Bullying
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Otherwise known as workplace harassment, Bullying is experienced to some extent in most organisations at some time. Bullying is a large contributor to occupational stress along with role ambiguity and role conflict. Organisational climate (internal environment) and personal attributes of bully and victim are the predictors of bullying, and the organisation is held legally and socially responsible for its own climate, and for any bullying behaviour of its members.
Bullying is widespread
Studies have suggested that violence occurs in 20% of workplaces (Romano, 1994). Yet, according to a study of university employees over a 6-month period, almost twice that many workplaces are the site of more subtle, nonphysical forms of aggression such as verbally harassing behavior or thoughtless, negative acts (Bjorkqvist, Osterman, & Hjelt-Back, 1994).
Supervisors and Managers are the main bullies
A survey of employees in British companies showed that managers were the perpetrators of 75 percent of all reported instances of bullying (Hoel & Cooper, 2000). Victims are usually low status or perceived as such
Supervisors and Managers are the main heroes
Research has also found, more often than not, that immediate managers and supervisors provide the most powerful form of coping support for people - even more than is available from home. Supervisors and Managers act as buffers, advisors, friends and role models, and in so doing impact the emotional and physical well-being of subordinates. Supervisors and Managers can act to insulate subordinates from what may be ‘felt’ as organisational bullying.
Bullying is taken home
Workplace bullying is taken home via the ‘kick the dog’ metaphor [ Marcus-Newhall, Pedersen, Carlson, and Miller (2000) state, this is a “commonly used anecdote to illustrate displaced aggression…a man is berated by his boss but does not retaliate because he fears losing his job. Hours later, when he arrives home to the greeting barks of his dog he responds by kicking it,” p. 670)]. This was confirmed by researchers Hoobler, J. & Brass, D. in Journal of Applied Psychology, 2006, Volume 91(5), p 1125–1133
Bullying is linked to Stress in the workplace
Refer Haslam, S. & Alexander, S., Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume 91(5), September 2006, p 1037–1052
Bullying is easy to find - if you look for it - properly. However, a management group will rarely succeed in finding evidence of bullying because. This is because employees are expert at ‘managing impressions’ have learnt better than to complain about bullying. They would rather keep their job.
It is very easy to have a climate that encourages bullying - just ignoring the climate will do it. On the other hand, it is possible to set up a climate that does not support bullying. Bullying is not easy to prevent altogether, but can be limited and actively discouraged.
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