Bullying drives 20% of employees to quit their jobs

Looks like the office has become the new playground for bullies – at least, in America.

According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, 28% of 3,372 workers polled reported they have felt bullied at work, while 24% stated they are currently being bullied in their workplaces.

Nearly one in five (19%) of these workers left their jobs because of it.

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Interestingly, the survey revealed bullying was most common among senior workers, such as those in management roles and those with post-secondary education.

Out of the 24% of respondents who said they are currently being bullied, 27% were those in management roles, including managers, directors, team leaders, vice presidents and above.

This was followed by those at the entry level (26%), and professional and technical (21%).

“One of the most surprising takeaways from the study was that bullying impacts workers of all backgrounds regardless of race, education, income and level of authority within an organisation,” Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, said.

“Many of the workers who have experienced this don’t confront the bully or elect not to report the incidents, which can prolong a negative work experience that leads some to leave their jobs.”

Comparing genders, the survey also revealed female workers were significantly more likely to experience bullying at work (34%) than their male counterparts (22%).

READ MORE: Why the office bully has the best job security

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