Interpersonal Mistreatment in the Workplace: The Interface and Impact of General Incivility and Sexual Harassment.

TLDR

The study is framed by theories of sexual aggression, social power, and multiple victimization. This article examined the relationships and outcomes of behaviors at the interface of general incivility and sexual harassment in the workplace. Data were collected via surveys of two female populations (N = 833 and 1,425) in a large public‑sector organization. General incivility and sexual harassment are related constructs, with gender harassment bridging them, and they co‑occur in organizations, and each additional type worsens employee well‑being, an effect that remains significant after controlling for frequency.

Abstract

This article examined the relationships and outcomes of behaviors falling at the interface of general and sexual forms of interpersonal mistreatment in the workplace. Data were collected with surveys of two different female populations (Ns = 833 and 1,425) working within a large public-sector organization. Findings revealed that general incivility and sexual harassment were related constructs, with gender harassment bridging the two. Moreover, these behaviors tended to co-occur in organizations, and employee well-being declined with the addition of each type of mistreatment to the workplace experience. This behavior type (or behavior combination) effect remained significant even after controlling for behavior frequency. The findings are interpreted from perspectives on sexual aggression, social power, and multiple victimization.