Workplace Bullying and Its Implications for Gender Transformation in the South African Higher Education Sector

Abstract

While transformation in the higher education sector in South Africa has been the subject of intensive research since 1994, few studies have explored the link between workplace bullying and transformation. Whereas workplace bullying has drawn researchers’ attention for decades, it is only recently that scholars have started to interrogate the phenomenon through the intersectional lens. This paper employs intersectionality to explore women academics’ experiences of workplace bullying and to suggest links between workplace bullying and gender transformation in the higher education sector in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cross-section of 25 women academics who had experienced workplace bullying. As part of data triangulation, four union representatives and three human resources practitioners were also interviewed. The study’s main findings indicate that gender, race and class mediate women academics’ experiences of workplace bullying. In historically White universities, African, Coloured and Indian women academics, particularly those from working-class backgrounds, are more likely to be bullied, by seniors, peers, administrators and students. For White women academics, race ameliorates their workplace bullying experiences. The simultaneous effects of race, gender and class derail transformation as members of previously disadvantaged groups either remain stuck in junior academic positions, or exit the sector.

Exploring a framework to manage bullying in South African academia: Human resources perspective

“…This view is shared by some African and international scholars, who argue that policies alone will not effectively eliminate bullying across organisations, but that the reinforcement of anti-bullying policies and interventions can robustly embolden organisations to combat bullying and its harmful consequences (e.g. Cunniff & Mostert, 2012;Djurkovic et al, 2021;Einarsen et al, 2018;Hodgins et al, 2020;Mangolothi, 2020;Mokgolo, 2017;Motsei & Nkomo, 2016;Namie & Namie, 2015;Smit, 2021;Steinman & Van Rooij, 2012).…”

“…Scholars affirmed that work has negative and positive effects on employees' health, dignity and wellbeing (Conco et al, 2021;Mokgolo, 2017). Organisations worldwide are grappling with workplace bullying and its dire short-term and long-term consequences on employees' dignity, health and wellbeing (Conco et al, 2021;Motsei & Nkomo, 2016;Nzonzo, 2017), commitment, organisational citizenship behaviours and effectiveness , reputation (Smit, 2021) and staff turnover and recruitment efforts (Mangolothi, 2020). Despite these catastrophic consequences, Hodgins et al (2020) and Mnangolothi (2020) posit that some organisations globally have workplace bullying policies in place.…”