Managerial and Organizational Discourses of Workplace Bullying

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To explore how workplace bullying is addressed by hospital nursing unit managers and organizational policies. BACKGROUND Although workplace bullying is costly to organizations, nurses report that managers do not consistently address the issue. METHODS This study used discourse analysis to analyze interview data and policy documents. RESULTS There were differences in the manner in which managers and the policy documents labeled bullying-type behaviors and discussed the roles and responsibilities of staff and managers. Policies did not clearly delineate how managers should respond to workplace bullying. CONCLUSIONS These differences can allow management variation, not sanctioned by policy. Unclear policy language can also offer insufficient guidance to managers, resulting in differential enforcement of policies.

Organisational antecedents, policy and horizontal violence among nurses: An integrative review

“…Variance in the managers’ interpretation and enforcement of anti‐HV policies was also found to be inconsistent. In some cases, managers disagreed on the definition of HV within the policies (Johnson et al., ) and felt they were merely relaying administrative policies and doing a surveillance of nurses to monitor for signs of HV.…”

Workplace bullying, biased behaviours and performance review in the nursing profession: A qualitative study

“…However, nursing unit managers have reported that even when they want to support targets of bullying, they do not always know how to intervene (Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, Beaton, & de Castro, ; Lindy & Schaefer, ). Managers’ responses to workplace bullying can also be shaped by discourses, or the language used to discuss workplace bullying, within their organisation (Hutchinson et al, ; Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, & de Castro, ), and it is also possible that the coping mechanisms deployed by staff nurses are subject to similar influences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore how staff nurses discuss workplace bullying that they have either witnessed or experienced with a goal of understanding their responses to workplace bullying.…”

Experience of nursing leaders with workplace bullying and how to best cope

“…We all would agree with Lawrence (), who stated that the best way to stop the development of a toxic workplace is primary prevention, or preventing toxicity from developing. Policies in some organizations do not outline behavioural standards and clear expectations for how leaders should respond to bullying and negative organizational behaviours (Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, & de Castro, (). Organizations should develop policies and procedures that provide guidelines for dealing with bullying, to include disciplinary procedures (Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, & de Castro, ; Joint Commission, ).…”

“…Policies in some organizations do not outline behavioural standards and clear expectations for how leaders should respond to bullying and negative organizational behaviours (Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, & de Castro, (). Organizations should develop policies and procedures that provide guidelines for dealing with bullying, to include disciplinary procedures (Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, & de Castro, ; Joint Commission, ). The American Nurses Association position statement related to incivility, bullying and workplace violence (2015) recommends that employers should establish a zero‐tolerance policy for bullying, regardless of who the bully is.…”

“…Nurse leaders that are bullying victims should not blame themselves or lose their confidence. Although workplace bullying has multiple negative impacts, nurse leaders do not consistently take action to address bullying behaviour observed in their units/departments (Johnson, Boutain, Tsai, & de Castro, ) or that they personally experience. Nursing leaders at all levels, especially executive leaders, need to work with human resources and other executives in the organization to create policies that address consequences for bullying at all levels within the organization.…”