The sources of bullying–psychological work environment and organizational climate

TLDR

Bullying in the workplace is promoted by organizational features such as poor information flow, authoritative conflict resolution, limited communication, and insufficient employee influence. The study sought to identify work‑related risk factors for bullying in the psychological work environment and organizational climate, and to assess how individual and personality characteristics affect victimization. In a survey of 949 municipal employees, 10.1% reported bullying; deficiencies in information flow, authoritative conflict resolution, limited communication, and low employee influence were linked to bullying, while gender and age were not explanatory, and victims cited envy, weak supervisors, task competition, and competition for supervisory favor as common causes.

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the work-related risks of bullying in the psychological work environment and the organizational climate. Also the role of some individual and personality characteristics in becoming a victim of bullying were investigated. Altogether 949 municipal employees answered a mailed questionnaire; 10.1% of them felt themselves bullied. Especially some features in the functioning of the work unit, e.g. poor information flow, an authoritative way of settling differences of opinion, lack of mutual conversations about the tasks and goals of the work unit, and insufficient possibilities to influence matters concerning oneself can all promote bullying. Both the victims and the observers of bullying perceived deficiencies in these aspects at their workplace. Gender and age did not explain bullying. The victims of bullying felt that envy, a weak superior, competition for tasks or advancement, and competition for the supervisor's favour and approval were the most common reasons for bullying.