hsfb bullying survey

Health and Safety for Beginners (HSfB) Workplace Bullying Survey Results

The report that accompanies this survey can be accessed by downloading the following PDF file:

Those who can, do. Those who can't, bully.pdf

Introduction

A very basic survey was carried out on these pages from 24 September 2004 through to 2 November 2004. The aim of the survey was to give a non-professional and unendorsed perspective on the reality and prevalence of workplace bullying that exists, and has existed, in our workforce.

The project was targeted at health and safety professionals within the United Kingdom. However, as this web site is present in the worldwide public domain, there were certain limitations to the study.

• The participants were not necessarily members of the UK workforce.

• The participants were not necessarily health and safety professionals, although the survey was highlighted on various health and safety discussion forums, the Health and Safety for Beginners (HSfB) newsletter and also via a branch meeting of The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

• There was no age or gender specification, neither was there any groups or industries identified.

Although the survey had a very broad range of participants, it did produce results that quite clearly show the extent to which workplace bullying has been a major contributory factor in many workplace illnesses, and also a major contributory factor in human behaviour leading to workplace accidents.

Results

The survey comprised of four basic questions that could have been selected in any combination with a simple radio button to check as an answer. The questions were as follows:

• Have you have ever been bullied in your career?

• Have you been bullied in the past 12 months?

• Have you ever witnessed bullying in the workplace?

• Have you NEVER encountered any sort of bullying in the workplace?

Population of the UK = 60,000,000 (Bullyonline, 2004)

Number of workers/employees = 28,000,000 (Bullyonline, 2004)

Survey participants, targeted at health and safety professionals = 101

• Those participants who selected only one selection (45.54%) are as follows:

  • Those who have EVER been bullied in their career = 14.85%

  • Those who have been bullied in the past 12 MONTHS = 3.96%

  • Those who have ever WITNESSED bullying = 15.84%

  • Those who have NEVER encountered bullying = 10.89%

• Those participants who selected more than one selection (54.45%) are as follows:

  • Those who have EVER been and who have been bullied in the past 12 MONTHS = 0.99%

  • Those who have EVER been and have WITNESSED workplace bullying = 39.6%

  • Those who have been bullied in the past 12 MONTHS and have WITNESSED workplace bullying = 0%

  • Those who have EVER been bullied and in the past 12 MONTHS and who have WITNESSED workplace bullying = 13.86%

• The total singular combined figures of the selections participants made out of the 101 individuals are as follows: (These following figures are shown in the illustration further down the page).

  • Those who have EVER been bullied in their career = 70

  • Those who have been bullied in the past 12 MONTHS = 19

  • Those who have ever WITNESSED bullying = 70

  • Those who have NEVER encountered workplace bullying = 11

Key Findings

The figures from the survey can be highlighted in the following calculations and extrapolated to find the ratio of survey participants to the overall UK workforce, which gives clear and alarming figures as to the extent of workplace bullying in the UK.

70 out of 101 participants had either been bullied OR had witnessed bullying in their career.

Those participants who selected that they have been bullied AND have witnessed workplace bullying = 39.6% (1 in 2.5).

As a conservative estimate, the ratio has been doubled to 1 in 5.

Therefore, 1/5 of 28,000,000 equates to 5,600,000 members of the UK workforce who have been bullied in their working life, and have witnessed workplace bullying.

The illustration below shows the combined results from the survey whereas; each participant could have chosen as many answers or combinations in the survey that suited their experience.

Conclusion

Although this survey was carried out with a very small number of individuals, the results do show that workplace bullying is a real threat to people's health, safety and welfare and also to businesses that allow workplace bullying to carry on.

A report carried out using selected figures found in this survey and through research on the subject can be found at the top of this page, which describes in a little more detail the effects that workplace bullying has on individuals, organisations and the economy as a whole.

"Aspirations must be towards dignity".

Thank you to all who participated in the survey, your help is very much appreciated.