Workplace Bullying Behaviors Research Articles

Experiences of workplace bullying among academics in a health sciences faculty at a South African university.

Workplace bullying and other negative workplace behaviours are problems that need to be addressed across many work settings, including at universities. To examine the prevalence of bullying among academics, and factors associated with bullying, in a faculty of health sciences (FHS) of a South African university. All academic staff, except senior managers, were invited to participate by completing a self-administered, web-based questionnaire hosted on REDCap. In adition to sociodemographic information, the survey collected information on bullying, and the factors associated with experiences of workplace bullying. Survey data were exported to Stata 13 for analysis. The data were weighted to take account of the distribution of staff in the FHS. Chi-square tests and a multiple logistic regression model for bullying were utilised. The majority of study participants were white (52%), female (70%) and South African (85%). Bullying in the workplace was experienced by 58% of respondents, of whom 44% experienced bullying more than once, and 64% of participants had witnessed bullying. Being female (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14 - 2.93; p<0.05) and being jointly appointed as both a clinician in a health facility and an academic in the university (aOR 1.73; 95% CI 1.29 - 2.32; p<0.001) increased the odds of experiencing workplace bullying. A combination of strategies is needed, including clear FHS policies to prevent bullying, training in bullying prevention and critical diversity, and positive practice environments.

Workplace Bullying and Risk of Suicide and Suicide Attempts: A Register-Based Prospective Cohort Study of 98 330 Participants in Denmark

Background: Workplace bullying may severely affect mental health, but its association with suicidal behaviour is unknown. We analysed whether individuals reporting exposure to workplace bullying had higher risk of suicidal behaviour than those not reporting such exposure. Methods: Using a prospective cohort study design, we linked data from nine Danish questionnaire-based surveys (2004-2014) to national register data until December 31st, 2016. Exposure to workplace bullying was measured by a single item. Suicide attempts were identified in hospital registers and death by suicide in the Cause of Death Register. Among participants with no previous suicide attempts, we estimated Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI), adjusting for sex, age, marital status, socio-economic status, and history of psychiatric morbidity. Outcomes: The sample consisted of 98 330 participants (713 809 person-years); 63·6% women, mean age 44·5 years. Workplace bullying was reported by 10 259 participants (10·4%). During a mean follow-up of 7·3 years, we observed 186 cases of suicidal behaviour, including 145 suicide attempts, 36 deaths by suicide and 5 cases that died by suicide after surviving a suicide attempt. The fully-adjusted HR for the association between workplace bullying and suicidal behaviour was 1·70 (95% CI 1·10–2·61). The HRs for suicide attempts and death by suicide were 1·72 (1·14–2·58) and 2·29 (1·00–5·53), respectively. A multiplicative interaction with sex (2·78, CI 1·59–4·88) indicated that workplace bullying was associated with suicidal behaviour among men. Interpretation: The results suggested an elevated risk of suicidal behaviour among men reporting workplace bullying. Funding Information: Region of Southern Denmark (grant number A1763); Danish Working Environment Research Fund (grant number 20130023294); Danish Working Environment Research Fund (grant number 10-2019-03). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The project has been approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (Capital Region of Denmark; j.nr.: 2012-58-0004).

An Examination of Workplace Bullying in the Public Sector: A Multilevel Moderated Mediation Model

Workplace bullying is a negative psychosocial factor discouraging public servants to stay engaged and committed to the organization. This study contributes new insights into the understanding of the antecedents and outcomes of workplace bullying in the public sector. Drawing from three theoretical perspectives such as Social Learning, Social Information Processing, and Affective Events, we tested the multi-level relationships between ethical leadership, workplace bullying, and affective commitment of public servants under the moderating effects of power distance orientation and displaced aggression. Using data collected from 289 public servants nested in 59 teams in a province of a Southeast Asian country, there was empirical support for the importance of ethical leadership in decreasing workplace bullying and increasing affective commitment. Employees with high-power distance orientation who work with ethical leaders are more likely to accept workplace bullying behaviors. In situations where workplace bullying is high, employees who express a moderate level of displaced aggression will report a lower level of affective commitment. These findings highlight the importance of a consideration of contextual contexts and emotional reactions in understanding workplace bullying and its outcomes.

The incremental effect of Dark personality over the Big Five in workplace bullying: Evidence from perpetrators and targets

The current study analyzes the relationship between workplace bullying (self-reported experience of being a target and perpetration of bullying behaviors), Big Five and Dark Tetrad personality traits. The sample comprised 613 employees (54% female) from different Spanish organizations. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that neuroticism and Machiavellianism were positively related to being a target to bullying-related behaviors, whereas narcissism was negatively related. In the case of perpetrators, narcissism and sadism were positively, and agreeableness negatively related to workplace bullying behaviors. We conclude that personality traits are different in targets and perpetrators and should always be considered when investigating workplace bullying.

RELATIONS BETWEEN WORKPLACE BULLYING, CONSCIENTIOUSNESS AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WORK BEHAVIOURS: A STUDY AT LOGISTICS COMPANY

Employee behaviors gets popular in today’s academic and business environment because of its impact on organizational outcomes. Especially, increase of the dark attitudes of managers and colleagues towards the individuals, affects the formation of employees’ deviance behaviors. In this context, workplace bullying is considered as one of the types of destructive approaches in organizations that excluding someone in social environment or influencing co-workers job sustainability with the harassment and offending emotions. Rising of workplace bullying in organizations leads employees to demonstrate negative behaviors which are defined as counterproductive work behaviors. On the other side, personality traits of an employee may have a major role in transformation of perception of negative attitudes towards to the work outcomes. For this reason, it was aimed to find out the role of conscientiousness, one of the personality traits of Five Factor Model, in the interaction between workplace bullying and counterproductive work behaviors. Statistical analyzes were made with the participation of 204 employees of a logistics company. According to findings it was revealed out that conscientiousness has a moderation role in the interaction between workplace bullying and counterproductive work behaviors.

Standing up against workplace bullying behavior: Recommendations from newly licensed nurses.

Workplace bullying exists in today's healthcare system and often targets newly licensed nurses. Experiences of workplace bullying behavior may negatively affect the nurses' physical and psychological health and impact job satisfaction and staff turnover rates at an organizational level. The purpose of this study was to explore strategies suggested by newly licensed nurses to prevent and intervene during incidents of workplace bullying behavior. An exploratory qualitative design guided this study. Three open-ended questions asked included: What do you think could be done to prevent a future, similar incident of workplace bullying? If you or someone else attempted to the stop the bullying incident, please describe the actions taken. If you or someone else did not attempt to stop the bullying incident, please state what would need to happen for you to intervene on behalf of yourself or someone else. Surveys were distributed electronically to newly licensed nurses from three baccalaureate nursing programs who had participated in a workplace bullying education intervention study as students. A total of 79 responses were received. Responses to three open-ended questions about recent incidents of workplace bullying behavior were coded and analyzed. Then the Social-Ecological Model was used to organize results into individual, relationship, and organizational level strategies. Most respondents reported experiencing workplace bullying behaviors in the previous six months. Three domains of strategies were identified: Preventing Future Bullying Behavior, Stopping Incidents of Bullying Behavior, and Promoting Others to Act. Results indicated newly licensed nurses desire to be supported by their peers and organization as well as strategies to intervene when bullying behaviors occur. Implications for clinical practice and education are presented.

Exploring the influence of workplace violence and bystander behaviour on patient safety in Korea: A pilot study.

To explore the influences of clinical nurses' workplace violence and bystander behaviour on patient safety. Bystanders' role in social violence affects the consequences of said violence; however, few studies have explored the relationship between workplace violence and patient safety among nurses working in clinical settings. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted using a structured questionnaire pertaining to workplace violence, bystander behaviour, patient safety culture and nurse-assessed patient safety outcomes. The questionnaire was administered to 185 bedside nurses at a university hospital in a metropolitan city in Korea. A regression model with department, patient safety culture, workplace bullying, incivility and bystander behaviour explained approximately 34.0% of patient safety. Further, defending bystander behaviour, facilitating bystander behaviour, work-related bullying and co-worker incivility influenced the patient safety. Being a facilitating bystander was a threat to patient safety, while being a defending bystander enhanced patient safety. The negative consequences of workplace violence on patient safety may be mitigated by colleagues' reaction to violence; therefore, nursing policymakers should emphasize the role of positive bystanders as an organisational strategy against workplace violence.

Effects of bullying on job insecurity and deviant behaviors in nurses: Roles of resilience and support.

The present study tested a moderated mediation model in the Hospital industry of Pakistan. Extending the Conservation of Resources theory, we conducted a joint investigation of the mediating role of (a) Job Insecurity in linking Workplace Bullying with victim's deviant work behaviors and (b) the moderating roles of Resilience and Perceived Supervisor Support in influencing the mediation. Although the direct effects of bullying on deviant work were well established, the mechanisms and the boundary conditions through which bullying triggers deviant behaviors are still unknown. Utilizing temporally segregated field data from a sample of nurses and their fellow colleagues (n=251 dyads), a quantitative study was conducted in Pakistani hospitals. Results were consistent with our hypothesized moderated mediation (mod-med) framework in which workplace bullying led to deviant work behaviors in nurses via job insecurity. Moreover, this indirect effect was salient under nurses' low resilience and perceptions of supervisor support. Based on these findings, the relationship between workplace bullying and deviant work behaviors appears to bemore complex than what is commonly believed. The findings of the present study emphasize how and why bullying at workplace (particularly nurses) generates deviant work behavior.

Job Demand, Job Control, and Impaired Mental Health in the Experience of Workplace Bullying Behavior: A Two-Wave Study.

Workplace bullying is an extreme social stressor at work leading to a severe deterioration of health amongst its targets. Research has revealed two important orders of factors that may trigger workplace bullying: Poor working conditions and individual factors such as impaired mental health that determine a personal psychological vulnerability to bullying. However, research has rarely investigated their role simultaneously. In response, we investigated whether the relationship between poor working conditions (i.e., high job demand) at time 1 (T1) and the experience of bullying at time 2 (T2) is strengthened by experiencing symptoms of impaired mental health at T1. We also tested whether job control—which contributes to better working conditions—at T1 moderates the relationship between job demand at T1 and bullying at T2. Participants (N = 235) were workers in the health sector. The time lag between T1 and T2 was one year. Cross-lagged path analysis revealed that the relationship between job demand at T1 and the experience of bullying behavior at T2 was strengthened by T1 impaired mental health. This suggests that considering both working conditions and individual factors together may be important for reaching a better understanding of the development of bullying.

The role of Resilience between Workplace Bullying and Health: A Mediational Analysis

Workplace bullying is a serious problem that may arise within any occupation or organisation. Situations of workplace bullying are highly stressful and affect the health of workers who experience them in a negative way. Resilience has beenidentified as an essential capacity to protect people’s health. This study focuses on how resilience functions in situations of workplace bullying. By means of questionnaires, information about workplace bullying behaviours, resilience, andpsychological health in a sample of 762 workers was collected. The results show that exposure to bullying behaviours is related to poorer health, and resilience has a mediating role in the relationship between workplace bullying and employees’health. Main findings, limitations, and practical consequences of this study are discussed. The results obtained may serve to assist human resources managers and professionals when they are designing programs aimed at both controlling andpreventing workplace bullying within organisations.

호텔 종사원의 직장 내 괴롭힘이 조직시민행동에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구 : 심리적 계약위반의 매개효과를 중심으로

The aim of the following study is to determine the effect of hotel employees' workplace bullying on psychological contract violation and organizational citizenship behavior. The study also aims to verify the mediated effect of psychological contract violation in the relationship between workplace bullying and organizational citizenship behavior. The survey is conducted with four and five-star hotel employees, and the data of 298 participants are analyzed. The results of this study are as follows. First, workplace bullying has a negative effect on organizational citizenship behavior. Second, workplace bullying increases the perceived psychological contract violation. Third, psychological contract violation decreases organizational citizenship behavior. Fourth, psychological contract violation has a mediated effect in the relationship between workplace bullying and organizational citizenship behavior. The results of the study are meaningful as they verify the effect of workplace bullying on organizational citizenship behavior. They also allow a more in-depth understanding of how workplace bullying affects organizational citizenship behavior.

Workplace Bullying and Medically Certified Sickness Absence: Direction of Associations and the Moderating Role of Leader Behavior.

The aim of this study was to determine (1) associations between workplace bullying and subsequent risk and duration of medically certified sickness absence, (2) whether employees’ perceptions of supportive, fair, and empowering leader behavior moderate the association between bullying and absence, and (3) whether prior sickness absence increases the risk of being a new victim of bullying. Altogether, 10,691 employees were recruited from 96 Norwegian organizations in the period 2004–2014. The study design was prospective with workplace bullying and leader behavior measured at baseline and then linked to official registry data on medically certified sickness absence for the year following the survey assessment. For analyses of reverse associations, exposure to bullying was reassessed in a follow-up survey after 24 months. The findings showed that workplace bullying was significantly associated with risk (risk ratio = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.13–1.34), but not duration (incidence rate ratio = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.89–1.25) of medically certified sickness absence after adjusting for age, gender, and supportive, fair, and empowering leader behavior. None of the indicators of leader behavior moderated the association between bullying and sickness absence (both risk and duration). Adjusting for baseline bullying, age, and gender, prior long-term sickness absence (>21 days) was associated with increased risk of being a new victim of bullying at follow-up (odds ratio = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.28–2.72). Effective interventions toward workplace bullying may be beneficial with regard to reducing sickness absence rates. Organizations should be aware that long-term sickness absence might be a social stigma as sick-listed employees have an increased risk of being bullied when they return to work.

Workplace Bullying Among Pediatric Nurses: Its Relationship to Children Exposure to Some Adverse Events and Parents Satisfaction

Background: W orkplace bullying especially in healthcare setting and among nurses is a widespread and serious problem. A number of countries including Egypt have increasingly been focusing on exploring this problem in order to prevent its negative implications on the victim’s health and work performance. The purpose of this study was to determine relationship between workplace bullying among pediatric nurses and children exposure to some adverse events and parents satisfaction. A correlational research design was used. The study was conducted at hemodialysis unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatrics Department . A convenience sample of 118 staff nurses and random sample of 100 children parents were assigned from the previously mentioned settings. Three tools were used: Workplace Bullying Behaviors Scale , Parent's Satisfaction Questionnaire and Children Adverse Events Scale. The results of this study showed that, the highest percentage of the studied nurses in different studied areas had moderate level of workplace bullying behavior's exposure (61.0%), children had moderately level of exposure to some adverse events (61.9%) as reported by the studied staff nurses' and the highest percentage of the studied parents have moderately level of satisfaction of nursing care that was provided to their children (45%). The study concluded that, there was a positive relationship between the exposure of the nurses to the behaviors of bullying and the exposure of children to the adverse events. Also, there was a negative correlation between the exposure of nurses to bullying behavior and the level of parents 'satisfaction with the care given to their children. So, it was recommended that identifying behaviors of bullying and raising awareness of bullying behavior in society should be the first step in the solution. Subsequently, in-service training programs on bullying behaviors in all pediatric units should be designed and implemented to improve the knowledge and practices of nurses to control and prevent bullying in the workplace. Keywords : Workplace Bullying, children adverse events, and Parents Satisfaction DOI : 10.7176/JHMN/58-07

Acceptance of Workplace Bullying Behaviors and Job Satisfaction: Moderated Mediation Analysis With Coping Self-Efficacy and Exposure to Bullying

Previous research explored workplace climate as a factor of workplace bullying and coping with workplace bullying, but these concepts were not closely related to workplace bullying behaviors (WBBs). To examine whether the perceived exposure to bullying mediates the relationship between the climate of accepting WBBs and job satisfaction under the condition of different levels of WBBs coping self-efficacy beliefs, we performed moderated mediation analysis. The Negative Acts Questionnaire - Revised was given to 329 employees from Serbia for assessing perceived exposure to bullying. Leaving the original scale items, the instruction of the original Negative Acts Questionnaire - Revised was modified for assessing (1) the climate of accepting WBBs and (2) WBBs coping self-efficacy beliefs. There was a significant negative relationship between exposure to bullying and job satisfaction. WBB acceptance climate was positively related to exposure to workplace bullying and negatively related to job satisfaction. WBB acceptance climate had an indirect relationship with job satisfaction through bullying exposure, and the relationship between WBB acceptance and exposure to bullying was weaker among those who believed that they were more efficient in coping with workplace bullying. Workplace bullying could be sustained by WBB acceptance climate which threatens the job-related outcomes. WBBs coping self-efficacy beliefs have some buffering effects.

Factors counteracting nurses' bullying in healthcare organizations: An applied study in King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital in Jeddah Province

In a time of diminishing human resources in the field of healthcare, bullying among nursing staff is a challenge that has a negative effect on the individual nurse, work team, patient care, and consequently, on the entire healthcare organization. This study aims to investigate the presence of policy that addresses bullying, nurses’ knowledge and skills in dealing with bullying behaviour, and the role of nursing managers in counteracting bullying among nurses in the workplace. A quantitative descriptive study utilizing self-administered questionnaires was undertaken. The key results to come out from this study show that the presence of workplace code of ethics policies to address bullying behaviours and the role of nursing managers do not contribute to counteracting bullying among nurses in the selected hospital. However, nurses indicated the significance of knowledge and skills in counteracting bullying. The study conclusions contribute a number of findings of importance to the field of nursing management. The study disclosed significant correlations between the healthcare organization's bullying behaviours policy, managers’ roles, and nurses’ knowledge and skills in counteracting bullying. Nurses’ workplace bullying behaviours can be managed and eradicated by means of the collaboration of the three parties: nurse managers, policy, and nurses’ knowledge and skills. This study has considerable implications for nursing management in counteracting bullying among nurses. Managers have a fundamental role in counteracting bullying, for example by setting policy and conducting organization-wide surveys to study nurses’ job satisfaction, therefore, recommendations include mandatory peer reviews as part of an annual appraisal for each nurse, the initiation of a formal system to report behavioural issues among healthcare staff and the establishment of a committee to respond to, and deal with, behavioural issues among the organization’s staff.

From improper to acceptable: How perpetrators neutralize workplace bullying behaviors in the cyber world

Workplace cyberbullying is a growing phenomenon with important consequences ranging from employee mental strain and low job satisfaction to hostile organizational climates. In this paper, we examine how workplace cyberbullies justify their bullying behaviors and how cyber communication features influence workplace cyberbullying behaviors. Drawing from the neutralization theory and the social presence theory, we develop a research model that incorporates cyber communication features that explain how perpetrators legitimize their workplace cyberbullying acts. To empirically test our model, we collected 473 responses from employees across a variety of job positions, companies, and industries. Our results highlight three denial neutralization techniques used by perpetrators to justify their workplace cyberbullying behaviors and demonstrate the moderating effects of cyber communication features.

Gender differences in the relationship between workplace bullying and subjective back and neck pain: A two-wave study in a Norwegian probability sample

ObjectiveThe association between exposure to bullying at work and subsequent pain reports is relatively well-established, but few studies have examined possible moderators of this relationship. As gender is a known risk factor for pain, with women reporting pain levels of higher intensity and longer duration, a possible gender difference in the relationship between bullying and pain has been suggested, but not sufficiently tested. The objective of the present study was therefore to examine whether gender moderates the prospective relationship between exposure to workplace bullying behaviours and subsequent subjective back and neck pain. MethodsA national probability sample of Norwegian workers (N=1003) was collected at two time points with a six-month time-lag. Assumptions were tested using regression and moderation analyses. ResultsExposure to bullying behaviours was associated with increased reports of subjective back and neck pain over time, and this relationship was moderated by gender. However, the interaction took a different form than expected, with back and neck pain increasing in response to bullying among men only, to a degree that nullified the baseline gender difference. ConclusionThe assumption that being female is a vulnerability factor for the development of pain in the aftermath of psychosocial stressors such as bullying was contradicted in the present study. Instead, women's relatively high baseline pain levels remain stable over time even after exposure to workplace bullying, while men's relatively low baseline pain levels increase in response to bullying, ultimately becoming tangent to the pain reported by women.

Work-role psychosocial flourishing: Its mediation role on workplace bullying and employee turnover intention

The study investigated the work-role of psychosocial flourishing attributes in countering workplace bullying behaviour and turnover intention. Data on participants’ perceptions of workplace bullying behaviour, turnover intentions, and psychosocial flourishing were collected from n = 373 employees in various South African organisations. Simple mediation modelling was utilised to determine psychosocial flourishing effects on workplace bullying - turnover intention. The results showed strong perceptions of workplace bullying to be related to high turnover intention with psychosocial flourishing partially explaining lower levels of turnover intent from strong perceptions of workplace bullying. Work-role psychological flourishing might be beneficial to workplace health and psychological safety as well as for reducing unwanted turnover.

Debate: ‘Robust performance management’ or workplace bullying? Not just the ‘what’ but the ‘how’

"Debate: ‘Robust performance management’ or workplace bullying? Not just the ‘what’ but the ‘how’." Public Money & Management, 37(5), pp. 315–316

Cross-domain consequences of workplace bullying: A multi-source daily diary study

ABSTRACTIn this multi-source daily diary study, we examine the effect of exposure to workplace bullying behaviours on family domain outcomes (conflicts at home, relationship satisfaction), and the mediating role that psychological detachment and affective distress play in this relationship. A sample of 68 employees and their spouses filled in a quantitative diary for five consecutive working days twice a day (number of occasions = 680). Multilevel analyses showed that daily workplace bullying positively predicted both self-report and spouse-report conflicts at home, and daily psychological detachment mediated this relationship. In addition, daily affective distress was the mediator only for self-report conflicts at home. Further, an indirect effect of both affective distress and detachment on the relationship between bullying and self-reported relationship satisfaction was found. Detachment also showed an indirect role in the association between bullying and spouse-reported relationship satisfaction. This is one of the first studies in showing that negative effects of workplace bullying go beyond the work setting and beyond the employee. Moreover, this study adds to an emerging line of research exploring how daily negative work experiences are transferred to and interferes with the non-work domain. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.