Workplace Harassment More Common in Public Sector than Private... Women > Men

Most Common Types Are Verbal Abuse and Bullying
81.7% of Victims Are Staff and Assistant Managers

Six out of ten wage workers were found to have experienced workplace harassment. The experience of workplace harassment also affected workers' mental health.

On the 4th, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Women and Youth Headquarters and the Central Research Institute announced the results of a workplace harassment survey conducted from June 15 to 30 on 1,600 male and female union members.

A survey revealed that 6 out of 10 wage workers experienced workplace bullying. According to the survey results, the rate was higher among women (68.9%) than men (48.8%), and by victim rank, entry-level employees (51.6%) and assistant managers (30.1%) were the most affected.
[Photo by Asia Economy]

The survey results showed that 61.5% of respondents reported experiencing workplace harassment. The rate was higher among women (68.9%) than men (48.8%), and by victim rank, staff level (51.6%) and assistant manager level (30.1%) were the most affected.

By type of harassment, the most common response was having experienced 'verbal abuse' (46.3%). The proportion who experienced 'workplace ostracism' was 39.5%, and 38.4% reported experiencing 'institutional restrictions' that prevented proper use of annual leave, sick leave, or parental leave.

Workers who experienced 'job exclusion and threats' or 'physical violence and threats' accounted for 31.3% and 19.0%, respectively.

More severe impact on 'women' than men, and in the 'public sector' than the private sector

In this survey, more workers in the public sector (71.2%) reported experiencing workplace harassment than those in the private sector (59.3%).
[Photo by Asia Economy]

The survey found that more workers in the public sector (71.2%) experienced workplace harassment than those in the private sector (59.3%).

The KCTU explained this as due to the relatively authoritarian and hierarchical organizational culture.

Additionally, 53.0% of women and 27.0% of men reported having experienced 'sexual harassment in the workplace.' A representative type was the 'gender role stereotype' that forces specific roles on a particular gender.

To prevent workplace harassment, the priorities were management’s interest and will (21.6%), education on workplace gender equality or human rights (21.9%), and raising awareness through disciplinary actions and punishments (18.0%).

The survey also examined the impact of workplace harassment on individual workers' mental health using depression and anxiety disorder measurement tools. Among victims of workplace harassment, 26.9% experienced 'moderate depression,' and 6.2% suffered from 'severe depression.'

Regarding anxiety disorders, 30.2% of victims were in a state 'requiring observation and attention,' 15.4% were at a level 'requiring additional evaluation or professional help,' and 6.3% were in a state of 'excessive and severe worry and anxiety that interferes with daily life.'

Jang Jin-hee, a research fellow at the KCTU Central Research Institute, said, "The Workplace Harassment Prevention Act is very meaningful in guaranteeing labor rights in the workplace, but the fact that workers in workplaces with fewer than five employees remain legally unprotected is still a problem," and suggested urgent policy tasks such as establishing protection measures for these workers.

The 'Workplace Harassment Prohibition Act,' enacted through the amendment of the Labor Standards Act in July 2019, prohibits acts by employers or workers who use their position or relational superiority at work to cause physical or mental pain to other workers. Employers must immediately discipline perpetrators if they discover acts causing physical or mental pain in the workplace. If the employer disadvantages the reporter or victim, they face 'imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.