The causes of bullying and harassment

There are many potential causes of bullying and harassment, but the evidence summarised in this Chapter shows that a key cause is the continuing fall-out from the economic downturn, and the destabilising effect of the government’s programme of cuts, deregulation and privatisation.

An Acas Discussion Paper (No.4 June 2006) highlights the risks posed by fast-moving organisational change and the need to adapt to a rapidly changing and competitive environment. These challenges are exacerbated by globalisation, technological change and constant restructuring. Writing in 2006, before the start of the recession, Acas warned of the risk that these pressures could “encourage the development of cultures where the achievement of organisational goals justifies the means”.

The economic downturn, combined with the deliberate use by some employers of “top down” management practices, for example in the NHS and education, has magnified the effect of these factors. The problem is less about individual personalities, and more about external influences, organisational culture, management style, performance expectations, inadequate staffing and lack of mutual trust.

There is also some evidence that the risk of developing a bullying climate may be greater in organisations with a strong, cohesive culture of “fitting in”, where workers develop strong shared values and loyalties as a result of operating together under challenging conditions, such as the police, prison workers, or the armed forces. For example, Acas (2006) cites a study of a regional fire service at risk of developing a culture of “white male dominance”, in which initiation ceremonies were regarded as hostile or isolating rather than as a ritual applied to everyone.

The recognition that bullying is an organisational issue that calls for a collaborative response, as opposed to being an issue of individual personalities, is a key message for reps. It underscores the central message that effective worker participation is the only way to achieve an organisation in which all workers can flourish.