Conflict escalation and coping with workplace bullying: A replication and extension

TLDR

Bullying or mobbing is a systematic, long‑term harassment that represents a severe social stressor and an escalated conflict with power imbalance at work. The study examined whether bullying victims employ distinct conflict‑management strategies compared to non‑bullied employees and whether successful copers differ from unsuccessful ones in their coping approaches. The authors conducted 20 semi‑structured interviews and a questionnaire survey of 149 bullied employees and 81 controls to assess conflict‑management and coping strategies. Victims initially used constructive conflict‑solving tactics, later shifted to avoidance and ultimately attempted to leave the organization; they advised others to do the same and seek support, and quantitative data showed higher avoidance among bullied employees, while successful copers fought back less, avoided absenteeism, and were better at preventing escalation compared to unsuccessful copers.

Abstract

Bullying or mobbing is used for systematically harassing a person for a long time. In the context of stress theory, bullying is a severe form of social stressors at work, whereas in terms of conflict theory, bullying signifies an unsolved social conflict having reached a high level of escalation and an increased imbalance of power. Based on a qualitative study with 20 semi-structured interviews with victims of bullying and a quantitative questionnaire study with a total of 149 victims of bullying and a control group (N = 81), it was investigated whether bullying victims use specific conflict management strategies more often compared with individuals who are not bullied, and whether coping strategies used by successful copers with bullying differ from those of the unsuccessful copers. Successful copers were those victims who believe that their situation at work has improved again as a result of their coping efforts. The qualitative data showed that most victims started with constructive conflict-solving strategies, changed their strategies several times, and finally tried to leave the organization. In the interviews, the victims of bullying most often recommended others in the same situation to leave the organization and to seek social support. They more often showed conflict avoidance in the quantitative study. Successful victims fought back with similar means less often, and less often used negative behaviour such as frequent absenteeism. Moreover, they obviously were better at recognizing and avoiding escalating behaviour, whereas in their fight for justice, the unsuccessful victims often contributed to the escalation of the bullying conflict.