Bullying is common in NHS trust

Bullying at work is associated with job dissatisfaction, absence, poor performance, and turnover. In a survey of staff of an NHS community trust, Quine (p 228) found that over a third reported being subjected to one or more forms of bullying in the previous year and 42% had witnessed the bullying of others. Staff who had been bullied had lower job satisfaction and higher job induced stress, depression, anxiety, and intention to leave the job. Support at work was able to protect individuals from some of the damaging effects of bullying. Setting up systems for supporting staff and dealing with interpersonal conflict may have benefits for both employers and staff.