Workplace bullying: responding with some emotional intelligence

TLDR

Workplace bullying can incur significant costs for organisations, as evidenced by recent Australian court cases. The article aims to identify signs of workplace bullying and propose strategies to address it. It recommends legislative reform, cooperative workplace structures, problem‑solving approaches, and emotional‑intelligence training to mitigate bullying.

Abstract

This article outlines some of the signs indicating bullying in the workplace as a problem within contemporary organisations. Moreover, using evidence from recent Australian Court cases, the article mentions some of the costs organisations may be faced with if they fail to address the problem. Having identified the problem, the article then suggests some solutions including legislative change and development of more co‐operative workplaces. Such workplaces would deal with the problem in a problem solving, rather than punitive, framework. Development of people’s emotional intelligence skills is suggested as one way to help address the problem within such a framework.