 | | When bullies in the staffroom outnumber those in the playground, schools have to act fast. But many still deny there is a problem – especially when the bully is the headteacher or a senior manager.
“Not enough employers are proactive about workplace bullying,” says Carole Spiers, founder of the Carole Spier’s Group, a stress management and well-being consultancy.
“They bury their heads in the sand and so the conspiracy of silence continues. The typical and easiest outcome is that the perpetrator stays put and the victim moves on. Then the bully’s reign of terror continues indefinitely.”
It is hard to measure the extent of workplace bullying in schools, partly because many victims keep it secret and partly because no single national organisation handles grievances. However, all the indicators point towards it becoming a dangerously prevalent trend.
Last year, 701 teachers contacted the Teacher Support Network about workplace bullying, discrimination or harassment from other adults.
And research by the Ban Bullying at Work charity suggests one in five workers has been bullied in the past two years. Translated to schools, that equates to 100,000 bullied teachers.
The implications for teacher retention are colossal. Studies have consistently found that 25 per cent of those being bullied at work will quit – a further 20 per cent who witness bullying will also leave their jobs.
Resources:
Case study: how bullying at work nearly cost one teacher his life
The Andrea Adams Trust. Commited to preventing workplace bullying
Work conditions
| If you are being bullied, you should...
* Keep a diary of each occurrence, with time, dates and witnesses. If you hand this over to your manager, keep a copy for yourself. * If you are being bullied or harassed via emails, letters or memos, keep copies for evidence.
* Speak to your union representative as soon as possible: they can accompany you to meetings with your manager.
* Let your line manager know as soon as you can because they have a responsibility to resolve the issue.
* Keep a copy of meetings with your manager and always have a brief meeting with your union rep afterwards.
* Let the bully know in writing that you find their behaviour unacceptable. If you don’t feel able to do that, ask your union rep to write on your behalf.
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