INSIGHT INTO ILL-TREATMENT IN THE WORKPLACE: PATTERNS, CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS
RALPH FEVRE, DUNCAN LEWIS, AMANDA ROBINSON, TREVOR JONESABSTRACT. This article summarizes the findings of a representative study of ill-treatment in the British workplace. Using evidence drawn from nearly 4,000 in-home, face-to-face interviews and backed up by four organizational case studies, the article illustrates how workplace ill-treatment falls into three distinct, but over-lapping, categories. Just under half the British workforce experienced unreasonable treatment at work over a two year period while forty per cent of employees experienced incivility or disrespect. Violence and injury is less common than other types of ill treatment but was still experienced by the equivalent of over one million British workers. The article shows which workplaces and which types of employee were most likely to be affected in each of these categories and suggests ways of minimizing workplace ill-treatment. pp. 245–277
Keywords: ill treatment, bullying and harassment, workplace violence, minorities, disability