Work Shouldn’t Hurt!
Our 24-year mission: to research and understand, to educate the public, and to promote the prevention and correction of abusive conduct at work.
If you’re in crisis, please click to reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or
the Crisis Text Line (text 741741) to get help from a crisis counselor. Free 24/7 support is available.
What is workplace bullying?
Our definition: workplace bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment by one or more employees of an employer: abusive conduct that is either verbal abuse; or behaviors which are threatening, intimidating, or humiliating; or work sabotage, in some combination.
Abuse at work is the only form of abuse in America that is not yet taboo. All other forms have been condemned – abuse of children, spouses, partners – while bullying at work is still considered a normal, inevitable or even necessary business practice.
How normalized has workplace bullying become?
Statistics from the 2021 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey
Since 1997, the Workplace Bullying Institute has led the charge with comprehensive, evidence-based, practical solutions for individuals, unions, employers, & lawmakers. Learn more about the extent of workplace bullying and practical solutions for prevention and awareness from the co-founder and Director of Workplace Bullying Institute, Dr. Gary Namie.
Brief introduction, recorded in 2011.
80 min. introduction to the topic, 2021.
Our Comprehensive Menu of Research-Driven Resources and Services
Resources for Survivors: You’re Not Alone
Learn more about the phenomenon of workplace bullying by viewing this dynamic presentation.
Developed for Targets, Survivors, Thrivers, & Support Professionals.
To keep from making a bad situation worse, we’ve developed this packet of expert advice.
Developed for Targets experiencing workplace bullying in real-time.
Because so many feel alienated and are in need of emotional support, we’ve developed this online community: SafeHarbor.
Developed for Targets, Survivors, Thrivers, Mental Health Professionals, Union Reps, In-House Advocates, Stakeholders & Researchers.
Not every mental health professionals understand how workplace bullying can impact a person. Here are a few trauma-informed counselors.
Developed for Targets, Survivors, & Thrivers
Targets tend to believe that workplace bullying is unique to them, so we asked some survivors to share their stories.
Developed for Everyone
Professional Services: Condone or condemn – it’s a choice.
Because policy makes or breaks a workplace and its employees, we’ve developed a self-directed Healthy Workplace Policy Writing Guide for employers produces a world-class set of procedures to both correct and prevent bullying/abusive conduct. Policy with enforcement protects both employers and employees.
Need to deal with Bob? (Or Roberta)? Reduce your liability by finally addressing the bully in your ranks to both correct and prevent bullying/abusive conduct. Our Respectful Conduct Clinic is a two-day program for identified offenders. Constraint of future destructive behaviors is done by individualized assessment, education, coaching and commitment to non-abusive conduct.
Workplace bullying is a systemic problem that demands a systemic solution. We can train an Expert Peers Team, employees of varying disciplines and rank who can perform a variety of services for colleagues: clarification, validation, predictability of consequences for targets, and strategies to survive and preserve personal health.
Too many unions believe they’re powerless when it comes to workplace bullying. Nothing could be further from the truth. Harness Union advocacy to protect members against abusive bullying in the workplace. Our Union Team Training enables stewards and reps to help aggrieved members, and provides strategies to work with members who are bullies.
Gary Namie, PhD, has the distinction of having testified as an expert witness in the first U.S. state trial case. He serves as expert for both plaintiffs’ and defense counsel in bullying-related lawsuits and arbitrations. Opinions and reports are based, in large part, on empirical peer-reviewed scientific research. Learn more about his Expert Witness services here.
Despite the fact that workplace bullying has likely been around as long as the workplace itself, it continues to be largely misunderstood by just about everybody. Workplace Bullying University® is the only research-driven, comprehensive program in the world, exploring every aspect of the workplace bullying phenomenon.
WBI Research
The new, 2021 U.S. WBI Workplace Bullying Survey is now available for download and study. This national scientific survey was funded by gracious GoFundMe contributors, and is our fifth nationwide study.
Our prior national, scientific WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying surveys from 2007-2017, along with the entire collection of WBI online studies, self-selected samples of bullied respondents describing the world of bullied targets from their perspective.
Other Resources and Initiatives
Everyone agrees: there ought to be a law. The WBI Healthy Workplace Bill is the boldest proposed change to U.S. employment law in 50 years. Introduced in 31 states. Law in Puerto Rico.
Our newest initiative, Workplace Bullying Podcast™, showcases the reality of workplace bullying and abusive conduct and related phenomena from the dark side of the world of work and society.
Our books have helped countless thousands over the years.
The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job
The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes from Killing Your Organization