There is bullying in the workplace. Because unfortunately, bullying is a fact of life. Eliminating this practice will takes great deal effort from all parties but mainly the bullied. It's not until they speak up that you realise that there is a problem - and here is the paradox, they feel they are the underdogs and are unable to stand up for themselves.
It's true HR departments have the marvellous ability to recruit the wrong people for any job and fail to monitor employ progress. On the other side, line managers are often forced into supervising inadequate employees and as a result react very badly towards their weeker team members. Eventually HR act like stunned mullets when they realise there is a problem.
But I'm not so sure about the cost of this problem. It's not surprising that this press release comes from ACAS. Call me a cynic but I reckon this guy's budget is coming up for review.
PM