The cost of bullying to individuals

The NUT’s Harassment and bullying of teachers: guidance for members, school representatives and health and safety representatives explains: “For those who are harassed or bullied, the result may be stress which can involve anxiety, depression or illness. Harassment and bullying can affect work performance and cause absence from work. Harassment and bullying can have a direct impact upon a person’s mental and physical wellbeing and can have a detrimental impact on their ability to fulfil their potential.”

UNISON says that physical health problems caused by bullying and harassment include stomach problems and sleep difficulties, while those who experience harassment can feel anxious, intimidated, threatened and humiliated.

Guidance produced by the college and lecturers’ UCU union health and safety advisor, Stopping bullying and harassment at work, sets out that the effects of bullying and harassment vary from individual to individual and provides a non-exhaustive list of symptoms that may occur:

• depression;

• skin complaints;

• mental health problems;

• sleeplessness;

• low self-esteem/lack of confidence;

• acute anxiety;

• loss of appetite;

• panic attacks;

• feeling isolated;

• nausea;

• migraine/severe headaches;

• mood swings;

• stomach problems.

Unite points out that bullying and harassment can also affect people’s pay rate and their job itself can even be put at risk.

In extreme cases harassment and bullying has led to self-harm and even suicide: