Bullying in the workplace
1
114.350
Current Issues in Human Resource
Management
Essay Topic: Bullying in the Workplace
Essay question: Outline what you perceive to be a leading issue in
HRM in New Zealand today. Substantiate your choice with evidence, and indicate the challenges and strategic opportunities that this presents to HR managers.
Due:
Paper Coordinator:
Word count: 2,189
114.350
2
This essay explores four types of bullying particularly cyber-bullying and documents a survey on the prevalence of workplace bullying.
Furthermore, this writing
separates bullying from harassment and will provide some high level tactics that a
Human Resources Manager (HRM) may engage to strategically minimise bullying.
The essay does not cover the drivers of bullies, why bullying may take place, the effects of bullying nor does it seek to provide a detailed checklist to refer to when bullying is encountered.
As prescribed by the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992), every person in the workplace has a responsibility to create and maintain a safe and secure work environment. Often, the ownership of health and safety is part of the Human
Resources (HR) portfolio. Having been ‘delegated’ such responsibility, the HRM must develop their competency to ensure that the organisation has effective structures, culture, policies and programmes to ensure legal compliance thereby enhancing the health, safety, well-being and support of employees. The HR function must also create an environment that ensures managers monitor compliance with safety practises and procedures in the organisation (Rudman, 2007).
A competent HRM recognises that stress is a workplace hazard. It is interesting to note that in the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) the word ‘stress’ appears just three times, ‘harm’ 121 times and the word ‘bullying’ does not even feature. Much research has gone into establishing the link between bullying
contributing to
114.350
Current Issues in Human Resource
Management
Essay Topic: Bullying in the Workplace
Essay question: Outline what you perceive to be a leading issue in
HRM in New Zealand today. Substantiate your choice with evidence, and indicate the challenges and strategic opportunities that this presents to HR managers.
Due:
Paper Coordinator:
Word count: 2,189
114.350
2
This essay explores four types of bullying particularly cyber-bullying and documents a survey on the prevalence of workplace bullying.
Furthermore, this writing
separates bullying from harassment and will provide some high level tactics that a
Human Resources Manager (HRM) may engage to strategically minimise bullying.
The essay does not cover the drivers of bullies, why bullying may take place, the effects of bullying nor does it seek to provide a detailed checklist to refer to when bullying is encountered.
As prescribed by the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992), every person in the workplace has a responsibility to create and maintain a safe and secure work environment. Often, the ownership of health and safety is part of the Human
Resources (HR) portfolio. Having been ‘delegated’ such responsibility, the HRM must develop their competency to ensure that the organisation has effective structures, culture, policies and programmes to ensure legal compliance thereby enhancing the health, safety, well-being and support of employees. The HR function must also create an environment that ensures managers monitor compliance with safety practises and procedures in the organisation (Rudman, 2007).
A competent HRM recognises that stress is a workplace hazard. It is interesting to note that in the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) the word ‘stress’ appears just three times, ‘harm’ 121 times and the word ‘bullying’ does not even feature. Much research has gone into establishing the link between bullying
contributing to
References: Adams, A., Crawford, N., (2000). Bullying at work. London: Virago Press. Atkins, A., (2010). Employment Bites; the bite sized guide to better human resources Bentley, T., (2013). Stamping Out Bullying. Employment Today, Nov 2013, p.17. (2009). Understanding stress and bullying in New Zealand workplaces. Buckley, T,. (03 March 2014). No deep signing here; council bans bad body language Fletcher, H., (13 March 2014). Wheel clamp bullies in liquidation. Retrieved 23 March 2014 from the New Zealand Herald from Health and Safety in Employment Act. (2013, December 16). Retrieved from http://www.legislation.govt.nz Mason, C., (5 March 2014). New law sets a net for cyber-bullies. Retrieved 23 March 2014 from the Bay of Plenty Times from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-ofplenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11213908 Needham, A. W. (2003). Workplace bullying: the costly business secret. Auckland: Penguin Pink Shirt Day. (20 May 2013). Retrieved 23 March 2014 from the Mental Health Foundation from http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/page/1379-events+pink-shirtday Privitera, C., Campbell, M., A. (2009). Cyberbullying: the new face of workplace bullying? Cyberbullying and Behaviour , 395-399. Richards, H., Freeman, S., (2010). Bullying in the workplace: An occupational hazard Rudman, R. (2007). Human Resources Management in New Zealand, Page 45 Survey of working life in New Zealand – information releases Sullivan, K. (2000). The Anti-Bullying Handbook. Melbourne: Oxford. The Health and Safety Reform Bill. (October 2013). Retrieved from Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment from http://www.mbie.govt.nz/pdflibrary/about-us/consultations/hs-reform-bill-exposure-draft/exposure-draft.pdf Wiedmer, T., L. (2011). Workplace bullying: costly and preventable. Morality in Education , 35-42. Workplace Bullying: an update. (August 2009). Retrieved from Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment from