Introduction
Workplace bullying has received growing attention over the past decade in regard to organizational research. Researchers are continually conducting studies exposing the negative consequences of workplace bullying at the level of the individual as well as the organization. For example, people that experience workplace bullying are more likely to call in sick, take unpaid vacation days, leave work early and not stay late when needed, misuse company resources, and are less likely to go above and beyond the call of duty in the workplace (Sperry, 2009). This is detrimental to an organization because it is associated with decreased productivity as well as less overall morale from employees. Similarly, victims of workplace bullying are
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These terms are synonymous in the field. Furthermore, workplace bullying has been studied under a plethora of names such as employee abuse, aggressive work behavior, interpersonal deviance, social undermining, and workplace incivility. While there are minor differences between each of these concepts, many of them overlap with workplace bullying. The specific actions of workplace bullies vary, but the most common types of workplace bullying include attacking an individual’s personal worldview/private life, withholding pertinent information necessary for success, silent treatment, rumors, sabotage, verbal aggression, deprivation of responsibility, and excessive criticism of work (Adams, 1997; Boddy, 2014; Devonish, 2013; Liefooghe & Mac Davey, 2001). Acts of physical violence tend to be virtually nonexistent in the field of workplace bullying. Workplace bullying is an interpersonal act, but is more specific than workplace deviance. While deviance in the workplace involves challenging others excessively, it does not always include inflicting harm on others (Dunlop & Lee, 2004). Similarly, while bullying is a type of antisocial work behavior, it is more specific in that it is typically directed at an organization or individual (Boddy, …show more content…
In general, organizations that are more bureaucratic tend to have higher instances of workplace bullying (O’Moore, Seigne, McGuire, & Smith, 1998). Similarly, work environments with a culture of bullying tend to only make things worse for victims. For example, high stress businesses such as law firms exhibit high levels of workplace bullying (“Workplace Bullying Institute - WBI - Help, Education, Research,” 2014). These environments also create an “earn-your-keep” culture, which not only encourages bullies to engage in negative acts, it also suggests that this behavior is necessary to prove oneself at work. A dissatisfying work environment can also perpetuate workplace bullying. Einarsen et al. (1994) and Vartia (1996) found strong correlations between the prevalence of workplace bullying and dissatisfaction with the social climate in a workplace. These findings suggest that certain work environments are more conducive (and even encouraging) of workplace
Bullying can produce and maintain a poisonous work environment. Nurses who bully can wear down the job satisfaction of their co workers which can result in a loss of productivity and increased absences in the workplace (Stokowski, 2010). Victims of bullying often have a feeling of impending doom and dread when they think about their upcoming work days. Each time the bullying reoccurs, the victims usually
Workplace harassment and bullying occurs when an employee subjects another employee to degrading behaviour, whether verbal abuse and threats or actual physical violence. It is an inappropriate expression of power that affects workers and their productivity in an unfavourable way (Spry, 1998). Management, and other types of employees, who occupy high-status roles sometimes believe that harassing their subordinates is within their rights and make demands of the lower-status employees (Langton, Robbins, Judge, 2010, p. 313).
Bullying and harassment within the workplace can be attributed to a myriad of factors. The work
Workplace bullying is a big issue. It will create a lot of negative impact to the staffs and customers. The examples of workplace bullying can be sexual harassment, degrading someone, conducting the unethical behaviors and applying unprofessional conducts to the staffs and customers. The consequences caused by the workplace bullying can be as the following:
M., Hogh, A., & Persson, R. (2011). Frequency of bullying at work, physiological response, and mental health. Journal of psychosomatic research, 70(1), 19-27. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2010.05.010
The article provide five table illustrations. Table one is about the demographic characteristic of the targets of the workplace bullies. The table displays the characteristics of social workers ranging by age, gender, and demographic. Table two is about organizational settings and roles of targets. The table displayed supervisors, colleagues, subordinates, and clients were all identified as bullies. It showed that women were more than twice as likely (67%) to be identified as bullies as were men (33%). Table three is about the most troubling bullying behaviors. It showed that verbally and covertly hostile actions were the most troubling bullying behaviors in the workplace. In addition, being treated with disrespect and having work de-valued as the hardest aspects of being bullied at the workplace. Table four was the summary characteristics of bullies. The study showed the characteristic were either passive or assertive by the Coping Scale. The passive behavior had a ranging score of 24 and assertive was of 60. The median and mean scores were 42.5, and a multiple modal score. Table five was the classification of responses to coping scale as passive or assertive
This paper compares three studies on workplace bullying. The studies were conducted because workplace bullying is an epidemic that needs to be addressed and it needs to be understood to help future organizations prevent workplace bullying.
Companies may not have initiated an anti-bullying policy, since not every workplace experience bullying; not to mention, the misunderstanding of what is considered as bullying. According to Porteous (2002), “organizations without codes of conduct or policies of behavior may encourage bullying by omission;” however, the various forms of intimidation is difficult to define as bullying (Gumbus, 2011, p. 373). By the way, culture does play an important role in the interpretation of bullying.
Workplace bullying is a widespread issue in which people need to be educated on in order to put an end to it. Its causes are complex and multi-faceted and yet preventable. Workplace bullying puts unnecessary strain on the employees It is the employer and organizations responsibility to provide a bully free environment for their employees. Employees should have the right to feel safe in their work environment and be free from workplace bullying. Employers need to be held accountable and have a plan in place to protect the employees from this type of violence. Unfortunately that is not always the case, in some instances the employer is the one doing the bullying. Workplace bullying carries many definitions in which will be
Heeman, V. (2007). Workplace Bullying: A Distinct, Interpersonal, and Communicative Phenomenon. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association.
WORKPLACE BULLY Bullying is repeated irrational behaviour that could reasonably be known to be humiliating, intimidating, terrifying or belittling to a person, or group of persons, which creates a risk to health and safety. Repeated refers to the ongoing nature of the behaviour and can refer to a range of different types of behaviour over time, It does not refer to the specific type of behaviour, which may vary. Bullying may comprise a blend of behaviours. Bullying and harassment at work may be defined as repeated behavior, actions and practices directed at one or more workers, which may be carried out intentionally or unconsciously, but which are unwanted targets causing humiliation, offence, and anguish, and which may interfere with job performance and causing an unpleasant working environment.
In such a diverse society that encompasses of wide variety of socioeconomic statuses, ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, and education levels, bullying is unfortunately becoming more and more common. According to the American Psychological Association, on the most basic operational level, “Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words or more subtle actions” (Stop Office Bullying, p. 1). The root of bullying can usually be traced back to a power imbalance, often with the superior discriminating based
Bullying which is the intentional act to inflict harm, threaten or abuse of others, can range in many ways. Kathryn Hawkins on the article the Office Bully, outlines various issues of this concept. Kathryn states that sometimes people become overconfidence that they left bullies in their past lives maybe high school, but later found out the bullies have ultimately become their bosses. Secondly, bullying may occur when bullies wants to dominate and gain back their powers if they feel endangered. So they tend to overcome their fear by threatening others. Also Kathryn articulates that even the conditions of the workplace can cause bullies to abuse their targets and workplace bully can be difficult to deal with. Although Kathryn has suggested some solutions about these issues, the claim presented does not put up with the issues, rather an encouragement.
Workplace bullying is defined as the repeated, heath-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (targets) by one or more perpetrators within an organizational setting. It is abusive conduct in the workplace that is threatening, humiliating, or intimidating. Workplace bullies often utilize verbal abuse or sabotage to control and torment their targets through acts of commission (doing things to others) or omission (withholding resources from others). Unrestrained workplace bullying can escalate to involve others who side with the bully, either voluntarily or through coercion. Ultimately, workplace bullying undermines legitimate business interests when bullies ' personal agendas take precedence over work itself (Workplace Bullying Institute - WBI - Help, Education, Research, 2015).
There have been some scientific studies and/or surveys suggest that workplace bullying is a well known epidemic problem in the American Workforce. Studies suggested that from 2007 and 2008 that more than 1,000 adults confirmed that 45 % reported that they have indeed worked for an abusive boss or co-worker. Also, in September of 2007 a poll suggested that 37% American Workers or 54 million employees reported that they have been bullied at work. Bullying affects nearly half or 49 % of full and part time employees in America or an estimated 71.5% million workers. With this in mind, there was a study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management or (SHRM) and the Ethics Resource Center that a 3rd of HR professionals or 32% have reported observing some form of misconduct regarding workplace bullying. HR also indicated that this violated their company’s ethnic’s standards, policies and procedures etc. (Daniel. T. 1-30)