THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WORKPLACE BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

www.iawbh.org

Press release:
The conference returns to the UK after an eight year gap, to Wales for the first time. It brings together researchers, academics and practitioners at a world class three day event. The conference aims to share knowledge and understanding around the complex workplace issues of bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence.

Co-chair of the conference Professor Duncan Lewis of the Glamorgan Business School said “This
should be an excellent opportunity to bring together world experts to discuss how we take forward the theory and practice of these important workplace issues. We are delighted to be hosting the 7th occasion of this International conference”.

Keynote speakers include renowned expert Professor Staale Einarsen from the University of Bergen in Norway, Professor David Yamada of the Suffolk Business School in Boston USA, and Professor Ralph Fevre lead expert on the UK Government’s 2nd Fair Treatment at Work Survey. Other speakers include Associate Professor Denise Salin from Finland, Dr Gary Namie from the USA and Rachael Maskell from Unite the Union.

Professor Michael Sheehan, Co-chair of the conference said “We are delighted that we have been able to attract many of the leading researchers and practitioners in the field, and to have an international flavour to the conference, with delegates and speakers from across the globe”.
Please visit the conference website at www.bullying2010.com. The conference is sponsored by the University of Glamorgan, Acas, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Public Service Management Wales, Institute of Leadership and Management, People Resolutions and Hogrefe Ltd.

MICHAEL SHEEHAN AT GLAMORGAN UNIVERSITY, HOSTING THE IAWBH CONFERENCE

For more information and to register, visit www.iawbh.org or visit the conference website, www.bullying2010.com.

Bullying is not new

The idea that bullies exist at work is not a new one; articles and workshops on “dealing with difficult people” and “mean bosses” are abundant. However, “bullying” only recently became of interest to social scientists in the areas of organizational psychology and business management within the last 15 years, and within organizational communication within the last five. Bullying is different from these other topics because it is about under-the-radar and power-seeking behavior and communication tactics that are sincerely and severely destructive to the targets and the organization.

While harassment and sexual harassment are certainly illegal and therefore against any company’s policy, if the harasser is an equal opportunist victims find they have no managerial or legal recourse. In fact research indicates most often the victim is seen as the problem and either punished or let go for speaking up. This is a shame - victims are often besieged because they are high producers, and therefore a threat to the bully and thus singled out as a target. In an attempt to close the legal gap, David Yamada, Professor at Suffolk University, wrote the Healthy Workplace Bill. Under review in 15 states, including California in 2003, the bill has yet to pass into law in any of them. Only the government of Ireland (since as early as 1997), and the province of Quebec, Canada (since 2003), have specific laws against the act of bullying at work.

In addition, research indicates workplace bullying is far more harmful to victims than harassment and sexual harassment. It might be safe to assume that because harassment and sexual harassment is against the law it generally would not be allowed to go on for prolonged periods of time. Yet bullying often lasts between six months and five years, with the average victim leaving an organization after two years.