The Communicative Cycle Of Employee Emotional Abuse

Abstract

Employee emotional abuse (EEA) is repetitive, targeted, and destructive communication by more powerful members toward less powerful members in the workplace. It is costly, widespread, and may be the precursor to workplace aggression and violence. This article synthesizes extant research findings with the author’s own managerial experience into a comprehensive gestalt of EEA as a communicative process that evolves, escalates, and moves to new targets when earlier targets exit the organization. The model proposed depicts a six-stage cycle that provides a means for (a) understanding the dynamics of abuse, (b) recognizing the indicators of abuse, (c) controlling or stopping the abuse, and (d) predicting the development of unchecked abuse. Practical implications of the model and areas for future research are identified.

The Mediator Role of Social Safeness and Pleasure in Relation between Mobbing and Meaning of Work in Academicians

“…Yaman and Sariçam (2015) detected that there was a negative relationship between the mobbing and the meaning of the work. Furthermore, there are studies which claim that the work performance, work satisfaction and organizational trust of individuals who were exposed to mobbing were negatively affected (Carroll & Lauzier, 2014;Çivilidağ & Sargın, 2013;Estes & Wang, 2008;Harvey, Heames, Richey, & Leonard, 2006;Lutgen-Sandvik, 2003;Mathisen, Einarsen, & Mykletun, 2008;Yaman, 2007Yaman, , 2008Yaman, , 2009Yaman, , 2010Yaman, Vidinlioğlu, & Çitemel, 2010;Zapf, Knorz, & Kulla, 1996). These statements support the results of our study.…”

Perceived severity of various bullying behaviours at work and the relevance of exposure to bullying

“…In line with these results, the most common definitions of bullying emphasize emotional aspects as most representative of the phenomenon (Keashly, 2001;Keashly & Harvey, 2005;Lutgen-Sandvik, 2003;Mikkelsen & Einarsen, 2002). For example, Einarsen (1999) gives a definition based on humiliation and offence, and for Niedl (1996), the most important aspects are repeated hostile acts of humiliation and intimidation directed at the victim.…”

“…However, the present study is probably the first to directly investigate this issue. The fact that emotional abuse was evaluated as the most severe type of bullying is in accordance with several studies that emphasize emotional aspects as most representative of the phenomenon (Einarsen, 1999;Keashly, 2001;Keashly & Harvey, 2005;Lutgen-Sandvik, 2003;Mikkelsen & Einarsen, 2002;Niedl, 1996). The results are also similar to those of the Delphi study of Rodríguez-Carballeira et al (in press), where emotional abuse was also judged to be the most important category.…”

Chaos, Reports, and Quests

“…The impact of bullying goes well beyond harming targets. Despite the central nature of interpersonal relationships and communication in workplace bullying, little research has examined target communication of their experiences to supervisors, co-workers, family, and friends (Lutgen-Sandvik, 2003), which presents an important area of inquiry. This research points to a ripple effect whereby multiple people in the organization are being harmed whether or not they are actively being bullied (Rayner, 1999).…”