About 743 million people suffer workplace violence and harassment, a global survey released Monday has said.
This number represents 22.8 per cent of the world’s population and more than one in five people who experience at least one form of workplace violence.
Titled ‘Experiences of violence and harassment at work: A global first survey,’ the survey found that workplace violence and harassment take different forms including physical, psychological, and sexual.
It looks at the factors that may prevent people from talking about their experiences, including shame, guilt, a lack of trust in institutions, or because such unacceptable behaviours are seen as “normal.”
The survey, which is the first of its kind, is a joint analysis by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) and Gallup.
The survey stated that violence and harassment at work cause harm to individuals, families, businesses and societies. It affects people’s lives, dignity, health and well-being. It also exacerbates inequality in societies and undermines business productivity.
“There should be no place for and no tolerance of violence and harassment at work – anywhere. To prevent and address it effectively, we need to know it better. We need to know which types of violence and harassment at work are more prevalent and where, and who is more exposed to it and why,” the survey said, underscoring its importance.
Roughly 125,000 interviews were conducted in 121 countries and territories, gathering information regarding people’s experiences of violence and harassment at work.
The interviews were conducted in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the World Risk Poll.
Interviews in 62 countries were done by telephone and the other 52 were done in person.
Violence and harassment at work are widespread and recurrent phenomena around the world, the survey says. (Premium Times)
