LRD guides and handbook November 2012

Bullying and harassment at work - a guide for trade unionists

Chapter 1

Consequences beyond the workplace

The consequences of bullying and harassment can extend beyond the immediate workplace, by, for example, making it harder to recruit from different communities, as well as losing their patronage and trust. There are also costs to wider society — the carers and families of those affected, and the economy as a whole — such as where workers retire prematurely as a result of bullying and in extreme cases suffer severe mental illness.