In practice violence in the workplace may include a wide range of behaviours, often continuing and overlapping, as exemplified in the following box. Those who in their working life have never experienced or witnessed one of these behaviours are likely to be a very small, lucky minority. Not all violence is physical. In recent years, new evidence has emerged of the impact and harm caused by non-physical, psychological violence. Such psychological violence includes bullying and mobbing.
Workplace bullying is one of the fastest-growing forms of workplace violence.
Research carried out in the UK found that 53 per cent of employees had been victims of bullying at work and that 78 per cent had witnessed such behaviour. The impact on those concerned can be severe. Ganging up or mobbing is a growing problem in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Mobbing includes constant negative remarks or criticisms, isolating a person from social contacts, and gossiping or spreading false information. In Sweden, it is estimated that mobbing is a factor in 10 to 15 per cent of suicides.