Nearly one in seven UK workers experienced some form of workplace abuse over the last year, with women and LGBTQ+ workers at the most risk, finds a report led by a UCL researcher.
The report, How Common is Workplace Abuse? is part of the Skills and Employment Survey 2024, an analysis of working habits in the UK. This is the first year that workplace abuse has been analysed as part of the survey.
Women were more likely to experience workplace abuse over the last year (2023-2024) than men, at 19% compared to 10%. LGBTQ+ workers were at the greatest risk of sexual harassment, with 7% reporting this compared to 2% of heterosexual workers.
Certain occupations were at greater risk than others, with nurses, teachers and night workers facing the biggest risk. Just 8% of home or hybrid workers reported workplace abuse, compared to 39% of nurses, 31% of teachers and 24% of night workers. Those in the financial services sector reported a 5% risk.
Lead author Professor Francis Green (IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education & Society) said: "Workplace abuse has lasting damaging effects on victims, including loss of commitment and poor health. Yet our survey finds that every year abuse at work is far too common, especially in the public sector. Sexual harassment is endured most by women and by LGBTQ+ workers. Employers need to be aware of the risks that stem from unequal power at work, to instil a culture of respect, and set up proper human resource policies to address problems. Our report also calls on the Office for National Statistics to monitor trends in each form of abuse."
For the overall survey, carried out every six years, 5,469 people were surveyed through a mixture of detailed in-person interviews and online surveys. The nationally representative survey focused on working adults aged 20-65 living in the UK. The survey was split into eight separate reports, covering topics such as AI, unions, locations of work and workplace abuse.
The researchers recommend using the Quarterly Labour Force Survey to monitor and regularly publish each form of workplace abuse. They also say that government statisticians should develop a system of ongoing monitoring to help understand how economic development and policy initiatives may reduce workplace abuse.
Previous evidence has found that bullying contributes to job dissatisfaction, sickness absence, stress, sleep deprivation, depression and suicidal thoughts. Sexual harassment has been linked to health issues such as headaches, gastric and respiratory complaints, musculoskeletal pain and weight change. Victims of workplace violence suffer loss of earnings and male-female violence often leads to a decline in the proportion of women in a firm.
Other key findings in the Skills and Employment Survey 2024 are that half of people working from home do so in a room or space used primarily for other purposes, such as the kitchen or at the dining table.
Men are more likely than women to have their own dedicated home working space or office, while women are more likely to work in spaces used for other purposes.
Overall survey project lead, Professor Alan Felstead (Cardiff University) said: "The world of work has changed much since our last survey in 2017. For example, where we work has changed, the use of AI has accelerated, task discretion has fallen and there has been growth in industrial unrest. This survey examines how these changes have affected workers' lives.
"Probably one of the most dramatic changes has been the shift of work into the home triggered by the lockdown restrictions. But not everyone can work in this way. Around two-fifths (38%) of the employed population still work in fixed places of work such as offices, factories or shops. Even where working at home is possible, some employers have issued return to the office mandates and are on a collision course with their employees. Around two-thirds of homeworkers told us it is an essential or very important part of the employment package.
"But there are challenges with working at home, particularly for people who cannot create a home office such as those who live in smaller homes or shared accommodation. Overall, these survey results show that money and power matter in who gets the opportunity to work at home and whether these workers are subsequently able to create an office within the home. Policy, therefore, needs to focus on promoting all forms of flexible working and not just working at home which tends to favour the better off."
