A human resource management perspective of workplace bullying

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study paper is to determine whether Irish universities have policies and procedures to address workplace bullying; to determine the views of HR leaders regarding the efficacy of such policies; to explore the experience of HR leaders in the application of such policies; and, to explore which cost-reduction strategies Irish university HR leaders utilized to manage the consequences of workplace bullying. Design/methodology/approach -The participants for this multiple-case study consisted of senior manager grade staff with expertise in the area of study from all seven Irish universities. One on one interviews were conducted with participants to gain an understanding of their experience of dealing with workplace bullying. The analysis of their bullying policies and procedures provided insights about their experiences in the application of policy. Findings -The findings of this study may offer university leaders and a wider audience of managers an understanding of the effect that workplace bullying has on employees and on their organizations.Practical implications -This study may inform university and business leaders on how to address the problem of workplace bullying effectively. Originality/value -The findings from this study contribute to the discourse on workplace bullying and may help leaders to understand a phenomenon that costs their institutions a substantial amount in human capital leading to positive social change in their organizations.

The lived experience of toxic leadership in Irish higher education

“…Human Resources (HR) departments have a responsibility to ensue that all staff are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace (Rockett et al, 2017). However, data consistently revealed a palpable mistrust of, and sense of disengagement from, institutional HR department personnel; highlighting an inherent structural tension between the dual (but seemingly unequal) responsibilities of HR to simultaneously safeguard and represent both the staff member and the organisation itself in any dispute.…”

“…In terms of organisational structures within colleges and universities, Rockett et al (2017) examined the understanding of HR professionals of the role of policies in Irish universities in respect of workplace bullying. Echoing O’Neill (2018), they argue that universities are particularly susceptible to workplace bullying given their decentralised organisational structures and explicit hierarchical power structures.…”

Workplace Bullying, Mobbing and Harassment in Academe: Faculty Experience

“…In her study of 15 medical-doctoral institutions in Canada, Brisebois (2010) found that all but one institution had policies on generalized harassment. Several countries have enacted legislation or are moving towards regulations regarding workplace bullying (Cobb, 2017), which will have implications for universities, particularly those that are publicly funded to implement anti-bullying policies (Rockett, Fan, Dwyer, & Foy, 2017).…”

Contra-power harassment of nursing academics

“…Repeated unwanted behaviour and actions toward a victim, which cause offense and distress and may have a negative effect on their job performance or dignity in the workplace (Rockett et al, 2017;13) However, the difficulty here is deciding whether unacceptable student behaviour can be considered bullying, given that the experiences of academics might involve a single encounter. Undoubtedly there are occasions when persistent poor behaviour can be easily identified as bullying; for example, within lectures or tutorials, and therefore it is possible that bullying-type behaviours perpetrated by nursing students could be seen as context driven.…”