Abstract
Objective: To explore patterns of workplace mistreatment, relationships with health and with selected workplace, economic and social factors in 34 countries. Methods: Secondary data analysis of the European Working Conditions Survey. Results: Patterns of ill treatment (across occupational groups, and sectors) were broadly consistent with smaller, less representative studies. Prevalence was lower than many studies but corresponds with estimates of serious mistreatment. Mistreatment increases the risk of both physical and mental ill health and is associated with a range of work environment factors. Mistreatment is more prevalent in countries with smaller gender gaps, better performance on the GINI index for income inequality and for countries with specific anti-bullying legislation. Conclusions: Mistreatment in work is complex, and interventions are required at the level of the organization. Implementation issues need to be addressed, as specific anti-bullying legislation does not appear to provide sufficient protection.
Highlights
The workplace has been identified as one of the priority settings for health promotion in the 21st century [1], due to its influence on the physical, psychosocial, and economic well-being of workers
There are a number of forms of mistreatment, most of which have been researched independently of one another. These usually include bullying, physical violence, incivility and sexual harassment or discrimination. All these forms of mistreatment are measured in the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), this paper explores only bullying, physical violence and incivility, as the prevalence of sexual and racial mistreatment was considered too low for secondary analysis
Prevalence is lower than many studies, especially given the use of the self-labeling method, it does correspond with estimates of serious mistreatment
Summary
The workplace has been identified as one of the priority settings for health promotion in the 21st century [1], due to its influence on the physical, psychosocial, and economic well-being of workers. Changing the conditions of work is one of three principles of action identified by the World Health Organization in order to lead global action on the social determinants of health [2]. How workers experience their workplace, or in particular how they are treated is an aspect of the working environment that potentially impacts on health and wellbeing. Drawing on archived data from the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), the paper aims to explore mistreatment across 34 countries, and in particular its association with health and well-being, aspects of the work environment and broader economic and social factors. The four variables in the survey that measure mistreatment; verbal abuse, threats and humiliation, bullying or harassment and physical violence, are employed in the analysis
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