A study conducted by North-West University academics indicated that South Africa teachers are one of the professional groups in the country that experienced the most bullying in the workplace. The research completed by the School of Education Studies titled “The Nature Of Workplace Bullying Experienced By Teachers and the Biopsychosocial Health Effects,” cited that the bullies that teachers encountered were mostly male school principals.
What’s alarming is that the research also indicated that principals looked for reasons to threaten or file grievances against bullied victims. One can only imagine how scary these teacher’s working environment can be. It also suggests that organization’s culture is not a healthy and positive one, which would have given the victim’s the courage to speak up without fear of retaliation or further harassment.
The experience definitely has a negative effect on individuals who were bullied at work. Not only does it affect a victim’s mental and emotional health, it also manifests into various physical sickness and conditions. Bullying can also sometimes lead to depression and thoughts of suicide.
To learn more about the study and the devastating effect of bullying on teachers, click here.