Subscribe
E-Paper
By Choi Sung-jin
Bullying at work costs 5 trillion won ($4.4 billion) a year in lost labor, a study shows.
The Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training released a report Thursday on workplace bullying based on a survey of 3,000 workers -- 200 each in 15 different industries.
According to the report, the probability of damage on non-regular workers -- part-timers and contract workers -- was 28.1 percent, higher than the 21.3 percent on regular, full-time employees.
In social and economic terms, the damage was higher among the middle class (25.5 percent) and lower class (23.5 percent) than among the high class (15.1 percent).
The rate of offense was highest among high-class people with 16.2 percent, indicating Korea's organizational culture allows for bullying by power groups, the report said.
Lost labor costs caused by workplace harassment amounted to 4.78 trillion won, which includes 964.7 billion won in manufacturing, 656 billion won in the wholesale-retailing sector and 501.7 billion won in catering and lodging. The cost is calculated by the lost hours when workers cannot focus on their jobs because of bullying, multiplied by hourly wages.
"Workers showed low trust in companies' measures to reduce workplace bullying," said Seo Yu-jeong, an assistant fellow at the institute. "Up to 85 percent of respondents said the government should come forward to enact a law to prevent office harassment."
