WFH takes a toll as UK workplace bullying claims surge

WFH may not be working for everyone. A record number of bullying claims have featured in lawsuits at the UK’s employment courts over the past year, in a sign that while working from home is welcomed by many, it is also contributing to tension for others.

Employment tribunals, which hear actions brought against employers by workers, had a 44 per cent surge in cases that included bullying allegations, according to employment law firm Fox & Partners. The number jumped to 835 suits in the 12 months till the end of March, compared with 581 in the previous period. Employees cannot sue employers directly for bullying but can include it under discrimination or whistle-blowing claims.

The sharp increase shines a light on problems companies may be facing in dealing with problematic behaviour in and out of the office. UK employment tribunal claims for unfair dismissal are usually capped at a payout of just over £93,000 (S$155,828) if an employee was let go after April this year. But damages are unlimited if discrimination is proved.

The increase could be a wake-up call for many firms, and shows that leadership teams have “struggled to maintain healthy workplaces during the shift to hybrid working”, said Ivor Adair, a partner at Fox & Partners. 

Examples the firm gave included patterns of bullying that are hard to identify such as leaving colleagues out of remote meetings, gossiping on messaging apps, and making cutting remarks on video calls that are hard to address. BLOOMBERG