Interpersonal Communication, Workplace Bullying - Research Paper Example

Workplace satisfaction depends on the individual’s expectation, talent, hard work and what the working environment has to offer for the individual. However, in the present world despite the growing increase in talented and hardworking labor class, workplace environment often violates the expectations of the employees with increasing incidences of bullying and other forms of workplace violence. Workplace bullying is an age-old phenomenon which is widely prevalent worldwide. It refers to any kind of violent or aggressive behavior of individuals or groups which is intentional and repeatedly meted out to an employee or a group of employees individual which threatens their personal well-being and safety. In addition, bullying is often meted out to intimidate, offend or humiliate an employee. In some cases bullying also involves negative physical contact. Bullying is in many cases carried out by those in power and hence the individual who is targeted is often in a defenseless state. However in some cases the bullies are insecure or immature individuals who try to assert their position by bullying their peers. It essentially robs the individual of their right to dignity at work and creates a hostile environment (Workplace Bullying; Bullying in the Workplace). According to a national survey about 35% of American adults have reported to have experienced bullying with 15% reported to have witnessed bullying of their co-workers (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). Reports have also shown that about 20% of workplace bullying can lead to harassment of the individual. a New York Times report revealed that in 60% of the cases, workplace bullies are men and both male and female employees are subjected to bullying. In cases involving female bullies, they tend to bully their female co-workers in a majority of the cases which is mainly attributed to the increasing pressure on female employees to succeed in a male-dominated organization and the rising competition between female employees within an organization. The issue to bullying has been considered as a serious problem affecting productivity and employee morale in workplaces by the International Labor Organization. It is also considered as a silent epidemic by many experts. Research studies have also identified groups and organizations which are more vulnerable to bullying based on the incidence numbers. The prison service, healthcare, educational sector and postal and telecommunication industry workers have been identified to be more prone to bullying (Cartwright and Cooper). Bullying differs from aggression as the latter usually involves a single act and bullying constitutes repeated attacks which form an on-going pattern of behavior of the individual. However, bosses who are deemed to be tough and assertive need not be considered as bullies provided their intention is to get the best output from their employees without de-motivating or humiliating their work (Workplace Bullying). Workplace bullying includes all kinds of inappropriate behavior which is verbal or nonverbal, direct or indirect or involves physical violence. Bullying can be in the form of physical, verbal or emotional abuse of employees. It could also be nonverbal in nature which includes gestures such as rolling of eyes, folded arms, staring straight ahead or at the person, intimidating behavior and ignoring the coworker. Verbal behavior is also present in many cases such as passing sarcastic comments, subjecting them to verbal abuse, angry outbursts, insulting, ridiculing and using condescending language, spreading rumors or gossips, mockery and subjecting them to humiliation, exclusion or isolation, persecution, unfair work evaluation, sabotage, withholding information or support and setting unreachable and difficult targets.. Such type of violence may also involve physical abuse such as shoving or slamming objects (Lateral Violence and Bullying; Healthy Work Environment). Five categories of workplace bullying have been described by Rayner and Hoel which includes threat to personal status and standing, isolation, overwork and destabilization.All the above forms of violence are against the basic human rights and deny employees their right to dignity at workplace (Lateral Violence and Bullying; Workplace Violence). Some examples of workplace bullying include: Spreading gossips or rumors about the targeted individuals Exclusion or isolation of the individual Intimidation Hindering a person’s work Physical abuse and threats Relieving them of responsibilities without appropriate reason Changing work guideline Setting difficult and impossible deadlines for the individual to meet Withholding information or providing wrong information pertaining to the organization Making offensive jokes through open talk or emails Intruding their privacy by stalking or spying Not assigning work and creating a feeling of uselessness Shouting or yelling at the individual Constant criticism of the individual Not giving due importance or credit to their opinions Unwarranted punishment Not sanctioning applications for leave, training or promotion Meddling with their personal or official belongings The above list includes some of the ways in which bullying could happen within an organization. When one or many of such acts are repeated over time it can be considered as bullying (Bullying in the Workplace). There are numerous factors that contribute to bullying in workplace and a number of theories have been put forth to explain why bullying occurs in the first place. Some of these factors are related to the individual and others are based on the other environmental factors at work. With respect to the individual factors such as the personality, early childhood experiences, any unresolved conflicts, biases or prejudice against certain individuals and a lack of social skills are seen as the major contributing factors. As individual bullies are considered to have strong sociopathic behaviors as they selectively target individuals and subject them to series bullying. There are seen to most often use the lack of independence, vulnerability and less stable nature of their targets to bully (Cartwright and Cooper). Another major factor linked to workplace bullying is the stressful nature of work environments, work overload and changing work cultures which suit their bullying tendencies. Other similar contributing factors include increased working hours leading to high stress levels and aggression, and insecure environment, women working in a senior position in a male-dominated workplace, working in shifts, lack of cohesion and leadership within the management thus increasing the possibility of aggression and low self-esteem of individuals and low levels of staff participation (Workplace Violence). A lack of systems to detect and control bullying and other forms of violence in workplace also serves as a contributing factor (Healthy Work Environment). While researchers argue that most individuals in a workplace are capable of bullying only those who become impatient and frustrated by the behavior of their co-workers tend to resort to bullying. An excessively demanding work environment and high targets may cause individuals to be over-demanding towards their employees which in many cases could lead to accidental or unintentional bullying (Workplace Bullying; Cartwright and Cooper). A changing work environment such as downsizing, restructuring and radical changes within the organization may cause individual to be more concerned about their job status and hence they may begin to criticize the work of others. Such individual-centric work environments are more likely to have a higher incidence of bullying. In addition, a directive and autocratic management will also have a high incidence of bullying in workplace. Such as hierarchical organizational structure may in some cases also support certain types of institutionalized bullying within the organization (Workplace Bullying). In many cases bullying in workplace is considered as normal and when such an attitude is displayed by those at the top level within the organization it trickles down easily to the employees, thus resulting in a vicious cycle of bullying which could be difficult to stop. In some other organization bullying is also considered as personality conflicts between the individuals concerned and hence do not take any form of intervention to resolve the issue. However, there has been increased research that is conducted to address the issue of workplace bullying which would help companies understand the undesirable consequences associated with bullying and suggest ways by which they could the negative impact of such behavior in their workplace (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). There are several consequences attached to bullying in workplace both to the concerned individuals and the organization. People who are being subjected to bullying can experience a wide range of effects such as shock, anger, frustration, increased stress and related post-traumatic stress disorders, helplessness, increased vulnerability, lack of self-confidence and self-esteem, increased depressive symptoms, sleeplessness and lack of appetite, pains in the stomach and head, mucoskeletal problems, panic or anxiety about attending work, family problems, financial issues due to increased absence to work, inability to concentrate, and low productivity (Workplace Bullying; Bullying in the Workplace). According to the World Health Organization, bullying can have serious consequences on the mind and body of the individual. it has associated bullying with high blood pressure, palpitations, migraine, fatigue and ulcers. Prolonged periods of bullying can result in excessive weight gain and also risks the individual to cardiovascular diseases (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). In case of healthcare organization subjecting nurses and other medical staff to bullying at workplace can have grave consequences on their performance output which in the end endangers the quality of care afforded to the patients. When new graduates are subjected to this kind of violence it may affect their enthusiasm to learn the work and hence their career. Several studies have noted the serious psychological, physiological and behavioral impact that such kind of violence may have on the individual. In many cases it has left people with a constant fear of job loss and career advancement, nervousness, irritable behavior, suicidal tendencies, increased use of drugs and alcohol, chronic stress and risk of development of a chronic illness (Healthy Work Environment). In cases where those who have been bullied open up about the issue they have mostly faced retaliation by their co-workers. When the bully was in a powerful position, the individual risked being fired, demoted, involuntary transferred or given a poor performance rating. Recent studies have also shown that workplace bullying often results in lower job satisfaction and commitment compared to those who experience sexual or gender harassment. These kinds of attacks target the integrity and ability of the employee and when constantly exposed to such forms of violence the employees become powerless and develop a sense of inferior and pessimistic feeling towards their work and the world. The effects of workplace violence is far more severe compared to those of sexual harassment and people experiencing such bullying were more likely to succumb to various negative consequences than those who are sexually harassed (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). All the above individual consequences in most cases has a direct effect on the organization and the organizational costs due to bullying has been categorized into three levels: replacement of staff who leave the organization due to bullying, low levels of work productivity as the staff tend to focus more on coping with the bullying meted out to them and the financial costs associated with investigating the issue and other legal actions. In addition, there is also an increased risk for accidents or incidents related to bullying. All the above consequences affect the corporate image of the organization and also reduce customer confidence especially in cases where customer service is affected due to bullying. Thus the overall consequences of workplace violence include an unhealthy work environment, loss of reputation and financial costs for the organization and lack of adequate safety and care for the employees (Workplace Bullying; Bullying in the Workplace). It is evident from the above effects that bullies are incapable of contributing to smooth and effective running of organizations. When employees are bullied their morale is affected which in turn affects work output. In addition, the increased leave and absenteeism resulting from such episodes are costly to the organization as they will have to both compensate the workers in addition to productivity losses. Bullying often hinders the employee from giving their best work output and in addition they become less honest and do not provide any extra ideas or opinions with regard to work improvement (Workplace Bullying). Despite the increasing incidence in bullying at workplace organizations can implement several methods to handle and prevent workplace bullying. One of the main methods is to have a strong selection system by which bullies are identified. In addition feedback mechanisms incorporated in systemic appraisal systems will help to provide information about the type of managements and leadership styles of those in responsible positions. These feedbacks can be used to explain to potential bullies the impact of their actions on the state of mind of their co-workers as well as on the organization. Organizations can also incorporate effective leadership training programs with focus on interpersonal skill and emotional intelligence development which have been shown to be helpful in controlling bullying through stress management and promoting efficient leadership patterns. Likewise face-to-face interactive sessions will also help individuals gain better insight to the effects of bullying and other practices within the organization. Training in other areas such as transactional analysis and conflict management skills have also been proven to be effective in controlling the incidence of bullying. Researchers have also pointed for the need to eliminate a stressful environment which in many ways provides the starting point for such behavior by triggering anger, aggression and pressure situation for the employees. Sudden changes within the organization need to be undertaken in a more sensitive manner so that employees do not feel pressurized at any given point and are made to incorporate the changes in their work in a smooth manner. Organizations will also have to take an effort in changing any hierarchical culture existing within the organization by which bullying is only regarded as a strong style of management. Such changes will essentially involve those at the top of the management as it is they who will have to create a more positive working environment and eliminate all forms of intimidating or stressful work environments. In addition, suitable reporting systems also need to be in place that would encourage those who are bullied to speak out about the problem and find suitable solutions. Employers should realize and uphold the need to provide a healthy and safe working environment for their staff and with this intent they need to design effective and fair policies to deal with bullying. One of the many reasons stated for the rise in workplace bullying is the lack of effective recognition and reporting systems and the existence of strict punitive measures for those who indulge in such activities. Organizations can begin by creating awareness about the issue and circulate information about behaviors which will be unacceptable and liable for punitive action. They should also outline the various steps that will be taken in the event of such complaints. These will help to assure those who have been bullied that the systems in place are reliable and that they will not have to face any problems from reporting such behavior. Organizations can also provide support to those affected by bullying through counseling and harassment advisers. However, the absence of regular surveys and monitoring of the established policies will not help to correct the situation and hence organizations will have to undertake efforts to conduct workplace surveys and regularly examine the stress and health of their employees in order to keep track of the effectiveness of the policies and programs initiated in this regard (Cartwright and Cooper). Organizations can also make their employees sign a contract that would essentially commit them to a bully-free work environment. In all the cases the active participation of the management plays a key role in the success of all the initiated policies and programs. And as these leaders are involved in policy framing it becomes pertinent that they set an example by following these codes and encourage similar behavior from their employees (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). In addition, those in leadership position can As an example of organization policies and programs a number of nursing organizations have proposed various standards and codes in order to prevent violence in workplace. The Code of Ethics framed by the American Nurse Association has included clear standards of behavior expected from professional nurses in order to maintain a healthy work environment. A policy statement issues by the Center for American Nurses includes an example of policy standards for the creation of a healthy workplace environment (Becher and Visovsky; Lateral Violence and Bullying). The Joint Commission has acknowledged the adverse effects of workplace violence on the safety and quality of care afforded by the healthcare organization. It further proposed a set of revised standards in which it has suggested certain actions to be implemented in workplace to curb violence (Lateral Violence and Bullying, 2008). This includes continuous evaluation and review of workplace environment and administrative controls, establishment and evaluation of violence prevention programs, background checks of new job applicants to evaluate their conduct, strict disciplinary measures in place for those indulging in violence, mandatory education for the staff on workplace violence and prevention strategies, encourage staff to report violent incidences, educating superiors for taking appropriate and immediate action against workplace violence and establishment of counseling programs for those victimized in workplace violence. In addition to these standards that have been set by organizations, prevention of workplace violence lies in the hands of the employees especially nurse leaders who can help prevent and eliminate workplace violence. Leaders are in responsible position and creating a trusty work environment and suitably managing work stress can help relieve any unnecessary anxiety or fear among their co-workers. They also have a key role in promoting learning and contributing to the career growth of the employee. They must involve themselves in designing standards and policies pertaining to workplace violence and approach complaints and situations in an unbiased manner. In addition focus groups can be held in order to find areas of improvement and in development of a code of conduct. A resource guide has been developed by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses to facilitate health care leaders maintain quality of care, improve productivity and reduce violence in workplace. In the case of new graduates placing them under a mentor will help reduce workplace related violence (Becher and Visovsky). As a preventive measure the Joint Commission has enforced a zero tolerance policy in the sentinel effective from 2009 by which those found guilty of indulging in workplace violence will be given full punishment. Many organizations are now working to put in place a zero tolerance policy with respect to disruptive behavior in workplace (Lateral Violence and Bullying; Healthy Work Environment). In addition the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also guarantees protection from workplace related violence (Healthy Work Environment). Likewise Organizations such as the Ramsey County have adopted a policy of respecting your fellow employees as a means to prevent any form of bullying or workplace aggression. It creates awareness about the issue through trainings on listening and communication and also employs methods by which people can rate their violence and then discuss the issue and determine behaviors that could be appropriate at work. It also uses a theatre group to educate their employees about aggression and bullying. The organization has also In addition studies have also shown that organizations are increasingly seeking the help of psychologists to help them bring effective changes to their work culture and climate. Psychologists have found that by changing the way employees conversed with each other, it would be possible to reduce day-to-day aggressions, and verbal, psychological and emotional abuses that could come in their way. In addition, reducing favoritism and creating a fair and unbiased work environment will also help reduce issues pertaining to bullying. Companies such as IBM have also taken a strong stance on the issue of bullying and have worked to create an environment of trust and respect among its employees. The company does not tolerate any form of intimidation and follows such acts by strict disciplinary actions. In one such instance the company decided to fire a group of individuals who were found guilty of bullying their new boss (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). In order for corrective action to be undertaken it is pertinent for employees to recognize that they are being bullied. In addition they also have to ascertain that they are not the problem creators and that they are being bullied only as a means to control them and it is not concerned with their work performance. It would also be helpful if those who are being bullied keep a diary of the events including the date, time, place, the conversation and whether other people were present at that time. In cases where the issue is taken into the legal framework, those who have been bullied should possess copies of documents submitted against them by the bullies such as audit reports and work sheets. In addition they should also have a witness along with them during any further meetings with the bully and any inappropriate behavior by the bully should be duly reported to the concerned authorities. From the employers stand point it is essential to create a zero-tolerance policy against bullying at workplace which would help to ensure a safe and smooth working environment for their staff. When any bullying incident is witnessed or reported by employees, action should be initiated at the earliest and the incident should be thoroughly investigated. In order to prevent further such incidences the company should restructure their working environment and provide autonomy and clarity of work requirements for their staff and should also involve them in the decision-making processes. The organization can also arrange awareness programs about bullying and disseminate reporting procedures to all staff members. In the event of such reporting a thorough investigation into the issue should be done prior to deciding the extent and nature of the problem and about those involved. In addition the attitude of those employees involved in the issue should also be ascertained prior to the decision making process (Workplace Bullying). With regard to the responses taken against the issue, an informal intervention can be undertaken in cases which involve single acts of bullying. In cases where a series of incidences have occurred, the bully can be counseled appropriately and an awareness about the effects of such behavior created. In cases where bullying continues even after counseling appropriate authoritative action can be taken. And when all the above interventions fail disciplinary action can be initiated against the bully (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). As a preventive measure acceptable behavior within the organization should be demonstrated by people in the top positions within the company and staff should be encouraged to follow a code of conduct set by the company (Workplace Bullying). In addition, those in leadership position can also keep track of changes that may be indicative of workplace bullying. Some of these signs include: sharp absenteeism and productivity decreases after supervisor changes, sudden or alleged decrease in work output by employees who have otherwise had a good work record, low employee morale following any organizational restructuring and increased interpersonal aggression levels within the workplace (Yamada). Some cases may call for tough decisions on the part of the management when the bully involved in the issue has sound business knowledge or is otherwise popular among with those in the management. Bullies generally employ tactics by which they hide their abusive nature to those in the top management or his immediate seniors who are responsible for his appraisal. Though such individuals can be counseled to change their attitude, many experts view the changes to be temporary. In such cases the management will have to deal ethically with the situation and should work to uphold employee morale which will bring along increased productivity rather than holding on to a single person considered to add some value to the organization (Yamada). In today’s fast passed world there is also a dire need for value-based leadership as it can truly bring about visible changes within an organization especially pertaining to issues such as workplace bullying. Several experts have been strongly advocating the need to have inclusive leadership within an organization who will strive to uphold the dignity and respect of their staff which will automatically increase productivity and company revenue. As quoted in the popular book, In Search of Excellence, which was considered to be the management bible of the 1980s “Treat people as adults. Treat them as partners; treat them with dignity; treat them with respect…..In other words if you want the productivity and the financial revenues that go with it, you must treat your workers as your most important asset” (Yamada) Finally the policies and programs aimed at reducing workplace bullying should focus on one primary right of every employee which is their right of dignity of labor. All employees must be given the freedom to their work and earn their living without any unnecessary influence or interference by their seniors or other co-workers (Yamada). In the absence of any clear legal protections for workplace bullying those who have been bullied can only pursue their legal rights based on violation of other laws such as anti-discrimination laws. Though resolutions pertaining to bullying have been introduced in thirteen states within the US, they have not yet been passed even in one state. However several laws and codes of conduct have been introduced in other countries. For example the Social Modernization law introduced in France criminalizes any kind of moral harassment that could occur in workplace and requires that employers taken all preventive efforts in order to prevent such harassment. In addition the law also holds employers responsible for such incidences and requires them to compensate for the victim. Those found guilty of bullying are likely to face fines or jail time. In Finland, the Occupational Safety and Health Act require both the employers and employees to create a working environment which is free of any stress or violence. Organizations in UK have also adopted several acts in order to take strict action against those indulging in workplace bullying (APA Center for Organizational Excellence). Thus in conclusion, the increasing competition in the workplace has essentially raised the incidences of bullying and vulnerable employees can be subjected to violence either by their co-workers or those in the senior position. This situation has resulted in increased mental and physical stress among these employees. While many still suffer in silence, others either leave the organization or completely quit their professional careers. It is now for the companies to take a strong stance on this issue and take stringent measures to control and prevent bullying in workplace. Suitable workplace strategies and policies should be implemented and followed to prevent any kind of disruptive behavior towards the employees. As a positive step embracement of a zero tolerance policy by companies is now becoming increasingly common and with support from various national and international organizations broad and effective policies and programs pertaining to workplace bullying and violence should be initiated. Works cited 1. Workplace Bullying. n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. http://louisville.edu/ombuds/selfhelp/reading/Workplace%20Bullying.pdf/at_download/file. 2. Bullying in the Workplace. Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. 8 March 2005. Web. 4 May 2014. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/bullying.html 3. Workplace Bullying. APA Center for Organizational Excellence. n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. https://www.apaexcellence.org/resources/special-topics/workplace-bullying 4. Cartwright, Susan and Cooper, Cary L. “Hazards to health: The problem of workplace bullying” The Psychologist.org (2007) 20(5): 284-287. Web. 4 May 2014. http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm?volumeID=20&editionID=147&ArticleID=1182 5. Workplace Violence. APNA 2008 Position Statement (2008): 1-69. Web. 4 May 2014. http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/pdfs/nursing/center_lateral_violence_and_bullying_position_statement_from_center_for_american_nurses.pdf 6. Healthy Work Environment Advocacy Guide. Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (n.d): 1-10. Web. 4 May 2014. http://www.amsn.org/sites/default/files/documents/practice-resources/healthy-work-environment/AMSN-HWE-Bullying.pdf 7. Lateral Violence and Bullying in the Workplace. Center for American Nurses (2008): 1-12. Web. 4 May 2014. 8. Becher, Jennifer and Visovsky, Constance. Horizontal Violence in Nursing. MEDSURG Nursing (2012), 21(4): 210-232. Web. 4 May 2014. http://www.amsn.org/sites/default/files/documents/practice-resources/healthy-work-environment/resources/MSNJ-Becher-Visovsky-21-04.pdf 9. Yamada, David C. Workplace Bullying and Ethical Leadership. The Journal of Value –Based Leadership (2008) 1(2): 49-62. Web. 4 May 2014. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1301554 Read More