Bullying at work: Epidemiological findings in public and private organizations

TLDR

Bullying and harassment are defined as systematic mistreatment by coworkers or supervisors through repeated negative acts, and victims must also feel inferiority in defending themselves. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying and harassment, identify risk groups and organizations, and examine who victims report as their tormentors. Data from 14 Norwegian surveys comprising 7,986 participants across diverse organizations and professions were analyzed. Bullying and harassment are widespread in Norwegian work life, affecting 8.6% of employees in the past six months, with higher rates in large, male‑dominated, industrial organizations and among older workers, while men are more often reported as bullies and victims cite superiors and colleagues equally.

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of bullying and harassment at work, to identify risk groups and risk organizations, and to investigate who the victims report to be their tormentors. Bullying and harassment are defined as situations where a worker or a supervisor is systematically mistreated and victimized by fellow workers or supervisors through repeated negative acts. However, to be a victim of such bullying one must also feel inferiority in defending oneself in the actual situation. Data from 14 different Norwegian surveys (N = 7986) are presented, encompassing a broad array of organizations and professions. The results show that bullying and harassment at work are widespread problems in Norwegian working life. As many as 8.6% of the respondents had been bullied at work during the previous six months. Organizations with many employees, male-dominated organizations, and industrial organizations had the highest prevalence of victimization. Older workers had a higher risk of victimization than younger workers. Even if men and women do not differ in prevalence of bullying, significantly more men were reported as bullies. Victims reported superiors as bullies as often as they reported colleagues as their tormentor(s).