Workplace bullying is frequently viewed as a conflict between two individuals. However, factors in the organisation can have an enormous impact on whether bullying occurs.

Bullying seems to happen because one person is domineering and another is timid. Yet how did a domineering person get promoted? How did they come to believe their behaviour is acceptable? Why is the bullied person afraid to seek help? How are their colleagues reacting?

Brodsky, a researcher who examined over 1000 cases of workplace bullying, came to the conclusion that bullying happens in organisations that permit bullying behaviour.

He argues that people bully when they have the support, either implicit or express, of those in power.

In an organisation with positive, supportive workplace culture, bullying behaviour is more likely to be recognised and discouraged. Workers with bullying tendencies tend to learn to deal respectfully with others or risk sanctions.

Key factors within organisations that contribute to bullying include:

Policies and practices

Most major organisations have policies on workplace bullying. Many provide training aimed at recognising inappropriate behaviour.

Yet frequently, these policies have little impact on practices within the workplace. Some policies are too vague, stating only that the organisation opposes bullying.

Others are overly prescriptive, setting out elaborate steps that few people actually follow.

Even well-thought out policies are unhelpful if they are not implemented fairly. Policies might be followed in one case but not another, or only by certain managers. When workers have no sense of consistency, the policies add to the confusion rather than lessening it.

This disconnect between policy and practice can mean that some workplaces believe they are tackling bullying at an organisational level when very little is actually being achieved.

Workplace culture

Workplace culture encompasses a variety of aspects including:

• How do workers interact?
• What values are promoted? and
• What behaviour is rewarded?

In some workplaces, the culture is overtly aggressive. In particular, traditionally masculine occupations with rigid hierarchies tend to encourage bullying. A worker who complains is dismissed as weak or “not cut out for the job”.

However, bullying can also be encouraged in less obvious ways.

Denise Salin, a Swedish expert on workplace bullying, gives the example of jokes or banter. While generally harmless, joking around can escalate to the point where a person feels harassed. Their complaints are frequently dismissed as “not being able to take a joke”.

Salin also points to organisations that encourage excellence at any cost. Managers are promoted based on their results rather than their ability to build relationships. Employees quickly get the message that any behaviour is justified by meeting their KPIs.

A 2002 study of Australian workplaces found the legal industry to have the highest reported incidences of bullying. This may be explained by organisational culture. Law firms are typically known for their focus on hard work and high achievement rather than interpersonal relationships.

Ståle Einarsen, a Swedish bullying researcher, suggests that the nature of the work is also important. Environments where staff experience little control, high competition or conflict between different roles may encourage bullying.

Leadership

Reports of bullying can be a burden for managers, who often receive contradictory accounts of the situation.

Expecting employees to “sort it out themselves” implies that bullying is tolerated.

However, Dr Doron Samuell, the CEO of Corporate Health Services, believes investigations into bullying can cause damage as well.

He theorises that normal workplace conflict is frequently mislabelled as bullying. The conflict usually stems from mutual dislike and misunderstanding.

Dr Samuell encourages managers to practice mediation, with the aim of getting the two parties to understand one another’s viewpoint.

He also encourages managers to take a more active approach to preventing the underlying causes of bullying.

Managing worker’s expectations is key to ensuring that workers do not feel unfairly marginalised by normal workplace practices.

In addition, managers must be aware of their employee’s attitudes and feelings. If an employee seems irritable or withdrawn, an in-tune manager acts to find out and address the source of the issue.

Some training on bullying may inadvertently promote the idea that normal conflict is bullying. On the other hand, training that focuses on improving leadership can help to reduce bullying cases.

Leaders who are selected for their ability to nurture a team are more likely to discourage bullying.

Ultimately, these factors shape whether a workplace nurtures its employee’s talents or encourages disrespectful behaviour.

In the long-run, organisations can profit from recognising their own role in bullying behaviour.