The downturn in the economy has exacerbated many of the problems faced by working men and women, not least the threat of redundancy and associated stress. Another issue that already exists in many working environments is also thought to be getting worse as the pressure mounts – bullying.

Although it is understood that men normally make up the majority of the aggressors, research shows that they take a fairly ‘egalitarian approach’ to choosing their targets i.e. they aren’t choosy if the victims are male or female. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that female bullies are more likely to pick on their own sex for an bit of psychological punishment. A recent article in the New York Times "Backlash – Women Bullying Women at Work" has considered the phenomenon in more detail (bear in mind that any stats are based on US data but it still makes for interesting reading):

Yelling, scheming and sabotaging: all are tell-tale signs that a bully is at work, laying traps for employees at every pass.

During this downturn, as stress levels rise, workplace researchers say, bullies are likely to sharpen their elbows and ratchet up their attacks.

Observations about female bullies are not new (click here for a 2005 article which suggests that they are often worse than male bullies) but it is a unfortunate twist of human nature that difficult circumstances can often bring out the worst in people. Whilst we live in difficult times, there are plenty of easily-accessible resources for those being picked on, click for more info.