This text discusses the impacts of workplace bullying on organizational culture and ways to promote it.
Today, the pressure on employees constantly grows. On the one hand automation leads to cutoffs in employment; on the other hand the internalization of companies often results in hiring foreign workers, thus diversity increases.
In the last few years, the economic crisis additionally has increased the pressure. However, neither the automation nor the internalization can be prevented. If the company does not act punctually and supports the employees adequately to cope with the pressure, workplace bullying may arise.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definition of Bullying
3. How does the organizational culture promote workplace bullying?
4. The impacts of workplace bullying on the organizational culture
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines the complex relationship between workplace bullying and organizational culture, aiming to understand how specific cultural factors within a company can act as catalysts for bullying behaviors and, conversely, how such behaviors negatively impact the overarching organizational environment.
- The psychological and economic drivers behind workplace bullying
- The influence of organizational structure, leadership styles, and cultural norms
- The role of diversity and intolerance in workplace conflicts
- Long-term consequences for organizational performance and employee well-being
Excerpt from the Book
Definition of Bullying
According to the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) (2012), ‘Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators’. Hoel and Cooper add ‘the target of bullying has difficulty in defending him or herself against [the negative] actions’ (Hoel et al., 2002: 24).
How is workplace bullying carried out by the perpetrator? It has to be differentiated between the verbal and the non-verbal forms of bullying. ‘Snide and sarcastic comments are the most common verbal forms [...] One of the most powerful verbal bullying behaviours is excluding someone repeatedly – for example by speaking to other people’ (Townend, 2008: 271). In contrast, non-verbal workplace bullying include ‘work interference – sabotage – which prevents work from getting done’ (WBI 2012) as well as ‘increase [of] responsibility and simultaneously reduce authority [,] overload with work or have work taken away to trivialize existence’ (Wiedmer, 2011: 37). Most of the bullying situations keep undetected because bullying targets resist telling other people about the situation feeling powerless against the perpetrator. This way, it is difficult to fight against bullying in a company as many managers or the HR departments do not know anything about the situations.
Townend (2008: 272) argues that ‘main targets are black or non-white people; women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, [...] Muslim’. In most cases the target groups are also minorities in the respective society. Apart of belonging to one of the named groups, targets are often characterised to be weak, which explains that ‘57% of targets are women’ (Wiedmer, 2008: 36). However, a study carried out by the WBI in the year 2010 analyzed that ‘targets were reportedly better liked, had more social skills, [and] likely possessed higher emotional intelligence’ (Wiedmer, 2008: 37). In this case the perpetrator tries to put obstacles in the target’s way by sabotaging his or her work and presenting it afterwards as the target’s mistake.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the pressure on modern employees and outlines the research objective concerning the bidirectional relationship between organizational culture and bullying.
Definition of Bullying: This section defines workplace bullying, distinguishes between verbal and non-verbal forms of mistreatment, and identifies common characteristics of target groups.
How does the organizational culture promote workplace bullying?: This chapter analyzes how task-oriented cultures, poor communication, and inadequate power structures contribute to the emergence of bullying behavior.
The impacts of workplace bullying on the organizational culture: This part examines the severe economic and psychological consequences of bullying, including decreased productivity, high turnover, and a toxic organizational climate.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the research findings, emphasizing the importance of proactive management and awareness to prevent workplace bullying.
Keywords
Workplace Bullying, Organizational Culture, Target Groups, Perpetrator, Job Satisfaction, Employee Well-being, Organizational Performance, Leadership, Diversity, Conflict Management, Economic Costs, Psychological Impact, Turnover, Communication, Workplace Environment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper fundamentally addresses the nature of workplace bullying and its cyclical relationship with organizational culture, investigating both how culture enables bullying and how bullying subsequently degrades that culture.
What are the central thematic fields covered in this study?
The central themes include the definition and categorization of bullying behaviors, the impact of organizational structures like hierarchy and leadership on workplace climate, and the long-term economic and psychological outcomes for firms.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The primary goal is to determine the conditions under which organizational culture fosters bullying and to identify the resulting negative impacts on the company to advocate for better preventive policies.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes a theoretical analysis, applying established models such as the "three way model" of bullying and analyzing academic literature on organizational behavior and management research.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body details the manifestations of bullying, explores how specific leadership styles and organizational norms encourage such behavior, and provides a breakdown of the financial and human costs associated with a toxic work environment.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
The paper is characterized by terms such as organizational culture, workplace bullying, job satisfaction, employee well-being, and conflict management.
How does a "goal-oriented" culture specifically contribute to bullying?
According to the research, a hyper-focus on task achievement often leads to the neglect of social factors and ethical behavior, creating a perception among bullies that their mistreatment of others is either permitted or overlooked by management.
What is the relationship between "bureaucracy" and the incidence of bullying?
The study notes that excessive bureaucracy can inadvertently promote bullying by creating power imbalances and making it difficult for targets to seek assistance or report incidents effectively.
Why is workplace bullying often described as "an organizational cancer"?
It is described this way because, if left untreated, it spreads through the organization, creating a toxic environment that degrades productivity, harms employee mental health, and can eventually lead to the destruction of the firm's effectiveness.
- Citation du texte
- Sandra Morillo (Auteur), 2012, Workplace Bullying. Impacts on Organizational Culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1000537
