It would be nice to think that workplace bullies did not exist in this day and age but that simply isn't the fact. Workplace bullying is still going on strong in almost every industry.
In different surveys conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute, the definition refers to repeated abuse (usually verbally) by bosses or co-workers that can lead to less productivity in the workplace. This phenomenon can be related to sexual harassment but it does not have to be.
In the institute's first survey in 2007, 35% of respondents admitted to experiencing bullying in the workplace firsthand. The survey also found that 62% of the workplace bullies were men while 58% of the targets were women. However, it should be noted that not all bullies were male. Of the female bullies, they targeted other women 80% of the time. In fact, across the board, 68% of the bullying was against the same gender. This is an interesting fact because most sexual harassment cases are not against the same gender.
Another finding from the institute's surveys show that while half of those surveyed have witnessed bullying firsthand, half of those respondents did not report it. This almost makes bullying in the workplace a "silent epidemic" and also makes it difficult to put forth effective workplace bullying laws. Also, because much of the bullying is same gender, it is not illegal according to workplace discrimination laws.
At the same time, surveys have shown that most Americans are against bullying in the workplace. This is especially true for ethnic groups who are protected by civil rights laws.
Surveys taken by the institute in 2010 show that bullying in the workplace occurs for a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons can include education, politics, religion, race, age and gender. Bullying can come from bosses or co-workers equally. In cases where the bullying occurs between co-workers, it has been found that employers tend to ignore it (even if they witness it firsthand) unless the conflict is reported to them directly or the company's human resources department.
The targets have a hard time reporting the incidents because they are afraid they will look like "tattlers" to their co-workers. They have an even harder time reporting the bullying if it is coming from their superiors. The fear of retaliation on both counts is high and, although it would be illegal according to workplace bullying laws, the fear of losing their jobs is equally high. Witnesses to bullying in the workplace also do not report incidents for mostly the same reasons.
Bullying in the workplace should not be tolerated under any circumstances. As indicated in the institute's official definitions, it only leads to the prevention of quality work being accomplished. Any employee or employer who witnesses such actions should feel compelled to report it to avoid repetition.