Workplace bullying is nothing new, but the lasting effects of it are still only just being discovered.
The latest findings: People who witness workplace bullying are at significant risk for developing depression, according to an 18-month long new study across four Swedish industries that was published in the International Archives of Occupational & Environmental Health.
Researchers also found that women were almost twice as susceptible to depression than men after witnessing bullying — 33.3% of women versus 16.4% of men.
The findings echo a similar study published in the summer of 2012 that found that employees consider quitting their jobs if there’s bullying at work – even if they aren’t the target.
The takeaway is clear: If there’s workplace bullying going on at your company, you owe it to all of your employees to try to put a stop to it as quickly as possible.