Managers in the firing line: Contributing factors to workplace bullying by staff – an interview study

Abstract

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that is attracting increasing interest from researchers throughout the Western world. To date, most of the research into workplace bullying has focused on managers and colleagues as the perpetrators of bullying in the workplace. By contrast, little is known about ‘upwards bullying’, where managers are the targets. We argue that in order to more fully understand workplace bullying as a whole, the phenomenon of upwards bullying requires research attention. In the present study, upwards bullying was explored in interviews conducted with 24 managers from public and private organizations, with the data coded and arranged thematically. Results indicate that potential contributing factors towards upwards bullying include the current work environment, change within organizations and power issues. We recommend that organizations identify the occurrence and processes of upwards bullying as important steps in developing comprehensive workplace bullying policies.

‘Psychopaths’ at Work? Implications of Lay Persons’ Use of Labels and Behavioural Criteria for Psychopathy

“…While debate regarding some elements of the criteria for bullying persists, it is widely accepted that for behaviours to be categorised as bullying they must be repeated and unreasonable Branch et al 2007). To help distinguish between situations of concern to health and safety and more innocuous behaviours, the notion that the behaviours must cause or have the potential to cause harm in order to be considered bullying, has become a regular inclusion in workplace bullying prevention guides (e.g.…”

Organizational Governance: A Promising Solution for Varieties of Workplace Bullying

“…Yet, the direction of internal bullying in interpersonal instances is largely downwards (from superior to subordinate) (Branch et al, 2013;Einarsen et al, 2011), though horizontal (between peers) , upwards (subordinate to superior) (Branch, Ramsay, & Barker, 2007) and/or cross-level co-bullying (where peers and/or subordinates join superiors) (D'Cruz & Rayner, 2012) are also reported. In instances of depersonalized bullying, internal bullying moves downwards, with superiors implementing the organizational agenda and ensuring subordinates' compliance (D'Cruz, 2015).While supervisory and managerial layers generally deal with the workforce immediately below them in the organizational hierarchy, it is possible that levels are skipped as they attempt to deliver results mandated by the organization (D'Cruz, 2015).…”

“…Organizational antecedents include organizational culture and climate, leadership, job design and work organization, and organizational change (Salin & Hoel, 2011), operating within the work-environment hypothesis where situational factors (Salin & Hoel, 2011) give rise to interpersonal bullying (D'Cruz, 2015). Destructive forms of leadership (Aasland, Skogstad, Notelaers, Nielsen, & Einarsen, 2010), role conflict (Hauge, Skogstad, & Einarsen, 2009), role ambiguity (Baillien, Rodriguez-Mun˜oz, van den Broeck, & De Witte, 2011), work overload (Branch et al, 2007), and job insecurity (De Cuyper, Baillien, & De Witte, 2009) have been identified. Stressful work conditions are a fertile ground for bullying to unfold.…”

“…Bloch (2012) and Jenkins et al (2012) studying (alleged) bullies found allusions to performance management, role enactment, perceived target wrongdoing and errors, and coping with job demands. Leymann's (1996) view that anyone can become a target of workplace bullying under the right circumstances is reinforced, with one-up-personship being seen as the main motive (Branch et al, 2007;Jenkins et al, 2012).…”

Does competency matter? Competency as a factor in workplace bullying

“…Doing such work while being violated adds to the emotional strain already inherent in their work. Because such workplaces are involved in continual change and improvement as part of the job, bullying may be more likely (Branch, Ramsay, & Barker, 2007). In healthcare research, MacIntosh, Wuest, Gray, and Cronkhite (2010) found that workplace bullying can change the meaning of work, making it more difficult to sustain the need or ability to "make a difference."…”