A Story to Tell: Bullying and Mobbing in the Workplace

Abstract

Bullying and mobbing are secretive, targeted, and widespread forms of abuse in the workplace (European Foundation, 2002). This behavior is designed to ostracize, isolate, undermine, and eliminate the person(s) being targeted. For reasons as yet unknown, this behavior appears to occur more frequently in the social service, health care, and educational sectors. Targets, often the most creative members of organizations, experience emotional and financial costs. Due to the loss of talented employees, a decrease in productivity, and staff demoralization, the costs to the organization are high. Multiple factors that create vulnerability are explored, as are potential points of intervention. Leaders, feeling helpless to intervene, may reinforce the culture of abuse. This phenomenon is a complex one that can only be addressed through systemic response and change in organizational culture. A framework for multi-level analysis and remediation is presented.