The impact on employers

Acas says bullying and harassment are not only unacceptable on moral grounds but may, if unchecked or badly handled, create serious problems for an organisation. It says that the costs to organisations can include:

• poor morale and poor employee relations;

• loss of respect for managers and supervisors;

• poor performance;

• lost productivity;

• absence;

• resignations;

• damage to company reputation; and

• tribunal and other court cases and payment of unlimited compensation.

Usdaw says there is therefore a strong business case for tackling bullying at work and warns employers not to underestimate the impact of bullying and stress-related sickness. It says workers often disguise the true reason behind their absence for fear of being seen as weak or making the problem worse.