Many managers view Workplace Bullying as an interpersonal issue that the individuals need to work out for themselves. However, research has shown that Workplace Bullying may be more distressing to employees than other work-related issues combined.
It interferes with job performance, increases health risks, and causes an unbearable working environment. Targets of workplace bullies often suffer in silence and live in fear of personal humiliation, social rejection, and economic loss because they believe they may be negatively viewed by their peers. In turn, feelings of shame lead to depression, guilt, and anxiety.
Targets also experience insomnia, headaches, skin rashes, and stomach disorders, and they are more prone to cardiovascular disease than people who are not subjected to bullying. As a result of the physical and psychological ailments, target are less motivated, more likely to leave their jobs, are less committed to the goals of the organization, and miss work more often either because they are physically ill or they take a “mental health day”.
Consequently, organizations that tolerate bullying lose money due to decreased productivity, higher levels of turnover, increased absenteeism, wasted time, loss of skilled employees, lower motivation, and damaged organizational reputations. In fact, studies found that absenteeism and decreased productivity costs American businesses an astonishing $380 billion dollars a year.
It is easy to see that individuals are not the only ones suffering; organizational profits are negatively affected by workplace bullying.