October 03, 2022
According to a study by the Dublin City University Anti-Bullying Centre, one third of Employees in higher education institutions have been bullied in the past three years. The perpetrator of the bullying is reported as a senior colleague in more than half of cases.
The groups most likely to be subjected to bullying behaviour are LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minorities and people with a disability.
Of those who had experienced bullying, 32% experienced it “every now and then” and 33% said they experienced it “several times per semester”. Just under one in six said they experienced it several times a month. More than 70% said it had been going on for “several months”.
Some of the main issues highlighted were a colleague withholding information that impacted their performance, repeated reminders of their errors or mistakes, or persistent criticism of their work. Other bullying behaviours were being ignored or excluded, spreading gossip or rumours or having insulting or offensive comments made about them.
One third of Employees also stated that they had witnessed bullying in work in the previous three years.
Our most recent HR Barometer Report found that 17% of Organisations across all sectors experienced employee issues relating to Bullying, clearly highlighting it isn’t just an issue facing the education sector.
An updated Code of Practice concerning the prevention and resolution of bullying at work by way of a statutory instrument was published on 5th January 2021 - Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice for Employers and Employees on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work) Order 2020. Further information is available on our website here.