Workplace bullying and sickness absence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the research literature

Abstract

Workplace bullying and sickness absence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the research literature by Nielsen MB, Indregard AMR, Øverland S This review found that exposure to workplace bullying is a risk factor for later sickness absence. There is a shortage of studies on the moderators and mediators that can explain the relationship between bullying and absence. None of the identified studies examined if or how sickness absence increases the risk of later exposure to workplace bullying. Affiliation 359Review Scand J Work Environ Health. 2016;42(5):359-370. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3579 Workplace bullying and sickness absence: a systematic review and metaanalysis of the research literature Objective The association between workplace bullying and sickness absence remains unclear. This paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of research on the association. MethodWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published primary studies on workplace bullying and sickness absence. Studies based on prospective design or registry data on sickness absence were included. Cross-sectional studies with self-reported sickness absence were excluded.Results Seventeen primary studies were included in the review, sixteen originated from the Nordic countries and fifteen included registry data on sickness absence. All but one study found that exposure to workplace bullying was associated with increased risk of sickness absence. A meta-analysis of ten independent studies showed that exposure to bullying increased the risk of sickness absence (odds ratio 1.58, 95% CI 1.39-1.79). Five studies included variables that moderated the association between bullying and absenteeism. None of the studies included mediating variables. No studies examined sickness absence as a risk factor for later exposure to bullying. Following the GRADE guidelines, the evidence for an association between bullying and sickness absence is moderate.Conclusions Workplace bullying is a risk factor for sickness absence, but the mechanisms to explain this relationship are not sufficiently described. It is unclear whether sickness absence predicts later exposure to bullying. While, the methodological quality of the reviewed studies was high, the knowledge base is small. There is a need for more research on how and when bullying is related to sickness absence and the possible bidirectional relationships involved.

Bullying versus creativity: Mutually exclusive workplace behaviors

“…Miczek's clinical findings reinforce what Scandinavians (Eriksen, et al, 2014;Nielsen, et al 2016;Hoel, et al, 2010) who have been claiming, that workplace bullying truly is a health and safety issue. Targets of workplace bullying take more sick time, experience more apathy and depression as noted by targets' response to self-isolate from the organization and peers.…”

Workplace bullying, the development of job insecurity and the role of laissez-faire leadership: A two-wave moderated mediation study

“…This claim has since been reiterated by other scholars (e.g. Lutgen-Sandvik, 2003;Strandmark & Hallberg, 2007), and researchers have repeatedly reported outcomes of bullying related to expulsion, including sickness absence (Niedhammer, Chastang, Sultan-Taïeb, Vermeylen, & Parent-Thirion, 2013;Nielsen, Indregard, & Øverland, 2016), increased turnover rates (Hogh, Hoel, & Carneiro, 2011;Quine, 2001) and unemployment (Glambek et al, 2015). Furthermore, research has demonstrated severe health effects of workplace bullying .…”

Workplace Bullying as a Predictor of Disability Retirement

“…Although bullying has been found to increase the risk of subsequent health problems 7–9 and sickness absence, 10 the empirical evidence for bullying as a precursor to disability retirement is scarce and findings are somewhat mixed with some studies supporting bullying as a precursor, 5,11–13 whereas others provide ambiguous findings. 14 In addition, there is lack of evidence on the relative impact of bullying given the influence of other work exposures and the impact of gender on the association has not been established.…”