14th to 18th November 2022 is National Antibullying week in the UK. Dorset Anti-Bullying Service, a not for profit project, which was set up in 2017, continues to support adults affected by bullying, whether current or historic.
A poll carried out by YouGov for the TUC and released in Oct 2015, with a sample size of 1738, reveals:
- Nearly a third of people (29%) have been bullied at work
- Women (34%) are more likely to be targets of bullying than men (23%)
- The highest prevalence of workplace bullying is among 40 to 59-year-olds, where 34% of people are affected
- In nearly three-quarters (72%) of cases the bullying is carried out by a manager
- More than one in three (36%) people who report being bullied at work leave their job because of it.
- Looking at the effects of workplace bullying, nearly half (46%) of people say that it has an adverse impact on their performance at work, and the same proportion believe it has a negative effect on their mental health. More than a quarter (28%) say it has a detrimental effect on them physically, and around one in five (22%) have to take time off work as a result of being bullied.
- If bullies are allowed to dominate a workplace, wider office morale and productivity suffers too. Employers must have a zero-tolerance policy. Too many are simply ignoring bullying behaviour and failing to support staff.
During the past two years, the number of people seeking help from Dorset Anti-Bullying service, has dropped significantly and we want to raise awareness of the issue of adult bullying in the workplace, relationships and communities and let people know support is available.
Alison Fox is the founder of Dorset Anti-Bullying Service (DABS) which is a not for profit project. Our vision is to provide confidential information, support and training for anybody affected directly or indirectly by bullying at any time.
DABS believe, given the right support and resources, bullies and their targets can and do make remarkable changes. www.dabsonline.org
For more information email: info@dabsonline.org or telephone 07714762012 to speak directly to Alison Fox.