Bullies may be associated with schoolyard playgrounds and classrooms, but unfortunately, they don't disappear after people graduate and enter the workforce. In fact, workplace bullying is shockingly prevalent in Australia.  

With one in five Australians taking leave over the last 12 months due to stress, depression, anxiety and other related mental health issues that can stem from workplace bullying, this issue has an enormous impact and can have serious consequences for both employers and workers. 

The first step to addressing workplace bullying is knowing how to recognise it. What kind of behaviour falls into this classification, and what does it mean for your employee induction practices?  

Does Your Organisation Have A Problem With Bullying?  

Workplace bullying is an especially concerning and common issue in Australia. Multiple studies have ranked the country as one of the worst in the world for bullying, with the issue costing the Australian economy between $6 billion and $36 billion every year. This wide range most likely due to the number of incidents that go unreported. 

Within the professional landscape, bullying can take a variety of forms, ranging from explicit physical or verbal assaults to more subtle psychological abuse and sexual harassment. 

The Australian Human Rights Commission lists the following common examples:  

• Verbal or physical abuse  
• Screaming or yelling  
• Isolating, excluding or intimidating individuals 
• Asking workers to do meaningless, unrelated jobs 
• Assigning unachievable tasks  
• Purposefully inconveniencing or burdening specific team members  

Such behaviours can also be carried out over digital platforms, including on social media sites or through email correspondences.