Understanding and managing workplace bullying

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to outline the nature of workplace bullying and its implications for employees and the organization, and strategies to handle such unwanted behavior.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on work carried out by the authors over the past two years, plus the HR literature.FindingsThe paper argues that if workplace bullying is not managed well, then it will have serious negative implications on workers and the overall performance of the organization, thus a happy, healthy and engaged workforce will not be achievable. Strategies relating to education and training, leadership, sound processes and overall support for victims are ways in which undesirable acts in the organization could be managed.Practical implicationsThe paper draws attention to the important issue of workplace bullying and its effects on workers and the organization, and mentions the significance of managing it.Social implicationsThe paper explains how the management of any organization can be improved to generate a better working environment.Originality/valueThe paper presents the arguments in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Workplace bullying and incivility: a systematic review of interventions

“…Given that bullying and incivility are now widely acknowledged as forms of workplace mistreatment that lead to negative consequences for organisations and for society (Vartia and Leka, 2011) a key question is how to address these problems. Organisations, in the main, do not appear to have an impressive record in this respect, repeatedly failing to manage the problem of workplace bullying or effectively preventing it (Georgakopoulos et al, 2011;Einarsen et al, 2011;Kahn and Kahn, 2012;Van Rooyen and McCormack, 2013). Formal mechanisms provide only weak levels of protection and even large organisations with dedicated HR functions fail to navigate the manipulations of the system (Klein and Martin, 2011).…”

A Phenomenon We Can't Ignore: Performance Improvement Interventions to Address Workplace Bullying

“…Training efforts should aim to establish behavioral boundaries centered on professionalism, communication, and cooperation. Training should present clear guidelines to employees, making clear what is unacceptable behavior and communication in the workplace (Khan & Khan, ). Vega and Comer () suggest training staff members to support employees who have been targets of workplace bullying.…”

“…Training should present clear guidelines to employees, making clear what is unacceptable behavior and communication in the workplace (Khan & Khan, 2012 ). Vega and Comer ( 2005 ) suggest training staff members to support employees who have been targets of workplace bullying.…”

“…Further, workplace bullying targets who report incidents against their supervisor frequently describe the actions of HR professionals as in opposition to established organizational policy (Lewis, Sheehan & Davies, 2008 ). To prevent this situation, all reports of workplace bullying should receive a quick, confidential, and thorough investigation with assistance provided to targets of bullying (Khan & Khan, 2012 ).…”

“…The literature describes educating employees through training as an important performance improvement intervention to address bullying in the workplace (Ayoko, Callan, & Hartel, ; Hannabuss, ; Harvey, Heames, Richey, & Leonard, ; Khan & Khan, ; McKay, Arnold, Fratzl, & Thomas, ; Mellish, ; Saunders et al, ). Further, training is becoming a more pressing priority for HR professionals in pursuit of organizational efforts to eliminate harmful behavior in the workplace (McGuire & Bagher, ).…”