Bullying can occur in any workplace, from shearing sheds to high rise towers. Employers generally combat bullying by reacting to individual cases that arise. Yet a proactive approach could save organisations time and money in the long-term.

Reactive approach

The reactive approach is the most common way organisations address bullying.

Michael complains to his manager that Sandra is bullying him. The manager launches an investigation that ultimately takes three months to complete, interviewing Sandra, Michael, their colleagues and any witnesses.

Ultimately, the manager concludes that Sandra has been targeting Michael with unfair treatment. Sandra is given a verbal warning, moved to a different team and instructed to undergo sensitivity training. Michael is offered counselling.

Management updates the anti-bullying policy but little changes in the day-to-day running of the office.

Case closed, right? Except that this approach fails to address the factors that allowed bullying to emerge in the first place.

Without identifying why bullying occurred, preventing future instances is next to impossible.

Proactive approach

A more productive approach to workplace bullying looks at factors in the organisation that encourage or bullying.

Rather than reacting to damage that has already been done, this approach aims to prevent future damage.

A proactive approach means investigating:

• How do employees interact?
• What kind of behaviour is rewarded by the organisation?
• What kind of behaviour is punished?
• How do policies and practices impact on employees?
• What leadership style is being shown by management?

Just because managers speak politely to their staff does not mean a workplace is bully-free. It is important to examine all aspects of the workplace to determine whether bullying is tolerated.

Does everyone enjoy practical jokes as much as the warehouse staff? Or are people just too nervous too protest? Is the accounts team under a heavy workload? Or is their stress due to a difficult team member?

Asking the hard questions can lead to a more supportive working environment where bullying is not tolerated.

Costs comparison

A proactive approach is cheaper in the long-run than reacting to cases as they arise.

The reactive approach includes costs such as:

• High staff turnover
• Increased sick leave, annual leave and unpaid leave
• Lowered productivity
• Cost associated with investigating bullying claim
• Legal fees or settlements for bullying cases

These costs grow with each new case. A case of bullying could cost an employer upwards of $17,000 to investigate.

The proactive approach, on the other hand, has more limited costs such as:

• Management time spent identifying risk factors
• Re-training managers and staff

Other facets of a proactive approach, such as encouraging respectful interactions, have little to no cost attached. These initial outlays lead to increases in productivity, employee satisfaction and business reputation.

In the long-term, the proactive approach could save organisations money by encouraging happier, more productive employees.