Practical guide for the hard-knock office

David Liddle contributes to article about bullying published by Financial Times

On Tuesday the 27^th of March - the Financial Times published a highly infromative article highlighting the extended repercussions that aggressive behavior and bullying can bring in the workplace for UK companies and public organisations. 

Alanna Petroff,  journalist for the Financial Times penned the article after being shocked by the number of employees that are being bullied at work in the UK. After some initial research she also realised that dealing with workplace hostility might not be at the top of most bosses’ agendas, but it is a hidden, significant factor that impedes corporate growth and progress.

The role of managers

A recent study by academics at Cardiff University and the University of Plymouth reveals that nearly half of the British workforce experience unreasonable workplace behaviour within a two-year period. The report, “Insight into Ill-treatment in the Workplace”, outlines how bullying and ill-treatment are most likely to originate with managers and supervisors rather than people at the same hierarchical level. 

The article explains that workplace bullying and hostility can lead to reduced productivity, lower employee engagement, divided teams, illness and unnecessary stress. Only after contacting David Liddle, founder and chief executive of The TCM Group, the author realized that unfortunately, most employers have only “draconian” procedures for dealing with conflict.

Mr Liddle – who has worked with Lloyds Banking Group, Marks & Spencer and other high-profile organisations to teach employees how to solve hostile situations – points out that 95 per cent of the cases he has seen are based on misunderstanding and miscommunication rather than intentional bullying.
 
Some employees might devise techniques to handle workplace bullying, others might find a lawyer. When a situation becomes unbearable, employees can take their employer to court or go in front of an employment tribunal.
 
Mr Liddle’s final comments were:
    Article adapted from the Financial Times  
Source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c3d9c43e-7444-11e1-9951-00144feab49a.html

• TCM is a leading provider of workplace, employment, business and consumer mediation services. They work with organisations across the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East to develop constructive, effective and sustainable remedies for conflicts and disputes.
• The company trains over 1000 individuals in the art of mediation each year. This includes HR professionals, business leaders and other employees who are committed to improving the way that they resolve workplace and business disputes.
• TCM delivers mediation services to an unrivalled list of some of the world’s leading brands, including Lloyds Banking Group, BT, The Arcadia Group, Marks & Spencer, Vodafone, HSBC and The Co-operative.
• David Liddle, founder and director of the TCM Group, regularly comments on mediation, dispute resolution and labour relations issues in the media including Sky News, BBC News 24, Daybreak, BBC Radio and various trade press.
• TCM has created and sponsors the first UK award for Innovation in Dispute Resolution in conjunction with Personnel Today.
• For press and media enquiries, please contact Panos Papakostis on 020 7404 3195 or E-mail: panos@thetcmgroup.com