Workplace Bullying Institute

The Workplace Bullying Institute
2007 U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey

2. U.S. Prevalence Statistics

2a.) 37% of American workers have been bullied at work; nearly half (49%) of adult Americans are affected by it, either through experience or witnessing it

Question: At work, have you experienced or witnessed any or all of the following types of repeated mistreatment: sabotage by others that prevented work from getting done, verbal abuse, threatening conduct, intimidation, humiliation? (Compare to the WBI definition)

Responses
Yes, I am experiencing it now or have in the last year, (12.6) 13%
Yes, it has happened to me in my worklife, but not now or in the last year, (24.2) 24%
I've only witnessed it, (12.3) 12%
I've been the perpetrator myself, 0.4% (n=22)
Never had it happen to me and never witnessed it, (44.9) 45%

Bullying affects individuals who are directly, currently under assault. However, it also continues to affect them unless the mistreatment is corrected in a way that is perceived as just and fair. [Unfortunately, employers tend to ignore it or worsen the problem for the targeted individual.] Thus, the bullying experience lingers. It is fair to say that 37% of American workers have been bullied, combining the current + ever bullied categories.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (US DOL) 146 million Americans were employed in July, 2007. An estimated 54 million Americans have been bullied at work using the 37% rate. Even the more conservative 13% rate (those currently or within the last year experiencing it) places 19 million American workers at risk. It's an epidemic.

Witnessing the humiliation and degradation of others can be vicariously traumatizing. [Research by others discovered this phenomenon.]. Therefore, it is a conservative statement to say that bullied individuals and witnesses are all affected by bullying. In our survey, nearly half of adult Americans (49.1%) reported these experiences.

Extrapolating the BLS employment estimate to the total of bullied people + witnesses -- 71.5 million workers are affected by bullying.

Significant differences in reported experiences of different racial groups emerged. The comparison of combined bullying (current + ever bullied) prevalence percentages reveals the pattern from most to least: Hispanics (52.1%), African-Americans (46%), Whites (33.5%) and Asian-Americans (30.6%). The reported rates of witnessing bullying were African-Americans (21.1%), Hispanics (14%), Whites (10.8%), and Asian-Americans (8.5%). The percentages of those claiming to have neither experienced nor witnessed mistreatment were among Asian-Americans (57.3%), Whites (49.7%), Hispanics (32.2%) and African-Americans (23.4%).

Slight differences in bullying experience rates occurred across age groups. The likelihood that a person ever experienced bullying naturally increased with age: ages 50-64 (29.7%), 30-49 (25.5%), and 18-29 (18.7%). Conversely, the rates of currently experiencing bullying within the last year were: 18-29 (18.5%), 30-49 (16.8%), and 50-64 (9.9%). The rates of never witnessing or experiencing bullying were relatively constant across the groups.

A pattern of differences across U.S. geographical regions also emerged. The combined prevalence rates were as follows: West (41.1%), South (37.5%), East (34.9%), Central/Great Lakes (26.3%).

Political party affiliation seemed to affect prevalence reporting rates. The comparison of combined bullying (current + ever bullied) prevalence percentages reveals the pattern from most to least: those who self-identified as Democratic (42.8%), Independents (39.1%), and Republicans (28.9%). There was wide variation among the "never saw it or experienced it" rates: those who self-identified as Republicans (56.6%), Independents (43.2%), and Democratic (35.8%).

The overall finding that 45% of Americans claim to not have experienced or seen workplace bullying emboldens the Institute's resolve that more public education must occur. As was true in the domestic violence movement, observers stayed in denial because of the personal discomfort or fear that acknowledging battering a spouse can arouse. After DV's criminalization, people felt freer to talk, appropriately blaming the perpetrator. Anecdotally, we believe Workplace Bullying is a "silent epidemic," a view confirmed by the ILO (International Labor Organization, a UN agency). It is an "undiscussable" topic at work because of its career-jeopardizing potential. Eventually, the shame and fear associated with it will diminish and bullying will lose its taboo status. Over time, it will be easier to speak about its occurrence and to shame its perpetrators to stop.

2b.) Most (54%) bullying involves public humiliation of targets; 32% of bullying happens behind closed doors

Question: Where did the majority of the mistreatment occur?

Responses
Out in the open, in front of others, (53.9) 54%
Behind closed doors, in silence, (31.6) 32%
Behind doors kept open so others could hear, (10.2) 10%
Not sure, (4.3) 4%

Perhaps the choice by bullies to hide much of the bullying accounts for the 45% of the public who report to have never seen it. Bullies rely on the shroud of secrecy and silence upheld by witnesses and targets.

Gender differences among bullies emerged. Men bullies more than women bullies prefer public bullying (57.4% vs. 48.6%). And women bullies prefer to bully behind closed doors (47.2% vs. 38.3%).