Workplace Bullying: “To what extent do organizations care about workplace bullying”. ABSTRACT Workplace bullying is of important concern for many organizations worldwide. With the increasing understanding of the term bullying and its reasons, research focus has turned to exploring the prevention strategies to control the problem of workplace bullying. The purpose of this study is to explore the problem of bullying in the organizations. The study seeks to answer the research questions, do organizations do to prevent bullying, reasons of bullying? The goal is to analyse the effects of bullying on workers and strategies adapt by the organizations to solve this issue. Moreover, the study will discuss the gaps and needs for the further research. Introduction: In recent years, many international researches has provided an evidence of workplace bullying, nature, reasons and its effects. Bullying is like a poison to the organization and it can damage to victims and witnesses. It can also result in direct and indirect organizational costs. However, many researches indicates that globally, many organizations have poor understanding of the aspects of workplace bullying and its preventive strategies to cope with this problem. (Stagg et al., 2013, 333-338) This paper provides the current policies of management towards the problem of workplace bullying and explores the strategies such as employee dispute legislation, health and safety legislation, criminalizing workplace bullying and the legal context. Thus, my contribution is not proposed to diminish the importance of work being done by the organizations on steps undertaken to prevent bullying. Indeed, primary and secondary policy is critical to prevent workplace bullying. Whereas, the effectiveness of such initiatives will also be increased by reinforcing the regulatory interventions within organizations. Review of Literature: Workplace bullying management and interventions in organizations: Starting with the literature, Mckay and Fratzl (2011) indicates that there is no legislation that specifically addressed the solution of bullying in organizations. Moreover, there is need to develop and enforce a clear policy on workplace bullying as a commitment and key primary preventive measures to control bullying. (McKay and Fratzl, 2011, 13) Similar the literature, the origins of workplace bullying in physiological research, management is aimed at the characteristics of individual targets or culprits and their relationship offer one tactic. Whereas, the notion of workplace bullying as a big concern in organizations that requires solutions aimed at structure of work and organizational culture. (Turner, 2014) Strategies to prevent and manage bullying at workplace are categorised as primary strategy, secondary and tertiary preventions. As Blackwood and Bentley (2013) clarifies these three categories; primary solutions are practical solutions intended to prevent the bad effects occurring by minimalizing the risk of exposure. Secondly, secondary preventions aimed at controlling by reducing and slowing the progression of bullying, prevent repetition, and to develop the individual’s ability to cope with the problem of bullying. The third category seeks to decrease the adverse impacts, re-establish victims’ health and well-being. (Blackwood and Bentley, 2013, 27-41) these are the strategies to prevent workplace bullying. As Rhodes (2010), write an organizational primary policy exits to prevent workplace bullying which serves to main functions: to communicate the organizations commitment in reducing the negative impacts from occurring and summarize the process of minimalizing the risk of exposure. However, they also claimed that only primary policy is not enough to solve this issue, secondary and tertiary measures are also essential. (Rhodes et al., 2010, 96-115) The world Health Organization has published a report to raise the awareness about workplace bullying with its preventive actions at a primary, secondary and tertiary level. At national government level, many countries have endorsed regulations that needs organizations to prevent bullying and harassment. (Rozen, 2013, 326-351) According to the researchers, many interventions theorized as being effective, there are some serious hurdles while implementing the solutions in organizations. As many human resources managers and professionals agreed that they have considerable difficulties while managing workplace bullying where bullies are senior to them in age. Further management may be unwilling to address the bullying when the bullies are the best workers of the organizations and they also get promotions and rewards for their work. (Martin and Paul, 2013, 595-612) furthermore, management is not understanding the reasons and nature of bullying, nor how is should be controlled and prevented with the best measurements. Most of the results found that management is failing in their duty of care towards their workers. The results show that managers who are left to deal with bullies alone adapt other solutions like quitting the organizations. (Johnson et al., 2015, 457-461) Moreover, victims who experiences bullying are not dealt fairly by the organizations feel that the procedure of complaining is uncertain and have possibilities of further victimization and anxiety. (Helena et al., 2013, 384-407) Therefore, there is need for bullying legislation which can only way to treat bullying complaints fairly, it will also encourage the adoption of strategies at organizational level recommended for effective solution of workplace bullying. There are three strategies discussed below which are existed to solve the problem of workplace bullying. Employment alternative dispute legislation: In Australia, organization are accountable failed to control bullying, so, government imposed a law to control bullying, under which a victim can lodge a file against the bully. This is the most common statute for employees to get compensation for hurt and bullies are imposed with penalties. Cases against bullies are filed in the court. As, under this legislation, a major duty for addressing bullying is placed on the victim who is required to file and provide proof to prove that the opposite persons’ intentions were harmful. This is the reason by which complaints are underreported. Studies have identified that few victims of bullying were unwilling to complain because of this legislation policy.(Ballard and Easteal, 2016, 105-109) Health and safety legislation: Under this legislation, employers require investigating the hazards and reasons of bullying. Moreover, this law requires associations to eradicate, reduce and isolate the risks of bullying by one worker to other is caused by work related stress. This policy focuses on the organizational environment. Furthermore, under this policy a victim can lodge a complaint against the bully and organization investigates the problem to provide the justice and compensation to the victim. But, according to the researchers, the organizations cannot be held liable to solve the problem of bullying or failed to take all sensibly steps to prevent workers from being bullied. Research indicates that management is poor and often unaware of the nature and reasons of bullying in their organizations (Hanley and Rourke, 2016, 352-368) there is very limited authority provided by the government legislation to the organizations which reduces the power of managers to take strict action towards the bullies within the organizations. Therefore, there is requirement of a manager and employer to get the knowledge about the hazards and reasons of bullying which still lies with the goal or witnesses in getting the employers’ attention towards the resolutions of bullying. (Chan-Mok et al., 2013, 1-15) Criminalizing workplace bullying: Criminalizing workplace bullying is a strategy which is gaining global attention in recent time, with much argument over the effectiveness of introducing such policy. Victoria is the only government to have this law to punish legally to those who are responsible for workplace bullying. This policy means a bully is criminally liable for his/her behavior, no compensation is given to the victim as a legal justice. (Volokh, 2013, 731-794) This policy depresses many organizations from accepting the bullying as a problem of organization and removes the responsibility from the management to find the main causes of bullying. Hence, criminalizing workplace bullying defines that bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. In the research literature bullying is simply an interpersonal conflict to be solved by the people involved. Although, imposing punishment and penalties to the bullies sends a positive message by which people are less likely to do bullying. (Stojanova, 2014, 146-160) The Legal context: According to Blackwood and Bentley (2013), an organization does not develop a law individually and in the absence of instant precedent can be formed by transnational influence- hence it is expected that the changes in Australia will be reverberated in New Zealand, and vice versa. With the problem of workplace bullying, one major factor in the development of legislation has been Article 7 of the United Nations’ by its International agreement on Economic, social and cultural rights which requires agreement with countries like Australia and New Zealand to identify the rights of workers under which they can enjoy fair work, safety management and healthy working environment. In Australia, this fundamental principle has supported the legislative schemes across the whole country to protect the employees and employers from being victimized. This solution has occurred with a doubtful result. (Blackwood and Bentley, 2013, 27-41) Conclusion: This study provides analyses that there are many limitations in the current strategies and there is need of further research in the areas of workplace bullying. Despite a growing body of research from researchers shows that, many associations are seemingly unwilling to investigate and resolve the complaints filed against the bullies. As a result, many organizations are finding themselves before government authorities for subjecting victims of bullying to an unjustified disadvantage. Therefore, there is a need of effective solutions to this problem. References Ballard, A & Easteal, P 2016. "(Alternative) Dispute Resolution and Workplace Bullying". Alternative Law Journal, 41, 105-109. Blackwood, K & Bentley, T 2013. "Out of step? The efficacy of trans-Tasman law to combat workplace bullying". New Zealand journal of employment relations (Online), 38, 27-41. Chan-Mok, JO, Caponecchia, C & Winder, C 2013. 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