Over 53% of Young Poles Aged 18-35 Report Experiencing Workplace Bullying, Reveals New Study

53% of Poles aged 18-35 have experienced workplace bullying or its manifestations in the last six months, according to a recent report. Interestingly, when considering the Polish population as a whole, 41.4% of employees report improper behaviour at work. This suggests a significant disparity between the overall population and young people, who most frequently endure shouting, swearing and name-calling. In many cases, they are also victims of gossip. Experts believe that the problem is severe and possibly underestimated in Poland.

Workplace bullying has been a problem in Poland for many years. The data indicates that as many as 53% of Poles aged between 18 and 35 have experienced at least one syndrome associated with bullying in their professional careers. This fact was established by the authors of a report titled “Young Poles in the Grip of Bullying”, based on a survey conducted among over 800 people in this age group. The data shows that 22.2% of respondents had not experienced any of the discussed situations. However, 8.1% were unable to identify their experiences, while 6.1% could not remember such events.

“The data suggest a lack of awareness among employees about workplace bullying. A significant portion of respondents have not experienced any of the mentioned situations, suggesting positive workplace relationships. However, 8.1% of respondents are unsure about their experiences and 6.1% do not remember, implying that young Poles do not always recognise these situations or lack sufficient knowledge about them,” explains psychologist Michał Murgrabia, one of the co-authors of the report from ePsycholodzy.pl.

However, the problem exists. According to a previous report, up to 41.4% of working Poles aged between 18 and 80 experienced bullying behaviour at their workplace in 2023. The most commonly reported experiences included receiving nonsensical tasks (10.3%), being subject to gossip and rumours (9.8%), and receiving contradictory orders (9.6%).

“It is an extremely harmful phenomenon that can lead to serious traumas among employees. It negatively affects mental health, lowering self-esteem and leading to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. In extreme cases, it can also cause physical problems, such as headaches, digestive problems or insomnia,” comments Iwona Szmitkowska, Labour Market Manager at Pracodawcy RP.

Analysing the responses of young Poles in detail, the data shows that 21.4% of respondents have fallen victim to shouting, swearing and name-calling, with men experiencing this more often than women.

– “This says a lot about the poor personal culture of the management team and should set off alarm bells for companies. The phenomenon should be identified, named, trained and appealed against. The type of corporate culture whereby bullying is officially condemned, but everyone turns a blind eye to it, is common,” says attorney Bartłomiej Raczkowski, a labour law specialist.

As Iwona Szmitkowska states, about 15% of workers in the UK report experiencing verbal abuse, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Meanwhile, 2020 data suggests that a full 25% of workers in Japan have been subjected to shouting and swearing. This figure is similar to that found in Poland.

– “Verbal aggression is one of the most easily recognisable and most destructive forms of bullying, potentially leading to long-term health problems such as depression or burnout. This benefits no one, neither the employee nor the employer. However, the result suggests that a rather toxic atmosphere reigns in many workplaces, where such behaviour is accepted or ignored,” emphasises the co-author of the report.

_based on a survey compiled by ePsycholodzy.pl.

In terms of other experiences associated with bullying, young Poles reported being the subject of slander and rumours (15.5%), being verbally insulted (e.g., through vulgar nicknames or other humiliating expressions) (14.9%), receiving nonsensical tasks (13.7%), and being harassed (e.g., by phone, email, during and after work hours) (11.1%).

– “These results indicate various forms of bullying in the workplace, which can be equally destructive as verbal abuse. These behaviours can occur both between superiors and subordinates as well as within teams, suggesting a deeper problem with organisational culture. Lack of trust and loyalty in a team can lead to destructive consequences for both the individual and the entire organisation,” highlights psychologist Michał Murgrabia.

Among the list of 19 situations included in the questionnaire, respondents lastly mentioned violence and physical abuse being inflicted upon them (1.5%). On the same last spot, there were also respondents who reported sex-based actions, exploitation or receiving sexual propositions (1.5%).

– “This result may be positive, suggesting that such extreme forms of bullying are less common. However, it should be taken into account that some people may not want to talk about these experiences due to shame or trauma. Court cases regarding sexual harassment, won by employers, show that although these problems are less common, they are present and require special attention,” suggests Iwona Szmitkowska.

Respondents also complained about other issues, such as the withdrawal of tasks previously assigned to them (2%). In addition, 3% of respondents experienced intentional efforts to inflict psychological harm at work or home, and the enforcement of tasks violating personal dignity.

– “We do not know whether these behaviours mainly concern superiors or colleagues. In any case, these are phenomena that companies must start to combat seriously,” adds Mr Raczkowski.

As emphasised by the attorney, many people in higher positions still think that familiarity and cheekiness towards subordinates is a sign of respect and treating them as equals. But it should be emphasized that this is not how it is perceived. The rudeness of a superior will always be rudeness, and more of a humiliation than a sign of brotherhood,” he says.