The Equality and Human Rights Commission published a report last week stating that people with disabilities and chronic illness are much more likely than non-disabled people to experience bullying in the workplace.
The British Workplace Behaviour Survey 2008, which was conducted by Cardiff University and the University of Glasgow, surveyed 4000 British workers and found that not only were workers with disabilities subject to lower expectations and negative social treatment, but they experienced workplace violence at nearly twice the rate of non-disabled workers. All but one of the results in the survey showed a statistically significant difference in the treatment of disabled and non-disabled workers.
Among the survey's findings:
-19.3 percent of workers with disabilities and long-term illnesses reported being pressured to work below their ability, while 13.5 percent of non-disabled survey-takers reported the same.
-41.1 percent of workers with disabilities and 31.1 percent of non-disabled workers reported being given impossible deadlines and unmanageable workloads.
-35.2 percent of the disabled survey takers claim that their employers don't follow proper procedures. Compare with only 22.5 percent of non-disabled employees.
-In the workplace, 25.4 percent of disabled workers have been subject to intimidating behavior, 19.6 percent have felt threatened, 11.6 percent have experienced physical violence at work, and 8.8 percent have been injured as a result of workplace violence. By contrast, 15.2 percent of non-disabled workers have experienced intimidating behavior, 12.3 percent have been threatened, 5.5 percent have experienced violence and 4.7 percent have been injured as a result of that violence.
-People with learning and psychological disabilities were most likely to experience physical violence, mocking, gossip and unmanageable workloads, while people with physical injuries were most likely to experience injuries and persistent criticism.
The full report, including the results of the survey, is available at the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.
Unless the survey included hockey players, even that five percent rate of workplace violence is surprising. Given that the 8000 people surveyed all worked in offices, it's fairly obvious that something needs to change, not only in Britain but worldwide. As the Chief Executive of the EHRC states, "Disabled people and those with long term ill-health should be supported to get into, or back into, work, but they'll only stay in work if they are treated with dignity and respect."
What do you think is the best way to reform workplace abuse? Do you believe sensitivity training programs are effective, or are non-discrimination laws a better idea? Have you experienced abuse in the workplace yourself?
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