Is workplace bullying worse than sexual harassment?
LiveScience (March, 2008): Workplace bullying could cause more harm to employees than sexual harassment, researchers say. Belittling comments, exclusion from outings and criticism of work may seem relatively benign and get brushed off by business higher-ups as “kid’s stuff.” But the consequences to employees and even the bottom line are far from child’s play. “Organizations don’t realize that just rude behaviors, ongoing discourteous types of behaviors, have such negative effects on employees,” said Sandy Hershcovis, assistant professor of business at the University of Manitoba, who presented research at the Seventh International Conference on Work, Stress and Health. (…) “Unless you’re in the situation you just don’t understand,” Hershcovis told LiveScience. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh it’s just a personality conflict, they don’t really mean it.’ But when you’re in the situation – and many of us have been – it’s pretty horrible.” (…) Sandy Hershcovis and Julian Barling of Queen’s Univer
