Work communities are not immune to misunderstandings, conflicts or even bullying. The phenomenon has far-reaching consequences. Unidentified issues can manifest as sickness absences, poor productivity, a high staff turnover, and a long-term dysfunctional state of the work community.
The employer is responsible for preventing issues in the work community, investigating potential conflicts, and taking corrective actions. Occupational health supports the employer in challenging situations by offering its expertise, healthcare, and cooperation.
What is workplace bullying and how can you identify it?
One of the most damaging phenomena in working life is workplace bullying. Workplace bullying means recurring negative treatment, such as insults, disparagement and social exclusion, that lasts for a longer period of time.
However, this does not mean that every conflict constitutes workplace bullying. For example, the exercise of the employer’s right to supervise work, ideological differences in the work community, uncertainty caused by organisational changes, discussion of issues, justified disciplinary measures, or evaluation of an employee’s work ability that has been discussed in advance are not forms of workplace bullying. In most cases, suspected workplace bullying is something else altogether.
How to differentiate bullying from misunderstandings? Read what an occupational psychologist has to say about this – Workplace bullying is not always quite what it seems.
Occupational health does not resolve conflicts but supports the employer and the persons involved in the conflict in finding a solution and focuses on health-related problems the conflict may cause. The investigation of alleged bullying may involve juridical and financial factors the employer must address. Occupational health serves as an unbiased expert that helps the employer assess the situation, gives the employer an expert estimation of the conflict and supports both the individuals involved and the supervisors.
Prevalence and consequences of workplace bullying
According to the Working Life Barometer (2021) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, 29 per cent of employees have observed bullying from their co-workers’ side and 18 per cent from their supervisors’ side. Furthermore, a member survey carried out by the Association for Professionals and Managers ASIA in 2024 revealed that every eighth supervisor, i.e. 13 per cent, has experienced workplace bullying in the last three years.
The impacts of workplace bullying are reflected in the entire work community. Individual employees may suffer from anxiety, insomnia, depression, or other health issues. When prolonged, these symptoms can lead to a diminished work ability and even work disability. At the organisational level, bullying undermines psychological safety and employee engagement and leads to a higher sickness absence rate. Bullying also predisposes the community to prolonged conflicts.
Employers have a legal obligation to intervene in bullying
The Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Non-Discrimination Act oblige the employer to intervene in bullying without delay. If an employee reports that they have experienced bullying, the employer shall investigate the situation as quickly as possible in an unbiased manner.
Responsible HR management is not only built on law but also on values and the will to create a safe working environment. Supervisors and HR are responsible for reinforcing a corporate culture in which issues can be brought up and discussed openly and early signs of trouble are identified quickly.
Health-related assessment and support in conflicts
In difficult workplace conflicts, the primary contact for employees is the employer’s designated occupational health nurse. The occupational health nurse assesses the situation on a case-by-case basis to determine further measures for helping individual employees and establishing the management’s need for support.
In difficult situations, occupational health focuses on supporting the management, but also helps individual employees. Occupational health specialists give supervisors and HR guidance and advice on the next steps to be taken and processing the emotional load at the organisational level. In conflicts, workplace mediation has turned out to be a valuable learning experience and provided relief to the community and stopped the situation from escalating into a full-blown bullying experience.
The objective of workplace mediation is to restore the work community’s functional capacity, not point a finger at the persons at fault.
Occupational health’s role in supporting a positive work atmosphere
At its best, occupational health is involved in the structures of everyday working life before any issues emerge. When the team is already familiar with its occupational health professionals, it is easier to turn to them for support when the work atmosphere becomes tense and interaction between co-workers becomes strained.
Occupational health supports both individual employees and management by offering expert advice on work community development, supervisor training and the processing of challenging situations.
Pihlajalinna Occupational Health has expertise in improving the work atmosphere, preventing conflicts, and recovering from stress.
Safe work communities are built consciously
The prevention of bullying is working capacity management. Any surveys, training and supervisor coaching related to bullying should be included in the annual planning cycle. Pihlajalinna Occupational Health supports employers in this and evaluates the long-term health impacts of the measures taken.
We cooperate with the customer in developing solutions that support the well-being of both individuals and the entire organisation.
The expert for this article was Susanna Paarlahti, Service Manager, Occupational Psychology, Pihlajalinna.
Do you want to improve the social interactions in your work community and prevent conflicts? The services of Pihlajalinna Occupational Health reinforce the psychological safety of your work community. Please contact your occupational health team for more information.
Learn more
- https://tyoterveysmyynti.pihlajalinna.fi/osaatko-hyodyntaa-oman-tyoterveystiimisi-psykologia/
- https://tyoterveysmyynti.pihlajalinna.fi/proper-wellbeing-leads-to-results/
- https://tyoterveysmyynti.pihlajalinna.fi/occupational-healthcare-can-reduce-the-occurrence-of-permanent-work-disability-retirements/