Aligning policies, training, and reporting systems can work together to combat bullying at work, and here’s how.
Nearly one in three employees (or 32%) of U.S. adults have experienced abusive conduct at work, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute’s 2024 National Survey.
That’s not just a statistic — it’s a wake-up call. Bullying at work is a pervasive organizational risk that erodes trust, drives turnover, and creates long-term cultural and compliance challenges. Yet many organizations still treat it as a siloed HR issue, missing the opportunity to take a more strategic, system-wide solution.
The companies who do recognize this risky behavior for what it is, however, need a strategy for how to resolve the problem and improve their culture for the better. One of the more effective ways to do this is with a connected compliance approach. By unifying policy management, training, reporting channels, and cultural accountability, organizations can better prevent misconduct, catch red flags early, and respond with clarity and consistency.
Understanding Bullying at Work
Workplace bullying involves repeated, harmful behaviors such as verbal abuse, intimidation, exclusion, or sabotage. The emotional toll of bullying (stress, burnout, and disengagement) is well-known, however research from Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience reveals even deeper consequences including:
- Increased risk of anxiety
- Depression
- Sleep disturbances
- Cardiovascular disease
Victims are more likely to take extended sick leave or leave the workforce altogether. Beyond the human cost, bullying at work violates internal codes of conduct, breaches anti-harassment policies, and may even violate regulatory expectations around workplace safety. The consequences include heightened turnover, decreased productivity, reputational harm, and potential legal liability if the behavior is left unaddressed.
The Compliance Connection
When workplace bullying is ignored, the consequences pose real risk to the entire organization. Repeated mistreatment can lead to legal claims under employment laws or health and safety regulations while also signaling a breakdown in the company’s ethical foundation. Employees begin to lose trust in leadership, and culture starts to erode.
The damage doesn’t stop there. A poor response to misconduct can hurt your organization’s reputation and raise concerns among stakeholders. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute’s 2024 National Survey, 72% of Americans are aware that bullying happens at work. Inaction isn’t just a missed opportunity — it’s a visible failure. When these issues are allowed to continue, they create blind spots that weaken regulatory and policy compliance and reduce accountability across the organization.
Organizations can address this risk by implementing a connected compliance strategy. Aligning policies, training, reporting tools, and cultural oversight empowers organizations to respond effectively and prevent harm before it happens.
What Is a Connected Compliance Strategy?
A connected compliance strategy unifies the core elements of an effective ethics and compliance program into one cohesive framework. Rather than treating these components, like compliance training and reporting channels, as standalone efforts, a connected approach ensures they work in tandem to detect, prevent, and respond to misconduct (like bullying at work).
In contrast, fragmented systems and siloed reporting channels create dangerous gaps: critical incidents may go unreported, trends across departments remain hidden, and accountability becomes inconsistent.
5 Ways a Connected Compliance Strategy Prevents Bullying at Work
A connected compliance strategy equips organizations with the tools to proactively identify, address, and eliminate toxic behavior by aligning systems, people, and processes. Here are five key components that, when integrated, form a strong defense against bullying in the workplace:
Clear, Accessible Policies
Anti-bullying policies are only effective when they are clear, up-to-date, and easily accessible to everyone in the organization. A connected compliance strategy ensures these policies are centralized, consistently communicated, and aligned with broader conduct and ethics standards. This clarity helps employees understand expectations, recognize unacceptable behavior, and feel confident in how to report it.
Targeted Training Programs
Training brings policies to life by equipping employees and managers with practical tools to recognize, prevent, and respond to bullying. With a connected compliance approach, training is role-specific, timely, and reinforced regularly (not just for onboarding).
Anonymous Reporting Channels
Fear of retaliation remains one of the biggest barriers to reporting workplace bullying. But when employees are given access to anonymous hotlines and digital reporting tools, they’re more likely to speak up before harmful behavior escalates. According to Mitratech’s 2025 State of Ethics Report, organizations saw a 25.5% increase in reporting from 2023 to 2024, highlighting that when reporting systems are trusted, they work. Beyond individual cases, integrated reporting tools allow organizations to spot behavioral patterns, uncover root causes, and take action proactively.
Centralized Case Management
When bullying reports are scattered across different departments or systems, it’s easy for issues to fall through the cracks. A centralized case management system ensures consistent documentation, timely investigation, and fair resolution. It also enables leadership to track trends and respond strategically, rather than reacting case by case.
Leadership Engagement & Culture Metrics
Leaders set the tone for acceptable behavior (and employees notice when they walk the talk). A connected compliance strategy empowers leaders with data from pulse surveys, culture audits, and case analytics, helping them spot red flags and measure progress. By staying engaged and informed, leadership reinforces that bullying has no place in their organizations.
Tackling Bullying at Work Through Connected Compliance
Workplace bullying can’t be solved by policy documents alone or left solely to HR. In the UK, a BMC Public Health survey found that 10.6% of employees across more than 70 organizations reported being bullied within the past six months alone. That’s a clear signal: isolated efforts and reactive policies aren’t enough.
A connected compliance strategy goes further. It weaves policies, training, reporting tools, and cultural reinforcement into a unified approach that prevents harm before it can spread. When compliance efforts are aligned, they become proactive. They create consistency. They give employees a voice and leaders a roadmap. . They cultivate a stronger, safer culture built on trust, transparency, and shared accountability.
Now is the time to step back and evaluate. Are your systems truly working together? Do your employees feel safe speaking up? Are you identifying risks early or reacting too late?
It’s time to create a workplace where everyone feels safe to speak up. Ready to take the next step? Let’s start the conversation.
