Person-environment fit as a parsimonious framework to explain workplace bullying

Purpose: This study tested whether person-job fit (PJ-fit), person-group fit (PG-fit) and person-organization fit (PO-fit) relate to exposure to and enactment of workplace bullying (WB), mediated by strain and conflict. Design/methodology/approach: Data from 1,077 employees were analysed using multiple mediator structural equation modelling (Mplus 8.0). Findings: PJ-fit, PG-fit and PO-fit all related to WB. PG-fit accounted for most explained variance. PJ-fit, PG-fit and PO-fit related to bullying through strain; only PG-fit also related to bullying through conflict. Research limitations/implications: PE-fit is valuable to parsimoniously investigate WB's multi-causal nature; and strain and conflict partially explain the associations. Future research may shed more light on the direction of these effects. Practical implications: So far, scholars assumed that job design prevents WB (work-environment hypothesis). This study revealed that prevention should also focus on the fit between employee and group/organization. Social implications: WB has high societal costs. The authors introduce a new angle to WB prevention. To counteract WB, practitioners should also look at PJ-fit, PG-fit and PO-fit. This is not only important for recruitment, but also for tenured employees (e.g. because of changes in employees' needs, the job, the group or the organization). Originality/value: This study was the first to investigate the multi-causal nature of both WB exposure and enactment, by applying the lens of PE-fit, and testing explanatory mechanisms.acceptedVersio

What goes around comes around:How perpetrators of workplace bullying become targets themselves

In this study, we investigated whether and how perpetrators of bullying become targets themselves. Building on the notion of bullying as an escalation process and the Conservation of Resources Theory, we hypothesized that following enactment of bullying, people would experience increased relationship conflicts with colleagues, diminishing their sense of control and making them more likely to become exposed to bullying themselves. We tested this idea using longitudinal sequential mediated Structural Equation Modelling in a sample of 1420 Belgian workers. Our results confirmed that enactment of bullying lead to more exposure to bullying 18 months later. Relationship conflicts partially mediated this effect, meaning that bullying enactment can lead to increased tensions with others at work, increasing one’s vulnerability to bullying exposure. Although perceived control also mediated the enactment-exposure relationship, relationship conflicts did not lead to perceived loss of control, suggesting a missing link in this relationship. Furthermore, the effect from perceived control to exposure to bullying was small and did not replicate in post-hoc analyses. Our findings suggest that people may experience a backlash from others in their work environment following engagement in bullying behavior at work and invite further exploration of the processes that may account for this relationship

The bullied who bullies: the reciprocal relationship between victim and aggressor in workplace bullying situations

El objetivo del presente estudio consistió en explorar las relaciones longitudinales entre los factores organizacionales (sobrecarga de trabajo y justicia procedimental) y ser agresor y víctima de conductas de acoso. Se compararon distintos modelos causales (modelo de estabilidad, de causalidad normal, de causalidad inversa y modelo recíproco). La muestra estuvo compuesta por 286 empleados de dos empresas de Madrid, y se empleó un intervalo temporal de un año. Los resultados de los modelos de ecuaciones estructurales mostraron que el modelo recíproco fue el que mejor ajuste presentaba. Se encontró que la sobrecarga T1 se relacionaba positivamente con ser víctima de acoso T2, mientras que la justicia procedimental presentaba una relación negativa con ser víctima de acoso T2. Se halló un efecto inverso entre ser víctima de acoso T1 y la sobrecarga T2. Además, se encontró una relación recíproca entre ser agresor y víctima de acoso. En general, estos resultados enfatizan la necesidad de extender los modelos causales tradicionales del acoso hacia enfoques más dinámicosThe aim of this study was to explore longitudinal relationships between organizational factors (workload and procedural justice) and targets and perpetrators of workplace bullying. We compared several causal models (baseline or stability, normal, reversed and reciprocal models). The sample comprised 286 employees from two companies in Madrid, and we used a time-lag of one year. Results of structural equation modeling analyses showed that reciprocal model fit the data the best. We found that T1 workload was related positively to T2 target of bullying, and T1 procedural justice was related negatively to T2 target of bullying. There was a signifi cant reverse effect of T1 target of bullying on T2 workload. Furthermore, we found a reciprocal relationship between being the target and the perpetrator of bullying. Overall, these fi ndings emphasize the need to extend the traditional causal models of workplace bullying to more dynamic approache

Similarities and differences in the associations between patient safety culture dimensions and self-reported outcomes in two different cultural settings: a national cross-sectional study in Palestinian and Belgian hospitals

Objectives To investigate the relationships between patient safety culture (PSC) dimensions and PSC selfreported outcomes across different cultures and to gain insights in cultural differences regarding PSC. Design Observational, cross-sectional study. Setting Ninety Belgian hospitals and 13 Palestinian hospitals. Participants A total of 2836 healthcare professionals matched for profession, tenure and working hours. Primary and secondary outcome measures The validated versions of the Belgian and Palestinian Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture were used. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha (α). In this study, we examined the specific predictive value of the PSC dimensions and its self-reported outcome measures across different cultures and countries. Hierarchical regression and bivariate analyses were performed. Results Eight PSC dimensions and four PSC selfreported outcomes were distinguished in both countries. Cronbach’s α was α≥0.60. Significant correlations were found between PSC dimensions and its self-reported outcome (p value range <0.05 to <0.001). Hierarchical regression analyses showed overall perception of safety was highly predicted by hospital management support in Palestine (β=0.16, p<0.001) and staffing in Belgium (β=0.24, p<0.001). The frequency of events was largely predicted by feedback and communication in both countries (Palestine: β=0.24, p<0.001; Belgium: β=0.35, p<0.001). Overall grade for patient safety was predicted by organisational learning in Palestine (β=0.19, p<0.001) and staffing in Belgium (β=0.19, p<0.001). Number of events reported was predicted by staffing in Palestine (β=−0.20, p<0.001) and feedback and communication in Belgium (β=0.11, p<0.01). Conclusion To promote patient safety in Palestine and Belgium, staffing and communication regarding errors should be improved in both countries. Initiatives to improve hospital management support and establish constructive learning systems would be especially beneficial for patient safety in Palestine. Future research should address the association between safety culture and hard patient safety measures such as patient outcomes.We particularly acknowledge all participating hospitals and their staff who devoted time to completing the surveys. We extend our gratitude to the Palestinian and Belgian governments for their cooperation and supporting this research

Why, how, when, and for whom does digital disconnection work? A process-based framework of digital disconnection

Digital disconnection has emerged as a concept describing the actions people take to limit their digital connectivity to enhance their well-being. To date, evidence on its effectiveness is mixed, leading to calls for greater consideration of why, how, when, and for whom digital disconnection works. This article responds to these calls, presenting a framework that differentiates four key harms that contribute to experiences of digital ill-being (time displacement, interference, role blurring, and exposure effects). Using these four harms as a starting point, the framework explains: (1) why people are motivated to digitally disconnect; (2) how specific disconnection strategies (i.e., placing limits on time, access, channels, and contents, interactions and features) may help them; and for whom (3) and under which conditions (when) these strategies can be effective

The development of workplace bullying: Atheory driven analysis

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/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}A growing body ofresearch has focused on workplace bullying and elucidated its content,prevalence and consequences. A strong explorative focus regarding its antecedentshas however hampered progress in the understanding of how bullying may emerge. Adittionally,most studies to date have used cross-sectional designs and focused almostexclusively on the perspective of the target. Against this backdrop, we aimedto disentangle how work-related antecedents may trigger workplace bullyingusing (1) established theoretical frameworks, (2) longitudinal designs, and (3)the target s and perpetrator s perspective. These issues will be addressed infour chapters and eight studies. In Chapter I, we developed aqualitative incident based Three Way Model that integrates earlier theoretical frameworks(Study 1). The model defines three processes that may contribute to bullying.First, bullying may result from inefficient coping with strain. Such copingmechanisms are likely to be active for perpetrators, and passive for targets. Second,bullying may result from escalated conflicts. Third, bullying may result fromdestructive team and organizational cultures. The Three Way Model provided theoverarching framework for this dissertation in which the stress process and theconflict process, the most important processes in the model, will be sustainedby means of quantitative data. In Chapter II, weinvestigated the stress process applying well-established theoreticalframeworks. First, we tested whetherworkplace bullying may be predicted using Karasek s Job Demand Control Model (Karasek&amp; Theorell, 1990). In this context, we compared matched samples of Belgianand Spanish blue collar workers in view of being a target of bullying (Study 2), and we investigated thelongitudinal relationships between job demands, job control and being a targetor a perpetrator of bullying (Study 3). Second, we applied the Job DemandsResources Model (Bakker &amp; Demerouti, 2007) to being a target and to beinga perpetrator of bullying using cross-sectional (Study 4) andlongitudinal data (Study 5). Both models proved to be valuable in explainingbeing a target or a perpetrator of bullying, and bullying may thus be regardedas a social, behavioral stress outcome (strain). Our findings however revealeddifferent processes for targets as compared to perpetrators: whereas being atarget of bullying appeared to be triggered by either job demands or jobcontrol/resources; being a perpetrator of bullying required both job demandsànd job control/resources (i.e. and-and ).In Chapter III, threestudies focused on the conflict process and examined which specific conflictmanagement style triggers bullying, using the Dual Concern Theory (De Dreu,Weingart &amp; Kwon, 2000). First, we studied whether the conflict managementstyles used in the work unit moderated the relationship between the occurrenceof conflicts in the work unit and being a target of bullying (Study 6). As theresults only revealed main effects of problem solving and forcing, we thenstudied the more detailed association between the conflict management styles inthe work unit and being a target of bullying; applying more complex analyses (Study7). This study showed that the conflict management styles in the work unit couldonly be associated with being a target of bullying when taking into accountdifferent levels of conflict occurrence in the work unit. Finally, we testedwhether individual conflict management styles would moderate the relationshipbetween the occurrence of conflicts in the work unit and being a target andbeing a perpetrator of bullying using a longitudinal design (Study 8). Ourresults only showed main effects of problem solving and forcing when predictingbeing a perpetrator of bullying 6 months later. Overall, our results indicatedthat conflicts and conflict management styles may be regarded as triggers forbeing a perpetrator of bullying. How conflicts and conflict management stylesmight be related to being a target of bullying appeared less straightforward. In Chapter IV ouroverall results are summarized and discussed, in view of the differencesbetween processes that may influence being a target versus being a perpetratorof bullying.status: publishe

Als naar het werk gaan een hel wordt. 162.000 werknemers dreigen op korte tijd uit te vallen omwille van pesterijen

Een op de zeven werknemers in ons land rekent wekelijks af met pesterijen door collega’s of leidinggevenden. Schrikwekkend veel, en dus hoog tijd om ook op de werkvloer een vuist te maken tegen pesten. Met een degelijk preventiebeleid moet dat lukken.status: publishe

Workplace Bullying in the Portuguese Banking Sector: Incidence Levels and Risk Groups

This study aims to analyze the incidence rate of workplace bullying in the Portuguese banking sector and to shed light on the most frequent bullying behaviors encountered in this understudied setting. In line with the idea of “powerlessness,” these aspects are contrasted in terms of gender and organizational position. A questionnaire-based survey using two different but complementary strategies was conducted, to measure both the subjective perception of workplace bullying and the objective dimension of the concept. Results (N = 561) showed an incidence rate of 5.9% targets of bullying, according to the self-labeling method. Following the two-act criterion, 23.4% of the targets were found through the behavioral experience method. The respondents who indicated to be a target of bullying based on the self-labeling method reported mainly work-related negative acts (e.g., being exposed to an unmanageable workload, their opinions and views are ignored and their work is excessively monitored) in the behavioral experience method. In contrast to our expectations, not the bottom staff but the middle and top managers were mostly exposed to bullying acts. Regarding gender, men were more at risk of being a target of bullying behaviors at work than women, contrary to our hypothesis and to the general idea in the literature. In addition, there was an interaction effect of position and gender in the prevalence of bullying. Although this study has limitations due to its focus exclusively in the banking sector, the findings seem to have important implications in terms of designing intervention policies. In addition, it provides new insights about workplace bullying in a sector and a country that has been largely absent from research carried out so far in Europe. Finally, the results challenge and contextualize the dominant idea in the literature that the weaker and defenseless worker is the most likely target of bullying.status: Published onlin

Why is organizational change related to workplace bullying? Role conflict and job insecurity as mediators

© The Author(s) 2015 Although organizational change has often been cited as an important cause of workplace bullying, only few studies have investigated this relationship. The current article aims to address this issue by exploring a direct as well as indirect relationship (i.e. mediation by various job and team-related stressors) between organizational change and bullying. Data were collected in 10 private organizations in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium (N = 1260). Results show a significant relationship between organizational change and bullying. Role conflict, job insecurity, workload, role ambiguity, frequency of conflict, social support from colleagues and social leadership are all related to bullying. Regression analyses reveal a relationship between change and role conflict as well as job insecurity. The other stressors were not associated with organizational change and, hence, do not mediate. Finally, regression analysis shows that the relationship between organizational change and bullying is fully mediated by role conflict and job insecurity.status: publishe

The Relationship between the occurence of conflicts in the work unit, the Conflict management styles in het work unit and workplace bullying

The current study examines the relationship between the occurrence of conflicts in the work unit and conflict management styles in the work unit, and workplace bullying. First, we assume a positive relationship between the occurrence of conflicts and bullying; and that the conflict management styles 'fighting', 'avoiding' and 'yielding' associate positively and 'problem solving' associates negatively with bullying. Second, we expect that the work unit's conflict management styles moderate the relationship between the occurrence of conflicts and bullying. Results (N = 942) revealed a positive association between the occurrence of conflicts and bullying, as well as between fighting and bullying. Problem solving related negatively with bullying. Unexpectedly, we found no moderation. Our findings suggest that particularly the occurrence of conflicts relate to bullying, which may be owed to a strong negative connotation associated with (many) conflicts at work or to its negative impact on the work unit's social climate. Organisations may also encourage problem solving and discourage fighting to prevent bullying.status: publishe