A new web-based resource developed by University of New Brunswick (UNB) researchers shares ideas and tools workplace parties can use to help raise awareness and develop bullying and harassment prevention strategies.

According to the authors of this new web site Towards a Respectful Workplace "workplace bullying includes both words and actions that make others feel incompetent, ashamed, worthless, excluded, unwelcome, or unsafe. These uncivil and disrespectful behaviours make people feel bad about themselves. Sometimes they even fear for their safety. Workplace bullying disrupts work, and undermines self-confidence, effectiveness, and credibility. It includes unwanted and unwelcome verbal, psychological, emotional, social, physical, and sexual threats or behaviour. It erodes workplace trust and compromises workplace safety."

An American study published by the Workplace Bullying Institute in 2007 reported 38 per cent of all workers are bullied at work. This same study, the largest undertaken to date on this issue, found more than 70 per cent of bullies are bosses. Other findings of note include:

• stress affects the health of 45 per cent of those bullied,
• women are targeted in 57 per cent of cases and often by other women,
• 40 per cent of those bullied never complain, and
• when made aware of bullying, employers do nothing or makes matters worse in 62 per cent of cases.

Workplace bullying can impact the personal lives of targets, affecting their health and their social relationships with co-workers, friends, spouse and other family members.

Bullying can also create financial hardship for targeted workers. According to the Canada Safety Council, 75 per cent of workplace bullying victims quit work. Organizational success can also be impeded as a result of this high turnover, along with absenteeism, sick/stress leave, long term disability, and reduced productivity.

Towards a Respectful Workplace offers workers, their representatives, joint committees and other workplace parties a range of information and tools to better understand bullying. For instance, an Employee's Guide outlines what can be done individually and collectively when they become aware of bullying issues in their workplace. The Organizations' Guide posted online offers resources focused on gathering and analyzing information and the essential steps in developing, implementing and monitoring a bullying prevention initiative.

"People will be able to compare their own situations with the examples that we provide on the website," said Marilyn Noble, co-chair of the workplace violence and abuse research team from UNB. "Managers and unions will learn how to track what's going on in their organizations and monitor the impact of their efforts to improve the situation. They'll learn what kinds of support systems they need to put in place."

The challenge here in Ontario though remains convincing employers, often through joint committees, to implement bullying and wider violence prevention strategies.

The Ontario government did respond to the demands of workers and their representatives and introduced a voluntary Workplace Violence Prevention Strategy.

Workers, their representatives and the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) though aren't convinced this voluntary approach is enough and are campaigning for a workplace violence regulation similar to other Canadian jurisdictions. According to the OFL, such a regulation must include bullying, harassment and other forms of psychological violence presently excluded from Ontario's prevention strategy.

In 2004, Quebec became the first jurisdiction in North America to amend its labour code to protect workers against psychological harassment, including bullying. Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the federal jurisdiction have since followed suit adding bullying and/or harassment provisions in workplace health and safety regulations.

A private members Bill introduced by NDP-MPP Andrea Horwarth on Dec 13, 2007, seeks to amend Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act to include protection of workers from harassment and violence in the workplace, including protection from psychological abuse and bullying behavior.

Want to access the UNB's web-based bullying resource 'Toward A Respectful Workplace'?

Want to read the OFL Violence Regulation lobby kit?

Want to know more about the MOL's Voluntary Workplace Violence Prevention Strategy?

Want more information from the U.S.-based Workplace Bullying Institute?

Want to read a WHSC hazard bulletin on workplace violence including bullying?

Want to know about violence awareness and prevention training offered by the WHSC call 1-888-869-7950 or contact a WHSC office near you.