Bullying in the Healthcare Industry

Bullying in healthcare increases preventable patient safety risks. Bullying harms employee well-being, causes increased turnover, and impacts team communication. To mitigate these risks, HR must lead the organization with evidence-based best practices, direct and support organizational transformation, and utilize tools and methods that improve employee experience and patient outcomes.

Bullying in healthcare involves repeated abusive or intimidating behaviors driven by real or perceived power imbalance, and organizational factors can enable these behaviors to persist (Murphy, 2021). Approximately 52% of healthcare workers report experiencing bullying, harassment, or discrimination (Nursing Notes, 2021). These behaviors directly interfere with patient care (Wallace & Gipson, 2017). Bullying harms employee well-being, increases turnover, and disrupts team communication, which all impact patient outcomes. HR leaders must address bullying by implementing evidence-based practices, guiding organizational transformation, and using tools and methods that strengthen the employee experience and improve patient outcomes.

HR should lead the creation of a professional, respectful culture that supports employee engagement and ultimately improves patient outcomes. Key best practices include establishing clear policies and expectations, fostering psychological safety, educating staff about bullying, and implementing effective reporting systems (American Medical Association, n.d.).

Clear, well-communicated policies allow HR to take a zero-tolerance stance on bullying. These expectations should be documented in the employee handbook and code of conduct and should require annual acknowledgement.

Building psychological safety encourages employees to speak up about ideas, concerns, or mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment. Research shows that psychologically safe teams perform better and experience less conflict (Loignon & Wormington, 2024).

Bullying education helps employees recognize harmful behaviors, understand their rights and responsibilities, and learn how to respond, which strengthens morale, productivity, and legal compliance (Traliant, n.d.).

Robust reporting system enable organizations to capture, track, and investigate bullying concerns. Data from these reports should inform quality improvement efforts aimed at reducing bullying incidents (Jones, et al., 2023).

Bullying in healthcare poses a significant threat to patient safety by undermining employee well-being, accelerating turnover, and disrupting the communication essential for high-quality patient care. HR plays a critical role by leading organizational change through evidence-based policies, fostering pyschological safety, supporting leadership development, and using tools that strengthen employee wellness, engagement and teamwork. HR helps create and support a culture where respect, accountability, and safety are the norm. When organizations commit to these practices, they not only improve employee experience, but the also improve patient outcomes.

References:

American Medical Association. (n.d.) Bullying in the healthcare workplace: A guide to prevention and mitigation. American Medical Association.

Jones, C., Sousane, Z., Mossburg, S. (2023). Addressing workplace violence and creating a safer workplace. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Loignon, A. & Wormington, S. (2024) What is psychological safety at work? Centers for Creative Leadership.

Murphy, B. (2021). Why bullying happens in healthcare - and how to stop it. American Medical Association.

NursingNotes. (n.d.). One in three healthcare workers afraid to report their boss for bullying due to fear of repercussions.

Traliant. (n.d.). Preventing bullying in the workplace. Traliant.

Wallace, S. & Gipson, K. (2017). Bullying in healthcare. Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory.