External Whistleblowers’ Experiences of Workplace Bullying by Superiors and Colleagues

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate external whistleblowers' experiences of workplace bullying by superiors and colleagues, and to analyze how the bullying was influenced by factors such as the support they received from government or NGOs, and whether colleagues understood the reasons for the whistleblower's actions. For bullying by colleagues, we also examined to what extent this was influenced by superiors' behavior towards the whistleblower. We reviewed the relevant literature on workplace bullying and whistleblowers' experiences of negative or retaliatory actions and developed three hypotheses, which we tested using data gathered from Korean external whistleblowers. Results revealed that external whistleblowers experienced work-related bullying by superiors and social relation-related and person-related bullying by colleagues more frequently, and found it more distressing, than other types of workplace bullying. Superiors' bullying was a dominant factor affecting bullying by colleagues. Colleagues' understanding of the reason for the whistleblower's actions was significant in reducing bullying frequency while support from government and NGOs was not significant in reducing it. Based on these findings, practical implications are discussed.

A Psychometric Study of a Spanish Version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised: Confirmatory Factor Analysis

“…The situation limits victims’ response and they can find difficulty in defending themselves. The imbalance of power often can come from a formal power structure of the organizational context ( Hutchinson et al, 2006 ; Park et al, 2018 ) or may also be informal, based on experience, knowledge or access to support from influential persons ( Einarsen et al, 2003 ).…”

Responding to disruptive behaviors in nursing: One-year follow-up of quasi-experimental research measuring links to turnover, intent to leave, and patient care quality

“…Fear of retribution from perpetrators, alliances between the perpetrators and management, and traumatic recall when reporting can reduce enforcement of zero-tolerance policies and deter reporting altogether. [34][35][36] When organizational pathways fail to deliver justice or stop the undesirable behaviors and situations, employees may leave organizations in search of healthier work environments. [37] Thus, in order to avoid these negative outcomes, it is essential for nurses, particularly newly licensed nurses who are at highest risk, to be able to respond effectively and stem these situations when they arise.…”

Whistleblowing and power: A network perspective

“…Much extant commentary on whistleblowing follows any of four main approaches (which are not mutually exclusive): experiential surveys, psychological studies, legal studies, and ethical studies. The first approach reports on the individualized experience of whistleblowing; it focuses on how individuals decide to raise an issue, how organizations respond, how individuals suffer retaliation, and so forth (e.g., Dewing & Russell, 2014; Glazer & Glazer, 1989; Miceli & Near, 1992; Park, Blenkinsopp, Oktem, & Omurgonulsen, 2008; Park, Bjørkelo, & Blekinsopp, 2018). The second approach identifies psychological and situational variables which make individuals more or less likely to become whistleblowers (e.g., Anvari, Wenzel, Woodyatt, & Alexander Haslam, 2019; Bjørkelo, Einarsen, & Mathiesen, 2010; Hess, Treviño, Chen, & Cross, 2019; Mesmer‐Magnus & Chockalingam, 2005; Park & Lewis 2019; Sims & Keenan, 1998).…”