How to beat the workplace bully

Workplace bullying is becoming a prominent issue for firms, with the federal health and safety regulator Comcare listing it as a target in the department's new Work Health and Safety Plan.

Issuing a media release on the initiative, general manager Neil Quarmby stated that overbearing behaviour between employees is "unacceptable".

"We’re targeting workplaces where bullying is just 'how things work'," said Quarmby.

A potential problem faced by businesses is that the specific behaviour seen as offensive or demeaning by some employees may be considered to be appropriate to the workplace by others - including those responsible for enforcing standards of professional conduct.

People who encounter bullying at work may experience insomnia, lack of appetite and general lethargy as a result, as their fear of workplace troubles encroaches on their private lives.

There are a number of measure that managers have at their disposal to limit the damage that inappropriate workplace behaviour may have on overall staff performance.

Developing policies on negative behaviour - and promoting it through dedicated leadership training programs - could have a positive impact on the interactions between employees.

The fact there are courses of action through official channels may help potential victims come forward and address the problem, rather than suffering in silence.