“I would not want to be viewed as someone that complains”: a mixed methods analysis of the factors that contribute to concealment and disclosure of workplace cyberbullying

Abstract

ABSTRACT Almost half of all U.S. employees have experienced some form of workplace bullying . Stress and decreased job satisfaction are just some of the negative impacts victims or bystanders of workplace bullying can undergo . With the increased use of computer-mediated communication and social media, workplace cyberbullying is a concern in addition to face-to-face workplace bullying. The current study explored decisions to disclose workplace cyberbullying from a communication privacy management perspective. Quantitative results from 185 participants show the contextual criteria of important reason and conversational appropriateness to predict the depth of workplace cyberbullying disclosures and important reason to predict the breadth of disclosures. Qualitative results show factors that influenced concealment of workplace cyberbullying include fear of potential negative outcomes, lack of trust, and unwelcome culture, whereas factors that influenced disclosure of workplace cyberbullying included an open and safe space, impact of cyberbullying, the ‘greater good effect,’ and confidence in the situation improving. Results of this study can assist organizations and leaders in creating environments and trainings that encourage employees to disclose workplace cyberbullying.