Workplace Bullying - Literature review Example

Workplace Bullying The workplace presents conditions which often challenge worker safety. For most managers, safety procedures and policies have been set in place in order to manage workplace safety. Safety refers to physical and psychological safety and employers are required by law and by the Occupational Safety and Health Association to follow standards and guidelines on worker safety. Physical safety would generally include provisions for the use of personal protective equipment for workers, as well as safety rails, vibration absorbers, ear muffs, and similar tools. Other safety processes refer to training, counseling, and anti-bullying policies. Workplace bullying has emerged in recent years as one of the major issues impacting on workplace safety, often making workers feel unsafe and insecure in their work setting. In the United States and other western states, the prevalence rate for workplace bullying is at 35% to 50% (HR-Business and Legal Resources). This indicates that about 35 to 50 percent of workers have been bullied in their workplace at any point in their working life. Managers have yet to establish the clear policies needed in prevent and manage bullying, especially as these incidents of bullying remain significant issues in the workplace. This paper now seeks to describe workplace bullying, its usual manifestations and impact, including the applicable OSHA standards and guidelines this issue affects. It will first describe the specific manifestations of workplace bullying. Secondly, it shall determine the OSHA standards and guidelines this problem affects. Lastly, a solution to the problem will be secured. Possible solutions to the problem shall also be developed. This paper is being carried out in order to provide tools for upper management in sufficiently addressing workplace bullying. There are no specific and formal definitions set for workplace bullying and some researchers declare that it refers to all damaging behaviors from managers; it also refers to actions which have malicious intent against subordinates or other co-workers (Inceoglu, p. 59). Bullying behavior can sometimes include humiliating rites which are often deemed to be in the best interest of the employee. Workplace bullying is also grouped into various patterns, often ultimately indicating that there are numerous ways by which this behavior can manifest and can be managed (Inceoglu, p. 59). Other types of bullying are also classified in terms of people affected. In some cases, supervisors or manager complicit with other employees can carry out the act, and in other instances only the manager is involved. Tracy and others (p. 152) discuss that bullying includes various tactics where different kinds of hostile attitudes and communication are used in the workplace. The Namies discuss that bullying includes persistent, health-harming, verbal abuse, and conduct which threatens, humiliates, intimidates, and interferes with an employee’s work. It also includes nonverbal aggression, personal attacks, and social isolation as well as hostile interactions experienced by an employee (Duffy and Sperry, p. 46). In general therefore, workplace bullying is generally repetitive, enduring, and escalating; there is also a difference in power manifestation, mostly with the targets being unable to defend themselves. These actions can often have a significant impact on employees, as it can cause physical, psychological, and social issues, including stress which can sometimes lead to sick days and persistent absences (Duffy and Sperry, p. 48). Post traumatic stress syndrome has also emerged as an issue among bullied workers. Bullying also interferes with work dynamics, group cohesion, peer communication, and the general performance of the employee and the firm. In the United States, the OSHA is one of the agencies which seeks to manage workplace safety for all employees. The OSHA policies on workplace bullying are included in its policies on workplace violence (Daniel, p. 80). At present, there are no specific standards for workplace violence. There are however specific policies for various sectors of employment, including the health sector and night retail establishments. These policies do not specifically address workplace bullying but indicate a general guideline to address the issue. Under the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a) (1) of the OSHA (1970), employers are called to secure employees with an environment which is free from hazards which can cause death or serious harm. The general duty clause has been applied by the courts to indicate that an employer would have a specific obligation to secure a workplace “free of conditions or activities that either the employer or industry recognizes as hazardous and that cause, or are likely to cause death or serious harm to employees where there is a feasible method to abate the hazard” (OSHA, Section 5(a)(1)). Employers who are informed of acts related to workplace violence, including threats or intimidation, as well as other indicators for possible violence would now be placed on notice about the risks of workplace violence and must therefore secure workplace violence prevention policies in order to manage the bullying. Since the OSHA policies do not specifically cover workplace bullying, the policies on workplace violence are interpreted under the same context with the General Duty Clause provisions on physical harm and hazards made applicable to bullying (Daniel, p. 80). The OSHA specifies that the agency can cite and impose fines on employers who do not secure workers with sufficient safeguards against workplace violence following their investigation (Violence Free). OSHA directive also indicates directions for field officers to follow, mostly on establishing if a case must be pursued against employers. The employers are called on to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their employees, and avoid any possible citations from the OSHA. These steps include the analysis of potential workplace hazards. Employers are asked to carry out their own assessments of risks of violence, including bullying in their job sites (OSHA, p. 5). A regular walk-through is one of the methods managers can apply, as this would allow managers to note behavior from employees, warning bullies of their presence, thereby promoting a feeling of safety among bullied employees (OSHA, p. 5). This can especially be applied for workplaces with long work hours or establishments which are open at night. Providing adequate lighting and security cameras to isolated and less populated areas would also prevent violence and bullying (OSHA, p. 14). Other remedies have been suggested in order to manage this issue. Four steps are essential in order to effectively address it. The first step is to identify the hazard (Government of South Australia, p. 6). This would mean having to determine whether or not workplace bullying actually exists, or whether it has the potential to exist in the future. Although there are often apparent signs of bullying, some of the times, the bullying can also be very subtle (Government of South Australia, p. 6). The burden is on the employer to take the steps to determine its existence or potential. This can be undertaken by assessing the work procedures and determine if there are elements which can increase the likelihood for bullying to occur. A focus on the systems of work, not so much the individuals is also imperative (Wilkinson, p. 64). A survey of employees relating to issues of bullying will also help detect bullying. Monitoring patterns of work behavior including absenteeism, sick leaves, high staff turnover, and injury reports can also be used as signs of being bullied (Wilkinson, p. 64). The managers also have to monitor feedback from employees about superiors or other employees as such feedback may contain indications of bullying. Another step would involve establishing the specific behavior and incidents which may lead to workplace bullying, evaluating the possibility of these behaviors impacting on the safety of employees (Nagelkerk, p. 222). Employers need to assess whether specific incidents are apparent in the workplace. These situations may include repeated and unjustified criticism on specific individuals, threats of punishment without plausible reasons, overloading a specific individual with work or with more than their fair share of unjustified work, unjustified constant evaluation of work and whereabouts, denying training, promotion, or interesting work, sabotaging work, spreading false rumors, and playing dangerous practical jokes on an employee (Wilkinson, p. 66). Where these incidents exist in the workplace, then bullying is rampant under such settings. The next step would be to control the risk. Controlling the risk would include the establishment of a workplace bullying policy, with such policy specifying the expectations appropriate for each employee and the consequences of failing to follow such expectations (Archer, Borthwick and Travers, p. 230). Establishing procedures in addressing complaints from employees is also important in the workplace. Training and education of employees on workplace bullying would also help instruct employees on what would constitute bullying and what they can do when they are being bullied (Archer, Borthwick and Travers, 230). Part of the education and training would be for managers, teaching them about their responsibilities in instances of workplace bullying. Statistical records on bullying, absences, complaints, grievances and disciplinary actions in the work setting would also serve as a determinant for these employees. Finally, the last step would include an ingoing assessment of the plans which have been secured to prevent and manage workplace bullying (Paludi, p. 12). The review process would seek to ensure that the strategies being implemented are effective in preventing and minimizing bullying (Paludi, p. 15). If inadequacies in these policies are detected, the appropriate changes need to be implemented and a possible review of actions and the workplace would likely be necessary. 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Occupational Safety and Health Act, Section 5(a)(1), 1970. Paludi, M. Managing Diversity in Todays Workplace: Strategies for Employees and Employers. New York: ABC-CLIO, Apr 23, 2012. Print. Tracy, S., Lutgen-Sandvik, P. and Alberts, J. “Nightmares, Demons and Slaves, Exploring the Painful Metaphors of Workplace Bullying,” 20 Management Communication Quarterly 2(2006): 148-185. Print. US Department of Labor, Directive number CPL 02-01-052, Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting Workplace Violence, 2011. Violence Free, “Workplace Violence: New Rules - How OSHAs New Directives Impact YOU.” (2012). Web. 22 March 2013. Wilkinson, C., Fundamentals of Health at Work: The Social Dimensions. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2001. Print. Read More