Bullying Within the Workplace

Abstract

Bullying is an issue that individuals and groups are faced with on a daily. Bullying is usually researched within educational systems that identify with children and adolescents. However, bullying occurs beyond the adolescent and into adulthood. Bullying during adulthood is happening often within the workplace and is overlooked because of the nature superiors, subordinates, and colleagues. Research on bullying within the workplace is limited due to issues identifying the bully and victim. Bullying within the workplace can be viewed through personality theory perspective and development. Individual and group personality can aid in identifying aligning factors of the bully and the victims.

Current Event: Bullying Within the Workplace

Introduction

Bullying is defined as physical, verbal, or psychological intimidation that is intended to cause fear, distress, or harm to the victim (Walter, 2013). Bullying research often covers youth; however it is apparent that bullying also occurs as an issue for adults as well (Walter, 2013). The workplace bullying can occur between supervisors and subordinates, as well as between co-workers (Walter, 2013). Bullying refers to recurrent and unnecessary actions toward a person or a group, in which is intended to terrorize and creates a risk to the safety of those being victimized (Walter, 2013). This document will briefly discuss the current event of bullying within the workplace, personality and discrimination factors in bullying and limitations in researching bullying within the workplace (Walter, 2013).

Current Event: Bullying Within the Workplace

In the article "Beyond the Playground: When Bullying Elbows Its Way into the Workplace” the author Walter (2013) focuses on bullying within the workplace and the personality facets of the victim and the bully. Workplace bullying often involves an abuse or misuse of power. Bullying according to Walter, (2013) creates feelings of vulnerability in victims and demoralizes a person’s right and self-worth at work. Bullying within the workplace may often be abused by displaced power of higher authority or subordinates. Bullying affects its victims, mentally, physically, and their personality. Victims of bullying may experience various health risks, such as PTSD, increase depression/ self -blame, financial problems due to absence, and sleep disturbances (Walter, 2013). 

Personality and Discrimination Factors

Personality is a set of characteristics influenced by a person’s perceptions, motivations, and behaviors in diverse circumstances. Personality accounts for how people respond to diverse environments and circumstantial demands. Personality and behaviors through research suggest that some people are susceptible to bullying and are more likely participate in bullying actions in a given environment (Parkins, Fishbeing, & Ritchey, 2006). Research on the victims suggest that personality changes can develop due to workplace bullying; the warning signs of bullying are often mistaken and construed as what a person brings inot the organization in the first place (Deniz & Ertosum, 2010).

Discrimination is harmful actions towards a specific group, such as ethnicity, race, gender, religion, and so forth (Parkins, Fishbein, & Ritchey, 2006). Bullying and discrimination are actions that mimic one another. Offenders of bullying and discrimination can be either a person or a group (Parkins, Fishbein, & Ritchey, 2006). The victims of bullying are selected according to specific characteristics and therefore, the offenders consider the person or group when victimizing (Parkins, Fishbein, & Ritchey, 2006). If the offender exhibits an ability to assume the perception of another person, he or she will most likely participate in activities that are harmful to the victims.

Research Limitations

Research on bullying is usually conducted on youth within the education system. However, adults are also victims and bullies within the workplace. Bullying is at times overlooked because of the nature of adults as superiors and peers. According to Nielsen, Notelaers, & Einarsen (2011) workplace bullying has been measured and evaluated in various studies to investigate issues, such as the nature, regularity, circumstances, and outcomes of workplace bullying. Despite all attention to workplace bullying, minimum is known on how altered measurement and estimation methods influence the conclusions on workplace bullying (Nielsen, Notelaers, & Einarsen, 2011). As a result of lack of construct research on the development of workplace bullying, measurement of workplace bullying has not been as demanding as it assumes (Nielsen, Notelaers, & Einarsen, 2011).

Limitation of research on workplace bullying is the lack of verification by peer nominations, for example, of bullying incidents. Research assessed from a victim view lacks any information to verify the performance or views of other parties, such a bully or other employees (Nielsen, Notelaers & Einarsen, 2011). Research on workplace bullying is needed to aid in the development of appropriate policy and intervention. Those victimized by bullying or the bully may suffer from personality disorders and could benefit from interventions within the workplace (Nielsen, Notelaers & Einarsen, 2011).

Conclusion

Bullying within the workplace is not often researched and measured according to the nature of the victim and bully. Personality and discrimination factors can play a role in how a person or group is bullied or doing the bullying. Limitations in research lack information verifying specific personality and behavior traits of those being bullied or the bully. Through viable information and research, appropriate measures can be taken to improve the situation between the victim and the bully. Appropriate measures can include intervention programs, workplace prevention programs, and behavior support programs.

References

Deniz, N., & Ertosun, O. G. (2010). The relationship between personality and being exposed to workplace bullying or mobbing. Journal of Global Strategic Management, 7, 129-142.

Nielsen, M. B., Notelaers, G., & Einarsen, S. (2011). Measuring exposure to workplace bullying. Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Developments in theory, research, and practice, 149-174.

Parkins, I., Fishbein, H.D., & Ritchey, P. (2006). The influence of personality on workplace bullying and discrimination. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 36(10), 2554-2577. doi: 10.1111/j.0021-9029.2006.00117.x

Walter, L. (2013). Beyond the playground: When bullying elbows its way into the workplace. EHS Today, Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/1324942080?accountid=27965