27/10/2009 - Submitted by: Boussios Tilia

A great deal of uncertainty and ambivalence exists in many contemporary organisations and indeed in society more generally.

Partly this uncertainty may be attributed to the current economic climate; globalisation and its consequences; rapid technological change; to acts, or threats of acts of terrorism; shifting patterns of work and work relationships; and economic mismanagement and unethical behaviours in some corporations.

We have seen an increase in reported stories of bullying, harassment, pressured workplaces, violence at work and deviant behaviours in the workplace currently and in the last decade or so. We have also seen increased employee anxiety; a change to concepts such as loyalty, commitment and service; and a growing mistrust of management and colleagues and their motives. Behaviours associated with bullying have been reported at all levels in organisations; from managers to staff, staff to managers; staff to staff, and customers or suppliers to staff.

In many cases, government bodies have made serious attempts to address the problem by supporting research activity. More work, however, remains to be done and this conference presents an opportunity to share what has been done so far and to discuss where we might need to go in the future.

One of the aims for this conference is to bring interested parties in organisations and government; researchers; policy makers; intervention specialists such as mediators, trainers, practitioners, therapists and counsellors together in a unified and synergistic conference format where ideas may be shared and exchanged in the spirit of collegiality and co-operation. In this way, we will enhance knowledge exchange and the dissemination of knowledge relating to workplace bullying and harassment.

The conference will enable researchers and practitioners to discuss and debate appropriate research and practicalities into matters affecting them at work to create new understanding; and to use that understanding to put in place positive strategies and interventions to create more meaningful, productive, and positive workplaces.