What happens when the people responsible for protecting health at work experience bullying, harassment or discrimination themselves? The Healthy Working Lives Group and the Society of Occupational Medicine examined these experiences among occupational health practitioners in the UK.
What the study looked at
UK occupational health organisations circulated a questionnaire to their members. The study asked about experiences of bullying, harassment or abuse and discrimination at work, who was involved, and whether reported experiences differed by personal or work characteristics.
What respondents told us
- Of 367 respondents, 75% reported experiencing bullying, harassment or abuse at work, and 40% reported discrimination at work.
- Respondents most often identified workers they saw in clinics as a source of bullying, harassment or abuse, followed by managers or HR staff. Reports of discrimination involved employers, colleagues and workers seen in clinics.
- Women and disabled respondents were more likely to report both types of experience. Respondents from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups were also more likely to report discrimination.
The response rate was 11%. These figures describe the people who responded and should be interpreted with care when considering the wider occupational health workforce. The survey captured experiences at one point in time, so the associations cannot establish what caused them.
What this means for occupational health
Organisations need to consider how they prevent and respond to these experiences in clinical encounters as well as within their own teams. The study highlights practical questions about how staff can raise concerns, what support is available after an incident and how employers follow up on reports.
Publication
Workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination among UK occupational health practitioners
D. Lalloo, S. Chavda, S. Vargas-Prada, S. H. Walker, D. Lalloo-McGurk and E. B. Macdonald. Occupational Medicine. Published online 28 September 2026.
Read the abstract in the University of Glasgow’s research repository
