VOA Learning English.? I'm Mario Ritter.
Listen? Email? Print? Comments?Comments (50)25-03-2011ccs(bonjour Viet Nam)bullying is big problem in workplace,it do need more care not just in america,not just by president Obama.its must by many another countries and its president.if can we should build cutural workplace.the workplace with no threats,baseless criticism,discrimination,no unfairly over another between employees!
25-03-2011Minh Ho(USA)Certainly, the bullying in the workplace is the big problem. It often happens every where in almost companies. The employees who are bullied always feel suffer themselves because they think that they do not have any understanding by the others. So their product will be less quality and quantity.I am agree with Ms Lauren Mackler "In order to looking for the bully we could recognize the people who spends less time on productive work, makes the work place tense and unhealthy.
25-03-2011WinsorI don't recall getting bullying in school. i got in to fight. if you get bullying at the workplace. it's most likely the people there don't like you. i suggest the person to find another job where he/she is more comfortable. Better yet, tell the management staff, they'll do something.
25-03-2011Joruji(Japan)I agree that bullying can be costly for companies; I've seen good employees leaving their job because of bullying, such as silent treatment and discrimination. But, I think there might be causes, of the bullying, on the part of the bullied, which he or she is not aware of. And that it's important to keep the lines of communication open to encourage the bullied and the bullies to communicate as often as possible.
26-03-2011Aswan(Taiwan)Yes,this is a problem in everywhere for long time.
26-03-2011Johnny Lopes(Brazil)Bullying in the workplace is really a very big problem. Peoples feel like end of your lives, suffering discrimination..."Find another job" can be a good idea, but the person should be prepar to find peoples either.So, the first problem are with you, the way that you think.
26-03-2011HISU(VIET NAM)In my country, the bulllying is not very often but there are many cases caused serious effections...
26-03-2011the bullied ants.never
26-03-2011aly abdelrazek(egypt)although the boss in any company ,school... is responsible for fighting bullying and establishing healthy atmosphere but the main responsible is the victim who allow the bullies to assaulted him .each one has to learn the ways that help him to protect himself.
26-03-2011drac(China)excellent target, it's a good thing to deal with especially in workplace, cuz it's directly related to the work efficiency. dressing well and looking people in the eye when talking to them may be helpful, it shows one should first depend on oneself against bullying and second the society or the law.
26-03-2011Donna(Uk)I'm a victim of bullying, sexual harrassment, discrimination, and racism at work. I have suicidal thoughts, I blame myself for everything that happened. I was constantly attacked by a work collegue at hospital, she made my life miserable everyday that I work with her, she constantly brushes her shoulder against my shoulder
26-03-2011mark(taiwan)I think the bully in school is more serious than the workplace
26-03-2011old oak(Brazil)The bullying is a terrible problem. I think that the solution begins with education and respect between all people around the world. Maybe the changing can begin for our house.
26-03-2011adams yakete christopohe dieu donné(central african republic)I think that practising meditation every morning and regularly, before going to work can protect you against bullying. i think that THOSE WHO HAVE ANY MANTRA CAN USE IT FOR THIS PURPOSE ; I assure you iT WILL WORK
26-03-2011ma(viet nam,)i agree
26-03-2011alex(china)what bullying is disappear forever to expect
26-03-2011wayne(usa)some bullies have company support. This is due to stupid idiots in charge, in charge does not mean they have leadership capabilities or management skills. The gross stupiditie of lean managment has blinded or society to the true meaning of being bullied.
27-03-2011mahantesh s(india)i think it is the best way of avoiding the problem. i agree with the topic.
27-03-2011Bully them back, get aggressive is the best defense.
27-03-2011masa(japan)i agree with this article
27-03-2011masa(japan)i agree with this article
27-03-2011M .Niazi(Afghanistan)Thanks for selected important article yes bullying is maverick and also that can not logical reason take bullying activities these action not approval for civil society .
27-03-2011Alice(Taiwan)Yes, this bulling in workplace is a big problem for the company. I think the supervisor should take most of responsibility. Sometimes, the bully kept threating or doing baseless criticism to co-workers, but the supervisor tolerated and ignored it. It is not fair. Some employees can not stand this kind of work environment and culture. They will choose to quit their job and look for the another one. In the long time, bulling will bring negative effects and potential costs for the company.
27-03-2011cemil(TURKEY)In my opinion ; if you don't have a special ability on your work, occuring of bullying degree increases.Because everone can do same job like you so the boss thinks that he or she can go ,there are a lot of people to do the job. it is not fair but generally employers can bully. We have to be a Indispensable person for our work..Second important thing is self-confidence ..
27-03-2011Luo(China)You need to learn to adapt to your boss or colleague with bad temper if he/she help you make things better. If boss or colleague’s criticism is always insulting and not aim to resolve problem, you could find new job in another company, which will let your more productive.
27-03-2011Louis(China)in china, bullying is also a prevalent problem in workplace. there is a rule, it is that the poorer a place of work is, the more there is bullying.
27-03-2011Jenny(China)Bullying in the workplace is the most usually situation we have suffered,especially for office workers! Most of the person in charge of a company always treat their employees with anger for someting reasonless,and that's the attitude in many companies.The only thing we have to do is endure to the end.On the other hand,to quit office also is a better way,because workers is the most shortage resource around the world nowadays.
27-03-2011Maki(Japan)If I were bullied by a workplace, the first thing I do would do ask a coworker for advice. But it it doesn't work, I would find and rely on another boss who doesn't bully. We are supposed to have at least one person who is just toward everybody.
27-03-2011CebuOMG! Our boss acts this way rather unprofessionally! how i hate to think of him for doing such to me and to others here which led some to resign and cry.I wish he would know someday that he's not having the healthy attitude and thus, can't help us.
27-03-2011cebuespecially ,we are teachers and he's working with professional teachers,he's attitude can break our interests of staying,above all enjoying our job.a pity thing! i hope this kind of boss can be sued in the law.is there any law for this? understanding him can't help if you are intimidated already.
28-03-2011C(Vietnam)there are some good way that help you to avoid bullying in your workplace. But, i think the important things are you have to rase your knowledge, and have a deeply vision with the problems that you are facing. best wish for you, the victims of bullying!
28-03-2011Seila(Cambodia)I have been well trained by Chevron Cambodia Limited on this. It's call Harassment if the bully happens in the work place.
28-03-2011kazuo(japan)people might tend to change yourself accordig to your situation. And we might kick someone who are superior to you even in one company. i think this is undenyable factors. work enviroment depends on your boss in your section.
28-03-2011karen(China)Yeh, bullying is a very big problem not in the workplace, but also in the family. Many parents like bullying their kids, when they are naughty. It is really a big problem, I think.
28-03-2011MikeKim(Korea)Bullying is more worse than fighting each other.
28-03-2011Cwang(China)To everyone, it is necessary to protect yourself when you facing bullying circumstance. Otherise, situation will be worse next time.
28-03-2011dungit(Viet Nam)i agree programe topic and this is big programe in workplace.
28-03-2011Jonas Leonardo(Brazil)Bullying is still one of the worst behaviors we can face at schools or workplaces. Beyond worsen the professional environment it make bullied people sad and ill, which might also affect its personnel life. Prevent, denounce and banish bullying are obligations of everyone.
29-03-2011somkiat(thailand)That so good . Thanks take away for everything. You make I understand English more .
29-03-2011KT(Taiwan)Anti-bullying in school, is the current issue that our government is dealing with. Campus bullying occurs partly because of love triangle, attributive competitions, or other seeming trivial incidents. These causes may sound ridiculous, but one of my friends has encountered a baseless bullying at work that is even absurd. Working in a high-tech company, he has been accustomed to working more than 12 hours without overtime pay. He goes to work before 9 a.m.and comes home after 10 p. m. As his good
29-03-2011CarolWhat is a "law partner" please?
29-03-2011we could learn more from VOA. not only learning english,but also learn something we do not know in this world
29-03-2011(Cebu,Phils)indeed!it's such a BIG Problem and the worst problem would be if you have a boss like mine,who has such worst personality defects,and nobody likes him at school...
30-03-2011Nica(Philippines)I can relate to this article. Some colleagues of mine are bullies. I agree that working with a bully is unhealthy. It affects you mentally and you would not be able to do your job well. Based on my observation, bullies are immature and selfish people.
30-03-2011AmyWu(China)I think most BULLY people thought because of lacking communication.It is not easy to get good communication. We all have BRAIN, and they are different from each other.
30-03-2011hithachi(japan)Bullying has not been a big problem for me so far at work.....but if my boss bully on me harrass me, all I can think of is retialate him. I will hurt him badly if not kill him. whoever tries to bully me is an unfortunate person.
30-03-2011Susumu(Japan)Bullying is quite popular. Some serious incidents happened because of bullying like killing each other. I really hate bullying. Actually it is difficult to extinct bullying. What do you think of it?
30-03-2011Ling(Indonesia)bullying happens at almost all walks of life but what makes it worse is if it happens at school, an educational institution, where good morals are being taught. In my school the headmaster favors young and new teachers over seniour ones in an attempt to strengthen his position. He sends them abroad and gives them good positions. He forgets the senior teachers' contribution to the progress of school. No reward at all.
31-03-2011Wulf(Taiwan)Bullying is relly a serious problem between human. A good subject...
01-04-2011Carlos(Peru)I believe who bullying between people, happens from long time ago until our days.May be that problem will not have a solution in the short time. For this reason is important to prepare our children and ourself to protect us against any kind of attack.Is important too, have a big level of confidence in yourself.
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