Workplace bullying
Workplace bullying is a persistent pattern of mistreatment from others in the workplace that causes physical and/or emotional harm. It includes verbal, nonverbal, psychological, and physical abuse, as well as humiliation. This type of workplace aggression is particularly difficult because unlike typical school bullies, workplace bullies often operate within the established rules and policies of their organizations and society. In most cases, workplace bullying is carried out by someone who is in a position of authority over the victim. However, bullies can also be peers or subordinates. The participation of subordinates in bullying is referred to as upward bullying. The least visible form of workplace bullying involves upward bullying where bullying tactics are manipulated and applied against a superior, often for strategically motivated outcomes.
Researchers have also investigated the impact of bullying in a larger organizational context, as well as the group level dynamics that contribute to the occurrence and persistence of bullying behavior. Bullying can be covert or overt, and sometimes go unnoticed by superiors while also being widely known throughout an organization. The negative effects of workplace bullying are not limited to the targeted individuals, and can lead to a decline in employee morale and shifts in organizational culture. Workplace bullying can also manifest as overbearing supervision, constant criticism and obstruction of promotions.
Definitions
Although there is no universally accepted formal definition of workplace bullying, and some researchers question whether a single, uniform definition is possible due to its complex and multifaceted forms, several researchers have attempted to define it:- According to the widely used definition from Olweus, " a situation in which one or more persons systematically and over a long period of time perceive themselves to be on the receiving end of negative treatment on the part of one or more persons, in a situation in which the person exposed to the treatment has difficulty in defending themselves against this treatment."
- According to Einarsen, Hoel, Zapf and Cooper, "Bullying at work means harassing, offending, socially excluding someone, or negatively affecting someone's work tasks. In order for the label bullying to be applied to a particular activity, interaction, or process, it has to occur repeatedly and regularly and over a period of time. Bullying is an escalated process in the course of which the person confronted ends up in an inferior position and becomes the target of systematic negative social acts."
- According to Tracy, Lutgen-Sandvik, and Alberts, researchers associated with the Arizona State University's Project for Wellness and Work-Life, workplace bullying is most often "a combination of tactics in which numerous types of hostile communication and behaviour are used."
- Gary and Ruth Namie define workplace bullying as "repeated, health-harming mistreatment, verbal abuse, or conduct which is threatening, humiliating, intimidating, or sabotage that interferes with work or some combination of the three."
- Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik expands this definition, stating that workplace bullying is "persistent verbal and nonverbal aggression at work, that includes personal attacks, social ostracism, and a multitude of other painful messages and hostile interactions."
- Catherine Mattice and Karen Garman define workplace bullying as "systematic aggressive communication, manipulation of work, and acts aimed at humiliating or degrading one or more individual that create an unhealthy and unprofessional power imbalance between bully and target, result in psychological consequences for targets and co-workers, and cost enormous monetary damage to an organization's bottom line"
- Dr. Jan Kircher attempts to redefine workplace bullying, what she calls persistent workplace aggression, as an issue thought primarily about through the lens of individual conflict to an issue of organizational culture, arguing, "One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about workplace bullying it that it is similar to conflict and therefore, persistent workplace aggression is handled like conflict." However, according to Kircher, this approach is detrimental, and actually prevents organizations from being able to effectively prevent, handle or resolve bullying situations in the work environment.
- The most common type of complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involves retaliation, where an employer harasses or bullies an employee for objecting to illegal discrimination. Patricia Barnes, author of Surviving Bullies, Queen Bees & Psychopaths in the Workplace, argues that employers that bully are a critical but often overlooked aspect of the problem in the United States.
- Repetition
- Duration
- Escalation
- Power disparity
- Attributed intent
According to Pamela Lutgin-Sandvik, the lack of unifying language to name the phenomenon of workplace bullying is a problem because without a unifying term or phrase, individuals have difficulty naming their experiences of abuse, and therefore have trouble pursuing justice against the bully. Unlike sexual harassment, which identifies a specific problem and is now recognized in law of many countries, workplace bullying is still being established as a relevant social problem and requires a specific vernacular.
There is no exact definition for bullying behaviours in workplace, which is why different terms and definitions are common. For example, "mobbing" is a commonly used term in Denmark, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Germany, where it refers to a "mob" of bullies, rather than a single bully; this phenomenon is not often seen in other countries. In the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, "workplace bullying" is primarily used. While the terms "harassment" and "mobbing" are often used to describe bullying behaviours, "workplace bullying" tends to be the most commonly used term by the research community.
Statistics
Approximately 72% of bullies outrank their victims.Prevalence
Research suggests that a significant number of people are exposed to persistent workplace bullying, with a majority of studies reporting a 10 to 15% prevalence in Europe and North America. This figure can vary dramatically upon what definition of workplace bullying is used.Statistics from the 2007 WBI-Zogby survey show that 13% of U.S. employees report being bullied currently, 24% say they have been bullied in the past and an additional 12% say they have witnessed workplace bullying. Nearly half of all American workers report that they have been affected by workplace bullying, either being a target themselves or having witnessed abusive behaviour against a co-worker.
Although socioeconomic factors may play a role in the abuse, researchers from the Project for Wellness and Work-Life suggest that "workplace bullying, by definition, is not explicitly connected to demographic markers such as sex and ethnicity".
According to the 2015 National Health Interview Survey Occupational Health Supplement, the national prevalence rate for workers reporting having been threatened, bullied, or harassed by anyone on the job was 7.4%.
In 2008, Dr. Judy Fisher-Blando wrote a doctoral research dissertation on Aggressive behaviour: Workplace Bullying and Its Effect on Job Satisfaction and Productivity. The scientific study determined that almost 75% of employees surveyed had been affected by workplace bullying, whether as a target or a witness. Further research showed the types of bullying behaviour, and organizational support.
Gender
In terms of gender, the Workplace Bullying Institute states that women appear to be at greater risk of becoming a bullying target, as 57% of those who reported being targeted for abuse were women. Men are more likely to participate in aggressive bullying behaviour, however when the bully is a woman her target is more likely to be a woman as well.In 2015, the National Health Interview Survey found a higher prevalence of women workers who were threatened, bullied, or harassed than men.
However, varying results have been found. The research of Samnani and Singh reviews the findings from 20 years' literature and claims that inconsistent findings could not support the differences across gender. Carter et al. found that male staff reported higher prevalence of workplace bullying within UK healthcare.
It is important to consider if there may be gender differences in level of reporting.
Race
Race also may play a role in the experience of workplace bullying. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, the comparison of reported combined bullying prevalence percentages in the USA reveals the pattern from most to least:- Hispanics
- Blacks
- Whites
- Asian
- Asian
- Blacks
- Hispanics
- Whites
- Asians
- Whites
- Hispanics
- Blacks
A University of Cambridge survey found that 88% of Black professionals in the UK reported experiencing racial discrimination at work, highlighting the intersection between racial bias and workplace mistreatment.