STAFF at all levels of ­Glasgow City Council have experienced bullying and harassment, research has revealed.

Verbal abuse and unprofessional or aggressive behaviour were the most common forms of bullying reported by focus groups organised by market research company IPSOS Mori.

The study found staff were “quite hesitant” to report incidents, with some workers worried about being called a ‘grass’ by colleagues.

Figures for 2018/19 show 36 complaints were received, but just five led to action being taken.

The low percentage of punitive action could be because disputes involve “relationship problems between human beings,” an officer said.

An updated bullying and harassment policy was agreed in December last year, with staff set to undergo training this summer.

“This is an issue that came up repeatedly in the staff surveys we have been doing,” an IPSOS Mori representative said. “We found that participants at all levels of the organisation had experienced bullying and harassment, either personally or in a witnessing capacity.”

Staff felt reporting bullying could be an “uncomfortable or potentially embarrassing thing to do” and would be difficult to prove if it was one person’s word against another.

“They had a feeling that if they did report an incident then that might become known and they might face further negative treatment,” the representative added.

There was a reluctance to talk about incidents among depot-based staff. “They felt that reporting it would leave yourself open to really quite negative treatment, potentially being called a grass or being ostracised by your colleagues.”

Senior managers felt “sometimes what’s seen to be bullying and harassment is just a manager expressing dissatisfaction with a member of staff’s work or perhaps asking them to take on new roles”.

Staff suggested clearer definitions and examples of bullying and harassment, better training for managers, earlier informal interventions and more effective action against those found to be culpable “to send a message it wouldn’t be tolerated within the organisation”.

Chief Executive Anne Marie O’Donnell said the Council will “ensure all staff across the organisation understand the seriousness of the issues that continue to be raised and importantly how the Council is responding to them”.

“I take this incredibly serious, all of our services are now looking at it from a service-specific perspective.

“It’s always a very sensitive issue, what we absolutely have to ensure is that we are honest and open with staff about the changes that have happened and the changes that are coming.

“We need staff to be resilient, to be confident and to raise issues and concerns with us.”

Views of more than 105 staff across the Council were heard by IPSOS Mori, which also carried out interviews with senior managers.