ABSTRACT
Before we get started Before we enter the world of workplace bullying, we want to provide a note
on our approach and the terms we use. You will notice as you read this book
that we usually refrain from using words such as ‘bully’ or ‘victim’. This is
not because we’re trying to be politically correct, but it goes to the heart of
our approach to unacceptable behaviours at work. These behaviours have
signifi cant negative effects on people. We view preventing them as part of the
responsibilities that we have to each other regarding safety and wellbeing in
the workplace. One of the core values in workplace safety is that we don’t
simply blame individuals, but rather, we look for systemic factors that could
have infl uenced the occurrence of a negative event. Of course, individuals are
still responsible for their own behaviour and play an important role in what
happens, but the inter action between the person, the situation and the system
is also important. This approach is supported in various domains, such as
when explain ing the torture and abuse of prisoners that occurred in Abu
Ghraib (see Zimbardo 2007).
