Costs of Occupational Violence and Bullying

The conceptual framing of costs and mediating factors that follows considers both tangible and intangible costs. Not all costs are reducible to financial terms, yet non-quantifiable costs can be significant. Non-quantifiable costs usually result from breaches of social, civil, political and cultural norms. Such norms can be expressed in indicators of best practice that provide a basis for accountability (see: Chapter 10). The conceptual framework proposed provides a basis for estimating the costs of bullying/violence. Given demonstrable cost, and the existence of preventive guidelines in most western countries, the question remains as to why incidences of bullying/violence remain relatively high in workplaces. For bullying/violence to persist in organizations permission must be given and benefit derived (Brodsky, 1976). Thus, the perverse counter case, that benefits accrue from bullying/violence at work, also needs consideration, in the interests of furthering accountability.