Workplace Bullying: How Performance Management Can Help

I came across this seemingly random survey last week, showing how pervasive workplace bullying is in Australia. According to the study of more than 800 employees, 25 per cent revealed they had experienced bullying. Silence, isolation, verbal insults and sarcasm were the most common cases, with public humiliation ranking in second place. Bullying from managers or supervisors represented about 50 per cent of cases, while 25 per cent of respondents reported being targeted by other employees.

The story stayed with me and got me thinking more about the issue. A quick Google search showed me that public discourse about workplace bullying is heating up. Both in the last week, an article this week from DailyFinance cites a study from SLEEP finds that exposure to bullying in the workplace can seriously disturb sleep. That, of course, comes on top of the headaches, reduced productivity, and other problems that abuse at the office can cause.

Another article points to a study by the Workplace Bullying Institute in Bellingham, Wash., that shows bullying at work seems to have reached an all-time high.

How does this tie into performance management? At a top level, of course, the process of ongoing journaling and employee/manager feedback should expose any issues that are taking place. And the functionality of peer and multirater reviews included in a strategic talent management process should also illuminate any bullying that’s taking place.

But in a bigger picture, employee performance management can also address bullying at a systemic level. By engaging all employees and managers in a process that demands accountability, feedback and transparency, employers are publicly placing a value on a workplace that encourages collaboration and support. Many workplaces have anti-bullying policies, but haven’t thought about how some of their functional HR programs can also support the protection of a civil and tolerant workplace.

We’re just scraping the tip of this iceberg. Send us your thoughts about bullying in your workplace – any experiences you’ve had or how you think HR can help. We’ll be discussing this more as the season goes on.