Many Belgian workplaces still adhere to hierarchal structures, which can be the feeding ground of bullying and harassment among employees or between employers and their staff, a recent survey found.
Last year, one in seven people (14.2%) were victims of bullying or harassment at work, either by colleagues or by superiors, according to a survey carried out by external prevention service Liantis among more than 7,500 employees in 2021, published in light of harassment claims in the academic world in recent weeks.
"Transgressive behaviour or bullying should never be allowed to pass and we should strive for zero tolerance," Tina Scholiers, Liantis prevention advisor for psychosocial aspects, said.
Overall, the number of employees that experience such behaviour is decreasing in Belgium. In the peak year 2019, almost 19% of respondents indicated having been victim to bullying and harassment in the workplace.
However, the problem continues to persist. Companies in Belgium are obliged to carry out risk analyses in the workplace, including looking into psychosocial risks.
"It is important that everyone's boundaries are respected. If a colleague indicates that this is not the case, we should immediately take this seriously," Scholiers said.
She stressed that the impact of workplace bullying goes beyond just the employee who feels bullied, as it also has a negative impact on the overall atmosphere in the workplace, can contribute to mistrust, insecurity and can even lead to rising absenteeism and high staff turnover.
Men more likely to be targets
Although harassment at work is often thought to predominantly affect women, the survey found that men were more frequently harassed or bullied at work (17.9% compared to 11.29% of women), but this may be due to the fact that men are more likely to report such behaviour.
"It is difficult to give a concrete reason for this. We are going to investigate further why it is that men report this more than women," said Scholiers.
For the first time in 2021, both executives and non-managers reported that they are equally affected by bullying and harassment in the workplace.
"The next few years will show whether this trend will continue. If it does, we need to look at how we can best support employers in this."
Scholiers stressed that preventive action is needed to avoid such situations from happening, but that it is also crucial to provide a safety net for victims of such behaviour.
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Liantis listed several steps that can be taken, including calling out the behaviour of the bully, supporting colleagues that are victims of such behaviour, never accepting bullying or harassment, being aware of your own behaviour and how you treat others and advising the person being bullied to speak out.
