Bullying

Key findings

Reports of bullying:

• fell to 13% of respondents from 20% in 2016

Respondents who experienced bullying:

• 47% were bullied by a colleague
• said incivility, exclusion, intimidation and the withholding of essential information were the most common types.

Defining bullying

Bullying is defined as repeated unreasonable behaviour directed at an employee that creates a risk to their health and safety.

It can have an immediate and long-term negative impact on those involved, including those who witness bullying.

Respondents who experienced bullying

This chart shows the percentage of respondents who experienced bullying in the workplace.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce

 

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Type of bullying

In this chart, respondents who experienced bullying said what type they experienced.

The results may add up to more than 100% because respondents could choose more than one answer.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce

 

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Source of bullying

In this chart, respondents who experienced bullying said who bullied them.

This chart may add up to more than 100% because respondents could choose more than one answer.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce

 

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Working relationship

In this chart, respondents who experienced bullying said what their working relationship is with the bully.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce

 

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Telling someone about bullying

In this chart, respondents who experienced bullying said who they told.

The results may add up to more than 100% because respondents could choose more than one answer.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce

 

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Why respondents didn’t submit a formal complaint

In this chart, respondents who experienced bullying said why they didn’t submit a formal complaint.

Understanding why employees don’t submit a formal complaint helps organisations provide better support.

The results may add up to more than 100% because respondents could choose more than one answer.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce

 

 

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Satisfaction with how the complaint was handled

In this chart, respondents who experienced bullying and submitted a formal complaint said if they were satisfied with how it was handled.

Year 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2017 Filter by industry Whole of public sector Public entities Victorian Public Service Creative industries, finance, transport and other Police and emergency services Public health care TAFE and other education Water and land management Government schools Filter by demographic Overall Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Age Full-time or part-time Ongoing, fixed-term or casual Ongoing or fixed-term Cultural identity Disability Gender Gender identity Religion Headcount Full-time equivalent Employers Percentage of all employees by headcount Percentage of all full-time equivalent employees Remuneration Remuneration gap as an amount Remuneration gap as a percentage View as a number or percentage Percentage Number Salary Percentage of industry Percentage of total public sector workforce