In this chapter, we present and discuss the concept of bullying and harassment at work as it has developed since the late 1980s and early 1990s in what we could call the ‘European tradition’ in workplace bullying research, and from which other perspectives on bullying elsewhere have originated. We start by looking at the development and increasing prominence of the bullying concept in European countries and around the globe. The various key defining characteristics of the phenomenon are then presented, elaborated and discussed, such as frequency, duration or longevity, power-imbalance, status or position of bullies and victims, objective and subjective bullying, and interpersonal as opposed to organizational bullying. We further discuss if bullying is a concept of its own or to be seen as a mere sub-concept of aggression or interpersonal conflicts, arguing strongly for the former view. The chapter then discusses the conceptual models of bullying that have so far dominated European research on workplace bullying.

The Concept of Bullying and Harassment at Work: The European Tradition

The aim of this study was to investigate how different measurement methods and sampling techniques contribute to the observed variation in prevalence rates of workplace bullying. A total of 102 prevalence estimates of bullying from 86 independent samples (N=130,973) were accumulated and compared by means of meta-analysis. At an average, the statistically independents samples provided an estimate of 14.6%. Yet, the findings show that methodological moderators influence the estimated rates. As for measurement method, a rate of 11.3% was found for studies investigating self-labelled victimization from bullying based on a given definition of the concept, whereas a rate of 14.8% was found for behavioural measure studies, and 18.1% for self-labelling studies without a given definition. A difference of 8.7% points was found between randomly sampled and non-randomly sampled studies. When controlling for geographical differences, the findings show that geographical factors also influence findings on bullying. Hence, findings from different studies on workplace bullying cannot be compared without taking moderator variables into account.

The impact of methodological moderators on prevalence rates of workplace bullying. A meta‐analysis

This chapter aims at summarizing some descriptive empirical findings of bullying in the European workplace. It starts with the frequency and the duration of bullying. Various bullying definitions are considered and the respective meta-analytical prevalence rates are reported. This is followed by an examination of the gender, number and status of bullies and victims, distribution of bullying across industries and occupations and the use of various categories of bullying.

Empirical Findings on Prevalence and Risk Groups of Bullying in the Workplace

textManagers usually associate ergonomics with occupational health and safety and related legislation, not with business performance. In many companies, these decision makers seem not to be positively motivated to apply ergonomics for reasons of improving health and safety. In order to strengthen the position of ergonomics and ergonomists in the business and management world, we discuss company strategies and business goals to which ergonomics could contribute. Conceptual models are presented and examples are given to illustrate: 1) the present situation in which ergonomics is not part of regular planning and control cycles in organizations to ensure business performance, and 2) the desired situation in which ergonomics is an integrated part of strategy formulation and implementation. In order to realize the desired situation, considerable changes must take place within the ergonomics research, education and practice community by moving from a health ergonomics paradigm to a business ergonomics paradigm, without losing the health and safety goals.

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Ergonomics Contributions to Company Strategies

Information security management needs more holistic approach

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of reported workplace bullying among a group of white-collar workers, to evaluate the association between reported bullying and its effect on health and to assess the effects of support at work for bullied workers. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey among full-time government employees in the health, education and security sectors. Bullying was assessed using a 20-item inventory. The potential effects of reported bullying were assessed using the Job Induced Stress Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale and the Propensity to Leave Scale. Results: The response rate was 79% (944/1200) and 877 questionnaires were analysed after exclusion of non-complete data. Of respondents, 55% (483) reported experiencing one or more types of bullying in the previous year and 47% (416) had witnessed the bullying of others. The bully was most likely to be a superior. Sixty per cent of victims had tried to take action against bullying, but most were dissatisfied with the outcome. There were significant differences in anxiety, depression, job-induced stress and support at work scores between those reporting bullying and those not reporting bullying at work. Those who reported bullying with low support at work had the poorest scores on the mental health scales. Conclusions: Bullying is a serious problem in this group of workers and may lead to health consequences. Feeling that the work environment is supportive appears to have a protective effect in terms of the health outcomes.

Bullying in Turkish white-collar workers

Factors influencing information security management in small- and medium-sized enterprises: A case study from Turkey

This paper explores whether the manager’s physical office work environment can stimulate the manager’s creativity A total of 60 managers from a large manufacturing company participated in the study They rated the creativity potential and physical elements of office environments shown in 25 photographs The results indicate that offices differ in terms of creativity potential Compared to offices with low creativity potential, offices with high creativity potential have lower complexity, more plants, bright lighting conditions, windows, cooler colors, and a computer facility The results suggest that a good interior design of manager’s office environment could stimulate a manager’s creativity and could therefore contribute to an organization’s innovation

Can the Office Environment Stimulate a Manager’s Creativity?

This article explores whether the manager's physical office work environment can stimulate the manager's creativity A total of 60 managers from a large manufacturing company participated in the study They rated the creativity potential and physical elements of office environments shown in 25 photographs The results indicate that offices differ in terms of creativity potential Compared to offices with low creativity potential, offices with high creativity potential have lower complexity, more plants, bright lighting conditions, windows, cooler colors, and a computer facility The results suggest that a good interior design of manager's office environment could stimulate a manager's creativity and could therefore contribute to an organization's innovation © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/hfm.20128

Can the office environment stimulate a manager's creativity?

This research was conducted to address the experience of workplace violence of Turkish workers from different sectors and to investigate the impact of the exposed violence on their psychological well-being. Data were collected anonymously with printed questionnaires from the volunteer participants and depended on self-reporting. The response rate was 79.0% (1708/2161). The prevalence of workplace violence was found to be 44.8%. The most common type was verbal violence together with mobbing (bullying). Victims of physical violence were mostly males, whereas females were found to be victims of verbal, psychological and sexual violence. Most cases did not result in legal action and the victims remained silent. Psychological well-being of exposed workers in terms of depression, anxiety and stress seemed to deteriorate. Workplace violence remains a silent epidemic in Turkey. Preventive measures against workplace violence and social support for violated workers do not exist.

/pdf/workplace-violence-a-study-of-turkish-workers-3ommh33zuj.pdf

Serpil Aytac

Papers

Bullying in Turkish white-collar workers

Factors influencing information security management in small- and medium-sized enterprises: A case study from Turkey

Can the Office Environment Stimulate a Manager’s Creativity?

Can the office environment stimulate a manager's creativity?

Workplace violence: a study of Turkish workers