Workplace Bullying Risk with Mary Cullen

Workplace bullying isn’t rare — it’s a persistent, under-recognised business risk that quietly erodes culture, trust, and retention.

In this episode of the HRchat Podcast, host Bill Banham speaks with Mary Cullen, Founder and Managing Director at Insight HR and host of The HR Room, to unpack the findings from the Insight HR Irish Workplace Bullying Report 2026.

Together, they explore what workplace bullying really means in practice — and why the legal definition often clashes with employee expectations. Mary shares patterns she sees time and again: complaints most frequently involve managers, the emotional toll affects both the accuser and accused, and unresolved issues often lead to exits, damaged trust, and long-term cultural harm.

The conversation goes beyond definitions to tackle what organisations get wrong. Many companies have policies, but far fewer invest in meaningful training, conflict resolution skills, or investigation capability. Bill and Mary also challenge the idea of “zero tolerance,” particularly when high performers are protected despite poor behaviour.

You’ll learn why complaints can spike during restructuring or performance management cycles, why malicious complaints are less common than assumed, and the single most effective step organisations can take to reduce risk quickly: train managers properly.

In this episode:

•  What the latest Irish data reveals about bullying complaints 
•  The difference between bullying and poor management behaviour 
•  Why legal thresholds create confusion in real workplaces 
•  The impact on mental health, performance, and retention 
•  Where most organisations fall short (even with policies in place) 
•  Why “zero tolerance” often fails in practice 
•  How to reduce risk quickly with limited budget 

If you care about psychological safety, employee relations, and building a culture where people actually want to stay — this episode is essential listening.

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