Tag: workplace intimidation

Employers and managers have the prerogative to set workplace rules and standards, including performance standards. Oftentimes, managers come across as being harsh, bullish, dismissive, or overly critical when attempting to enforce certain workplace standards.

Those of us who operate in a wide range of workplaces - across all sectors and industries - will have noticed a sea change in the volume and nature of collective industrial action. Work stoppages, illegal strikes, go-slows and massive amounts of peer-to-peer intimidation amongst employee's, especially unionised workers, have increased.

In October 2020, we focused on ethics and delivered a series of webinars to discuss the ethical challenges currently facing the chartered accountancy and auditing professions and come up with solutions to these challenges. During a particular focus on ethics in the public sector, I shared that the professional body has noted an increase in the number of member complaints about intimidation threats.

With more than a third of employees reporting acts of bullying in the workplace, this has become a significant issue in South Africa that negatively impacts teamwork and morale. I discuss what bullying entails and the precautions companies can take against this form of abuse.