Browse by subject - Violence or harassment at work
24 April 2012: Fifth of workers have experienced mobbing at work (Czech Republic / Information update)
According to the latest survey by the STEM/MARK marketing agency, mobbing at work was experienced in 2011 by almost one fifth of the working population in the Czech Republic aged over 15 years. Nonetheless, the phenomenon had diminished to almost 2007 levels after a steep increase in reports of workplace mobbing in 2009, attributed to the initial effects of the global economic crisis. In both 2009 and 2011, undervaluation of performance was the most frequent type of mobbing.
06 January 2012: Unions’ role in combating workplace discrimination (Malta / Information update)
An EU-funded study examined the role of Maltese trade unions in combating discrimination in the workplace on the grounds of race, disability, religion, sexual orientation and age. The study was based mostly on interviews with three of the largest unions about their policies and practices on anti-discrimination and diversity. The unions were aware of equality issues to a certain extent but did not seem to have specific strategies to combat discrimination in general.
19 December 2011: Female transport workers exposed to high levels of violence (Bulgaria / Information update)
A study by the Federation of Transport Trade Unions in Bulgaria found that violence at work affects a significant number of female employees of Sofia’s four urban transport companies. The proportion of respondents reporting exposure to physical or psychological violence varied considerably between the companies, but the rates were alarmingly high compared with the results of other European surveys. Passengers were the main perpetrators in three of the companies.
14 October 2011: Rise in reported cases of bullying and violence at work (Denmark / Survey data report [ or view as 
size 136 kb])
The fifth Danish Work Environment Cohort Study, carried out in 2010 by the National Research Centre for the Working Environment, revealed both improvements and a decline in conditions for Danish workers. Compared with 2005, there was a significant increase in the number of people experiencing emotional demands and an increase in those reporting being exposed to bullying, violence and threats of violence. However, social support from colleagues and superiors increased. There was a decrease in the number of people exposed to traditional physical demands such as heavy lifting, but an increase in exposure to loud noise, body vibration and solvents.
14 October 2011: Young and highly qualified workers harassed more (Italy / Information update)
A recent report by the Italian National Institute of Statistics, based on the findings of the ad hoc module of its 2008–2009 survey on citizens’ safety, found that 9% of respondents aged over 15 reported being harassed at work or suddenly deprived of their usual tasks over their working life, with women being more affected than men. Highly qualified workers were the most affected by harassment or task deprivation but few people had asked for professional or trade union support.
07 October 2011: Workers prone to stress and burn-out at work (Luxembourg / Survey data report [ or view as size 165 kb])
Through itssurvey ‘Well-being at work in Luxembourg 2010’carried out by TNS-ILRES in December 2009 to January 2010, the Luxembourg Chamber of Employees (CSL) sought to provide an insight into the feelings of Luxembourg workers in 2010 about their workplace. More than 1,500 employees (both Luxembourg residents and cross-border workers from Belgium, France and Germany) from various economic sectors were asked to answer questions on a range of issues including health and safety, work and society, psychosocial demands ofwork, andergonomics in the workplace.Astriking finding is the high proportion of workers (90%) who claim to have experienced some stress at work, with 20% admitting to having felt burn-out.
26 September 2011: Fewer occupational accidents but more violence at work (Finland / Survey data report [ or view as size 116 kb])
The Finnish National Work and Health Survey of working conditions and occupational health is carried out every three years by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. This report examines trends in occupational accidents and violence, exposure to noise, vibration and chemical substances, physical workload, management interest in well-being at work, achieving work–life balance, health-related behaviour and the role of occupational health services.The desire to stay in work longer, better work–life balance and fewer occupational accidents are among the positive trends reported.
06 July 2011: TUC survey shows rise in psychosocial hazards at work (United Kingdom / Information update)
The results of the Trades Union Congress’s eighth biennial survey of health and safety representatives in the UK indicate an increased prominence for psychosocial hazards in the workplace with stress, bullying/harassment and overwork among the top five hazards faced by workers. The results also show heightened levels of psychosocial hazards in the public sector and within larger organisations. The survey covers 27 psychosocial and physical hazards in the workplace.
03 September 2010: Social climate at work important to workers (Netherlands / Information update)
According to the findings of the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey 2009, social support by colleagues and supervisors, the number of conflicts and the prevalence of workplace violence strongly determine the social climate at work. All these factors appear to be important when people are applying for a job or considering staying in a job until or beyond retirement age. The survey also identified a number of sector differences in factors affecting social climate.
23 June 2010: Case study examines working conditions of women in large retail chains (Poland / Information update)
The KARAT gender equality coalition of organisations and individuals has conducted a case study on working conditions and the observance of workers’ rights among female employees in supermarkets and hypermarkets. The research explored and identified the areas and most frequents forms in which workers’ rights were infringed, as well as looking at labour law in practice. Violations concerning working time and health and safety regulations were reported.
05 February 2010: Negative health outcomes resulting from bullying in the workplace (Denmark / Information update)
A recent Danish study confirms that bullying leads to sleep problems and symptoms of severe stress among victims. Moreover, witnesses to bullying are found to react in the same manner, albeit to a lesser degree. On the positive side, systematic and frequent exposure to bullying is quite limited. However, negative behaviour in the workplace is very common, with 79.5% of the respondents being exposed at least sometimes to work-related negative acts.
18 January 2010: One in 10 teachers subject to mobbing at work (Poland / Information update)
Research in European countries shows that teachers are often exposed to mobbing at work. Recent results of a study by the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute in 2006 provide data on mobbing among 1,098 teachers in Poland. Of the teachers involved, 9.7% reported experiencing different forms of mobbing. The study offers an insight into the relationship between experiences of violence, psychological health and work satisfaction among teachers.
07 December 2009: Increase in workplace bullying over past ten years (Finland / Information update)
The proportion of people reporting workplace bullying has increased in Finland over the past 10 years. According to the Finnish Quality of Work Life Survey 2008, 44% of wage and salary earners reported at least occasional bullying at their workplace. When asked about their own experiences, only 4% of workers reported being personally subjected to workplace bullying at present, 13% had been bullied previously at their current workplace and 8% at a previous workplace.
02 December 2009: Public administration employees report problems due to working on computers (Czech Republic / Information update)
A survey on work environment and working conditions in public administration showed that working with computers is one of the biggest sources of discomfort for public administration employees. For instance, 74% of them report having eye tiredness and 70% cite musculoskeletal disorders. Although information technologies are now a fundamental tool in this sector, one third of respondents declare that they do not lighten their workload.
30 November 2009: Rise in psychosocial risk factors at the workplace (France / Survey data report [ or view as size 192 kb])
There has been huge changes in recent decades in the content, organisation and employment status of work. Results from the 2005 Working Conditions Survey in France indicate that besides the usual trends and changes across categories – such as economic sectors or occupational groups – working conditions have changed in an uneven way across the salaried population, with some subgroups experiencing higher demands. The second major development is the growing impact of psychosocial factors at the workplace. This is a new dimension, where the challenges are high and acquiring information on the subject necessitates developing new tools such as updated surveys and new monitoring systems.
26 October 2009: Ombudsman presents progress report on equal treatment (Greece / Information update)
The Greek Ombudsman has presented its first annual report on the application and promotion of equal treatment for men and women. The report outlines the various types of complaints recorded by the Ombudsman in 2008 relating to discrimination in the area of employment. It also reveals that maternity and parenthood remain important causes of discrimination of women in the labour market. Several representative case examples are outlined below.
31 August 2009: Survey on moral harassment in health and social work (Portugal / Information update)
Although moral harassment is not a recent phenomenon at the workplace, few studies have been carried out in Portugal to quantify the problem. In 2007, the Association for Competence Development conducted a study with the aim of better understanding moral harassment in the healthcare and social work sector. ‘Symbolic violent harassment’, ‘control harassment’ and ‘functional and pressure harassment’ were some of the most common types reported.
29 June 2009: Social workers express dissatisfaction with job safety and wages (Lithuania / Information update)
A 2008 survey in Lithuania aimed to analyse the working conditions of people doing social work, to assess the professional risks involved and to identify opportunities for improving their working conditions. The results showed that most of the social workers felt that their relations with colleagues and superiors were good, as were the opportunities for improving their qualifications. However, most respondents were not satisfied with their wages and the safety of the job.
13 February 2009: Report on bullying in defence forces stresses need for clarification of terms (Ireland / Information update)
The difference between bullying and ‘robust training’ for new recruits in the Irish Defence Forces needs to be clarified for both recruits and their instructors. This is among the main findings of a recent report on military human resources, published in December 2008. The report was conducted by the Independent Monitoring Group following allegations in 2002 that bullying and harassment were rife among the 10,500 personnel in the Irish Defence Forces.
16 October 2008: Nature and extent of mobbing in the workplace (Poland / Information update)
Research carried out at the University of Gdańsk in 2006 and 2007 has yielded a set of social characteristics of persons who engage in mobbing or bullying in the workplace, along with a list of the pathological activities which most often constitute mobbing. Overall, three relatively common types of mobbing activity were identified. The study covered 643 employees chosen at random from a number of enterprises throughout Poland.
17 July 2008: Unacceptable levels of harassment in the workplace (Hungary / Information update)
At least 50% of women are estimated to have suffered from some form of bullying, mobbing, harassment or violence at work in Hungary. In most cases, the victims would rather leave their workplaces than contact the Equal Treatment Authority. Furthermore, Hungarian legislation does not contain a definition of sexual harassment or harassment in the workplace, and therefore it is almost impossible to take legal action in such cases.
22 May 2008: Low level of violence in workplace (Czech Republic / Information update)
In 2005, some 76% of economically active Czech citizens considered the low level of violence and bullying in the workplace as an important contributory factor in the quality of working life. Moreover, 75% of the workers surveyed expressed their satisfaction about the low incidence of these phenomena at work. An analysis of the survey findings reveals that the prevalence of workplace violence is linked to aspects such as high staff turnover, frustration and burnout.
30 April 2008: Spotlight on harassment in the workplace (Slovenia / Information update)
Among different forms of workplace harassment in Slovenia, sexual harassment is the most prevalent, especially in its verbal form. Women are the main victims of workplace sexual harassment, while other forms of harassment are more gender neutral. More than half of the victims – particularly male victims – do not tell anyone about the harassment. Victims are most likely to confide in co-workers, friends and family, and rarely in superiors or trade unions.
17 March 2008: Occupational differences in incidence of conflicts and bullying (Norway / Information update)
The general levels of conflict and bullying in Norwegian working life have been characterised by a high degree of stability over the last 20 years. However, a new report published by Statistics Norway in 2007 reveals considerable occupational differences in relation to these aspects of working life. These new data are mainly based on the latest ‘Level of Living Survey’ for 2006. A recent trend is for more conflicts among women than men in the workplace.
21 December 2007: Mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace (Slovakia / Information update)
In 2006, the Institute for Labour and Family Research carried out a survey on the incidence of mobbing or bullying and sexual harassment at the workplace, the reactions of victims of harassment and the outcomes of harassment cases. The research also examined general opinions on the reasons for mobbing and sexual harassment at the workplace and methods of prevention.
17 September 2007: New code of practice to prevent sexual harassment at work (Cyprus / Information update)
The Equality Authority in Cyprus has published a code of practice aimed at combating all forms of workplace harassment, by offering practical guidance to employers and workers. The code also sets out procedures for preventing sexual harassment, which is now defined as a form of discrimination and workplace violence under Cypriot legislation. Although sexual harassment has received wider attention in recent years, society still holds prejudices against the victims.
27 August 2007: Workers in contact with public more exposed to aggression (France / Information update)
About 71% of employees have contact with the public in their professional activity. These workers are frequently subject to atypical working times and are often interrupted in their work. More than 20% of these workers report having experienced verbal aggression and 2% state that they have been physically attacked. The workers most concerned by aggression are those working nights or at weekends who are subject to very high work intensity and rigid forms of work organisation.
21 May 2007: New code of practice to prevent workplace bullying (Ireland / Information update)
With the incidence of workplace bullying on the increase in Ireland, the Irish government launched a new code of practice on workplace bullying on 4 April 2007. The new code of practice, drawn up by the Health and Safety Authority, provides for the referral of bullying cases to external mediation in the event that internal procedures fail to resolve matters.
12 February 2007: Unfair treatment and discrimination at work (United Kingdom / Information update)
The Department of Trade and Industry recently published an analysis of how employees are treated at work. Most employees did not believe that they or others had encountered unfair treatment, but those that did generally considered this to be discrimination.
23 October 2006: Bullying in the workplace (Lithuania / Information update)
Most bullying in the workplace is carried out by managers and the problem is more prevalent in the public sector, according to research findings in Lithuania. A study was carried out in 2005 to analyse the issue and the extent of bullying, its causes and consequences, and factors particular to Lithuanian enterprises. The analysis was aimed at identifying measures to combat the problem, including the need for ethical management practices.
16 October 2006: Sexual harassment of women in the workplace (Spain / Information update)
Nearly 15% of Spanish women reported having suffered some form of sexual harassment at work during 2005. Sexual jokes, as well as inappropriate compliments and comments were the most common type of harassment reported. The role of companies in preventing and eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace appears to be rather limited in practice.
25 September 2006: Sexual harassment in the workforce (Czech Republic / Information update)
A total of 13% of women and 4% of men in the Czech Republic state that they have personal experience of sexual harassment in the workplace. In spite of this significant proportion, a number of public officials and even union representatives – whose role is to defend the interests of employees – believe that this social issue is not important and that it has been exaggerated, as the overall incidence level is small.
24 October 2005: Workplace violence stabilising in the Netherlands (Netherlands / Information update)
Employers are more aware of the issue of violence at work, according to a recent evaluation of the 1994 provisions on abuse and aggression in the Working Conditions Act. So far, however, this awareness has not resulted in a decrease in workplace violence. Nonetheless, despite a continuing increase in workplace violence from 2000 to 2003, findings from the 2004 TNO Work Situation Survey indicate that violence in the workplace is stabilising in the Netherlands.
19 September 2005: Violence in the workplace (Denmark / Information update)
Research by the Danish Centre for Alternative Social Analysis (CASA) estimates that violence in the workplace is becoming an increasing problem. From 1993 to 2001, the proportion of employees, in the salaried employees and civil servants trade union confederation, reporting exposure to violence increased from 11% to 21%. Risk of exposure to violence depends on the sector and occupation, and is also related to psychosocial work environment factors and the well-being of the employees.
12 September 2005: Sexual harassment in the workplace (Germany / Information update)
The law for the protection against sexual harassment in the workplace is found to have only a limited impact in personnel policies and in the courts.
08 August 2005: Violence, employment and health (France / Information update)
Violence at work takes many different forms: it can be used as a means of power between workers and customers, to express competition between workers and, in its extreme form, can result in suicide. One of the major findings of the French government-initiated Commission on ‘Violence, work, employment and health’ is that the type of work organisation in the company can either contribute to – or prevent – the onset of violence.
27 August 2004: Violence against staff in the municipal healthcare sector (Sweden / Information update)
The problem of violence against staff in the municipal healthcare sector has been the focus of increasing attention in Sweden. A nationwide survey of workplace violence was conducted in the healthcare sector. The results indicated that as many as 51% of those surveyed had been affected by violence either verbally or physically. The most vulnerable groups were auxiliary nurses, assistant nurses and those caring for mentally disabled people.
02 June 2004: Violence, bullying and harassment in the workplace (EU Countries / Topic report [ or view as size 187 kb])
Incidence rates of physical violence, bullying and sexual harassment have increased, according to the European Working Conditions Survey and national surveys. This report examines the manner in which these ‘new’ issues have been studied in the national surveys of seven European countries. It aims to define the problems more clearly and formulate appropriate questions. It is difficult to say how much of the increase is due to raised awareness of the issues, but the heightened levels of experience must be regarded as real. It also became apparent in the study that physical violence, bullying and sexual harassment are very different and cannot be regarded in the same way. This means that action measures in the workplace must be tailored to fit each problem.
04 December 2003: Increase in violence at work in the health care sector (Finland / Information update)
The rise in physical and psychological violence in the health care sector in Finland is due in part to increased time pressures and employment insecurity in the workplace, according to a Finnish study. However, another study finds that the majority of nurses in 10 European countries are willing to stay in the sector.