Stress, Fatigue and Conflict in the Workplace
Conflict - Bullying
Workplace bullying is bad for business and may also breach employment and health and safety laws.
Behaviours associated with bullying are repeated, unreasonable and may be damaging to people’s health. Some examples of bullying behaviours are:
- Spreading malicious rumours or insulting someone
- Picking on someone or setting them up to fail
- Overbearing supervision or overloading someone with work
- Making threats about job security
- Using abusive and humiliating language
Everyone in the workplace has obligations to prevent bullying and everyone can work on solutions to avoid escalating low key problems. However, severe cases, left unchecked, can result in a breach of obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act and the Employment Relations Act.
More Information
- Bullying Factsheet
- Bullying - what is it?
- Bullying – why dealing with it is an employer’s business?
- Bullying – what can employers do about it?
- Infozone: My First Job: Young Workers: Being Safe At Work: Bullying: Dealing With Bullying
- Themes in Employment Law - Workplace bullying (Nov 2005)
- Themes in Employment Law - Workplace bullying - An Update (Aug 2009)
- Contemporary mediation practice - Workplace bullying to mediate or not?
Links
- Massey University Research: Understanding Stress and Bullying in New Zealand Workplaces [external link, pdf file, 100 pages, 966KB]
- Health and Safety Executive UK
