THE recent news that one in 10 people in UK workplaces has been bullied is shocking, but no surprise to me ("Destructive Interpersonal Conflict and Bullying at Work" by Professor Gary Cooper and Helge Hoel from the Manchester School of Management).

We fought quite hard to get funding for this research because of a growing concern that bullying needed to be addressed as a matter or urgency.

The research shows that bullying is a major problem and an endemic part of many corporate cultures. I am sure that every person working in the UK can relate a story of bullying that has affected either them or a colleague in some way.

If you think about it, this is completely unacceptable. It is time for every working person in the UK to go in to work and ask "What is our policy on bullying?"

In our experience, those organisations which have accepted that bullying can occur and put a preventative policy in place, are at the forefront of eradicating it from their company culture.

At the end of the day, combating bullying makes good business sense as aggressive management styles and violence in the workplace lead to absenteeism, demotivation and reduced productivity.

I hope that everyone who employs other people will take notice of this research and take a long, hard look at their organisations. Everyone has a right to a safe, stress-free working environment without the threat of verbal abuse or violence.

DIANA LAMPLUGH, Director, The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, East Sheen Avenue, London SW14.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.