Continuities into the workplace: what can we learn from research into workplace bullying

Continuities into the workplace: what can we learn from research into workplace bullyin

Preventing bullying in school and work contexts

Preventing bullying in school and work context

Cyberbullying within working contexts

The current chapter debates the limited existing research evidence on cyberbullying within working contexts. We examine critically conceptualising cyberbullying as a new type of negative work behaviour or simply an extension of traditional bullying. The focus then moves to presenting the evidence on prevalence rates, impact and antecedents of workplace cyberbullying. This culminates in a discussion of theoretical ideas that may aid our understanding of cyberbullying at work from the computer-mediated communication and psychology literatures. The chapter concludes by providing the reader with five action points for enhancing future research in this topic area

Understanding individual experiences of cyberbullying encountered through work

Little research has explored individual experiences of cyberbullying in working contexts. To start bridging the gap in our current understanding, we used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore individuals’ shared experiences of cyberbullying encountered through work. In-depth interviews, conducted with five cyberbullied workers from the pharmaceutical, charity and university sectors, resulted in five superordinate themes: attributions of causality; crossing of boundaries; influence of communication media richness on relationship development; influence of communication explicitness and openness; and strategies for coping. Overall, some similarities emerged between cyberbullying experiences and traditional bullying research, yet the complexities associated with managing relationships, both virtually and physically, were central to individuals’ subjective experiences. Practical implications in developing effective leadership and business policies to support virtual groups and manage behaviours are discussed

Job stressors and voluntary work behaviours: mediating effect of emotion and moderating roles of personality and emotional intelligence

Framed within an emotion-centred model, the current study investigated the mediating role of negative and positive emotion between job stressors and counterproductive work behaviours (CWB) and organisational citizenship behaviours, and the moderating effects of personality and ability-based emotional intelligence (EI) on the relationships between job stressors and emotions. Results from a sample of 202 Caribbean employees across eight public and private sector organisations showed that both positive and negative emotion mediated the relation between job stressors and citizenship behaviours, whereas only negative emotion was found to mediate the relation between job stressors and CWB. Some support was found for the moderating effects of personality and EI. Implications for research and practice are discussed

Cyberbullying at work: Understanding the influence of technology

We exist at a time when technology has revolutionised the way people work. It is now just as easy to communicate electronically with colleagues thousands of miles away as it is with a coworker in the same building. While there are many advantages of information and communication technologies (ICTs), workplace cyberbullying channeled through ICTs illustrates the potential drawbacks of such technologies. The current chapter examines the limited, yet developing research on workplace cyberbullying. First, we discuss the criteria used to define workplace cyberbullying and the behaviours that encompass it. Second, we present current empirical findings, including research on the actors involved in the process and the antecedents, prevalence and impact of workplace cyberbullying. Finally, we discuss theoretical perspectives on why workplace cyberbullying occurs, highlight the emerging focus on the work context and present some suggestions for future research in this area

The interaction between supportive and unsupportive manager behaviors on employee work attitudes

Purpose: To use Social Exchange Theory (SET) to examine a model where supportive (SMB) and unsupportive (UMB) manager behaviors interact to predict employees’ engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Design/Methodology: A cross-sectional online survey collected data from 252 UK based employees of a global data management company. Findings: Factor analysis confirmed manager behaviors to consist of two constructs: supportive and unsupportive behaviors. Structural equation modelling indicated SMB predicted job satisfaction and turnover intentions, but not engagement. Job satisfaction, but not engagement, mediated the SMB-turnover intention relationship. UMB only predicted job dissatisfaction. Neither job satisfaction nor engagement mediated the UMB-turnover intention relationship. UMB undermined the positive relationship between SMB and turnover intention. Implications: The behaviors assessed can be integrated into various stages of a manager’s development process to serve as guidelines of good practice. Crucially, findings suggest managers can exhibit both supportive and unsupportive behaviors, and that consistency in behaviors is important. The study also provides evidence that supportive managers can help reduce turnover intention through job satisfaction. Originality/value: SET was used as a framework for SMB, UMB and engagement. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the interaction between SMB and UMB

A preliminary investigation to explore the cognitive resources of physicians experiencing difficulty in training

Background: Treating patients is complex, and research shows that there are differences in cognitive resources between physicians who experience difficulties, and those who do not. It is possible that differences in some cognitive resources could explain the difficulties faced by some physicians. In this study, we explore differences in cognitive resources between different groups of physicians (that is, between native (UK) physicians and International Medical Graduates (IMG); those who continue with training versus those who were subsequently removed from the training programme); and also between physicians experiencing difficulties compared with the general population. Methods: A secondary evaluation was conducted on an anonymised dataset provided by the East Midlands Professional Support Unit (PSU). One hundred and twenty one postgraduate trainee physicians took part in an Educational Psychology assessment through PSU. Referrals to the PSU were mainly on the basis of problems with exam progression and difficulties in communication skills, organisation and confidence. Cognitive resources were assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV). Physicians were categorised into three PSU outcomes: ‘Continued in training’, ‘Removed from training’ and ‘Active’ (currently accessing the PSU). Results: Using a one-sample Z test, we compared the referred physician sample to a UK general population sample on the WAIS-IV and found the referred sample significantly higher in Verbal Comprehension (VCI; z = 8.78) and significantly lower in Working Memory (WMI; z = −4.59). In addition, the native sample were significantly higher in Verbal Comprehension than the UK general population sample (VCI; native physicians: z = 9.95, p < .001, d = 1.25), whilst there was a lesser effect for the difference between the IMG sample and the UK general population (z = 2.13, p = .03, d = 0.29). Findings also showed a significant difference in VCI scores between those physicians who were ‘Removed from training’ and those who ‘Continued in training’. Conclusions: Our results suggest it is important to understand the cognitive resources of physicians to provide a more focussed explanation of those who experience difficulties in training. This will help to implement more targeted interventions to help physicians develop compensatory strategies

Workplace bullying

This Concise Encyclopedia is an interdisciplinary overview of the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The entries present some of the main topics gravitating around CSR and its theoretical evolution, while recognising how the framework has spread out into different academic fields.</p

Polish teachers and cyberbullying - a qualitative exploration of the stakeholders’ perceptions and experience of the phenomenon

Cyberbullying refers to bullying and harassment of others using new electronic technologies, the most popular being the internet and mobile phone. For young people the internet is an everyday means of communication and information gathering. Very often their social life after school consists of participating in chat rooms and social network websites. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework (1979, 1989), this study aims to investigate Polish teachers’ perceptions of cyberbullying, the effect of either being exposed to or engaging in cyberbullying on students’ psychological well-being and the importance of safety and support available in schools. Cyberbullying in secondary education is explored from the stakeholders’ perspective using a qualitative method of enquiry. A total of 23 teachers participated in the semi-structured interviews. Participants whilst sharing their beliefs about cyberbullying identified its dangers, characteristics, and reasons behind perpetrating cyberbullying. Furthermore, whilst teachers’ responses highlighted their awareness of available support both within and outside the school environment, they implored the need for further guidance in management of cyberbullying incidents. The current chapter highlights the value of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework (1979, 1989) whilst trying to understand a relatively new phenomenon of cyberbullying among young people from the teachers’ perspective. It is argued that this can be helpful when evaluating current and designing future interventions aiming at cyberbullying prevention and management