Less than 10% of workers experience bullying on the job. But forthose who do, the consequences can be severe.

Ball State University researchers reviewed 2010 data from morethan 17,000 workers who were asked, among other thingsabout bullyingon the job.

The study found that 8% overall reported they had experiencedbullying, with women being far more likely to be the targets ofbullying than men.

Of those who were bullied, researchers reported, they were farmore likely to report physical and psychological responses to thebullying, including stress, loss of sleep, depression andanxiety.

The report, “Workplace Harassment and Morbidity Among U.S.Adults,” said these targets tend to report higher levels of lowself-esteem, concentration difficulties, anger, lower lifesatisfaction, reduced productivity and increased absenteeism thanthose who said they were not bullied.

“Harassment or bullying suffered by American employees is severeand extremely costly for employers across the country,” JagdishKhubchandani, a community health education professor at Ball Stateand the study's lead author, told Bloomberg BNA Dec. 18. “The firstthing that we have to do, and employers have to do, is admit thatthere is a problem,” he said.

Among other findings:

• Females were 47% more likely to be bullied or harassed thanmales;
• Victims of harassment were more likely tobe obese and smoke;
• Female victims reported higher rates ofdistress, smoking, and pain disorders like migraines and neckpain; and
• Male victims were more likely to miss more than two weeks ofwork and suffer from asthma, ulcers, hypertension and worsening ofgeneral health.
• Bullying was more prevalent among hourly workers, state andlocal government employees, multiple jobholders, night shiftemployees and those working irregular schedules.

Khubchandani said that employees are generally reluctant toreport harassment because the result is often “just handle it.”Companies need to have anti-bullying policies with teeth in them,and they can also conduct an annual survey of employees thatincludes gathering information about bullying.

An awareness campaign that educates managers on the signs ofbullying such as employees chronically using personal or sick leave— will help to identify those who possibly are being targeted, hesaid.