Study on workplace bullying exposure among Romanian employees. Gender differences

Authors

  • Teodora Maidaniuc-Chirilă “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Iaşi, Romania

Keywords:

workplace bullying exposure, victimisation, gender differences, perceived stress, mental and physical strain

Abstract

This study aims to identify workplace bullying exposure among Romanian employees taking into account the possible gender differences in the exposure to stress and the exposure to workplace bullying. The results of the present study revealed a percentage of workplace bullying exposure of 1.6%. This percentage reflects the number of bullying acts encountered in workplace settings with a frequency of at least once a week during a period of at least six months and revealed no gender differences in workplace bullying manifestation. Furthermore, a percent of 7.7% have been exposed to workplace bullying while only 6% have been exposed to workplace bullying. The Chi square test didn’t evidenced statistically significant differences between female and male in their exposure to workplace bullying. 64.1% of female have experienced stress at their workplaces and 53.8% of male have felt stress at their workplaces. The Chi square test didn’t reveal these differences as being statistically significant. The percentages of workplace bullying exposure are comparable with those existing in the literature. Moreover, the study didn’t reveal that there are differences between women and men in workplace bullying exposure.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Teodora Maidaniuc-Chirilă, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Iaşi, Romania

“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Iaşi, Romania

References

Andre-Peterson, L., Engstrom, G., Hedblad, B., Janzon, L. & Roswall, M. (2007). Social support at work and the risk of myocardial infection and stroke in women and men. Social Science & Medicine, 64, 830-841.

Allen, R.E. & Lucero, M.A. (1998). Subordinate aggression against managers: Empirical analyses of analyses of published arbitration decisions. International Journal of Conflict Management, 9, 234-257.

Bjorkvist, K., Osterman, K. & Lagerspetz, K.M.J. (1994a). Aggression among university employees. Aggressive Behavior, 20, 173-184.

Bjorkvist, K., Osterman, K. & Lagerspetz, K.M.J. (1994b). Sex Differences in Covert Aggression among Adults. Aggressive Behavior, 20, 27-33.

Chirilă T. (2012). Perceived victimisation as a consequence of bullying among Romanian employees: gender differences. Annals of the Al. I.Cuza University, Psychology Series, 21, 85-98. ISSN: 2069-1386.

Chirilă T., Constantin, T. (2013). Understanding workplace bullying phenomenon through its concepts: A literature Review. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences Journal, 84, 1175-1179, ISSN: 1877-0428.

Chirilă T. & Constantin T. (2014). Verifying the psychometric properties of two instruments measuring workplace bullying among Romanian employees. Annals of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Psychology Series, ISSN: 2069-1386, 3, 91-109.

Cowie, H., Jennifer, D., Neto, C., Angula, J.C., Tereira, B., del Barrio, C. & Ananiadou,K. (2000). Comparing the nature of workplace bullying in two European countries: Portugal and the UK. In M. Sheehan, S. Ramsey and J. Patrick (eds) Transcending the boundaries: Integrating people, processes and systems. Proceedings of the 2000 Conference. Brisbane: Griffith University, 128-133.

Denton, M., Prus, S. & Walters, V. (2004). Gender differences in health: A Canadian study of the psychosocial, structural and behavioural determinants of health. Social Science & Medicine, 58, 2585-2600.

Di Martino, V., Hoel, H., & Cooper, C.L. (2003). Preventing violence and harassment in the workplace. Dublin: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.

Einarsen, S., Raknes, B.I., Matthiesen, S.B. & Hellesoy, O.H. (1994b). Mobbing og harde personkonflikter: Helsefarlig samspil på arbeidsplassen (Bullying and harsh personalized conflicts: Unhealthy interaction at work). Bergen, Norway: Sigma Forlag.

Einarsen, S., & Skogstad, A. (1996). Bullying at work: Epidemiological findings in public and private organizations. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5, 185-201.

Einarsen, S. and Raknes, B.I. (1997). Harassment at work and the victimization of men. Violnece and Victims, 5, 119-126.

Einarsen, S., Matthiesen, S. & Skogstad, A. (1998). Bullying, burnout and well-being among assistant nurses. Journal of Occupational Health & Safety, 14, 563-568.

Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf. D., and Cooper, C. (Eds). (2003). The concept of bullying at work. The European tradition. In S. Einarsen, H. Hoel, D. Zapf, and C.L. Cooper. (Eds.), Bullying and emotional abuse in the workplace: International perspectives in research and practice (pp. 3-30). London: Taylor & Francis

Elo, A.L., Leppanen, A., Lindstrom, K. & Ropponen, T.(1992). Occupational stress questionnaire: user’s instructions. Helsinki: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

Evers, A., Frese, M., & Cooper, C. L. 2000. Revisions and further developments of the Occupational Stress Indicator: LISREL results from four Dutch studies. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 73, 221-240.

Hoel, H. & Cooper, C.L. (2000). Destructive Conflict and Bullying at Work. Manchester School of Management, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST).

Hoel, H., Einarsen, S. & Cooper, C.L. (2003).Organisational effects of bullying. In S. Einarsen, H. Hoel, D. Zapf, & C.L. Cooper (Eds.). Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International perspectives in research and practice (1st ed., pp. 145-161). Suffok: Taylor & Francis.

Hubert, A.B. & Veldhoven van M. (2001). Risk sectors for undesirable behaviour and mobbing. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 10, 415-424.

International Labour Office, International Council of Nurses, World Health Organisation, Public Services International, Joint Programme on Workplace Violence in the Health Sector, Geneva 2002[Online].2002[cited 2009 July 15]; Available from URL:hhtp://www.icn.ch/proof3b.screen.pdf.

Kaucsek, G. & Simon, P. (1995). Psychoterror and ‘riskmanagement’ in Hungary. Paper presented in The seventh European Congress on Work and Organizational Psychology,19.-22. April, Györ, Hungary.

Kauppinen, T., Heikkila, P., Lehtinen, S., Lindstrom, K., Nayha, S., Seppala, A., Toikkanen, J. & Tossavainen, A. (2000). Work and Health in Finland in year 2000. Helsinki: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

Keashly, L. (1998). Emotional abuse in the workplace: Conceptual and empirical issues. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 1, 85-117.

Kivimaki, M., Elovainio, M., Vartia, M., Vahtera, J. & Keltikangas-Jarvinen, L. (2003). Workplace bullying and the risk of cardiovascular disease and depression. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60, 775-779.

Knorz, C. & Zapf, D. (1996) Mobbing-eine extreme Form sozialer Analyze sozial schadlichen Verhaltens: Schmalenbachs Zeitschrift fur Betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung, 49(6), 535-555.

Krakel, M. (1997). Rent-seeking in Organisationen – eine ökonomische Analyse sozial schädlichen Verhaltens. Schmalenbachs Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung, 49, 535-555.

Leymann, H. (1990). Mobbing and psychological terror at workplaces. Violence & Victims, 5, 119-126.

Leymann, H. (1992). Vuxenmobbing pa svenka arbetsplattser [Adult bullying at Sweedish workplaces]. Solna: Arbetarskyddssyrelsen

Levinson, H., Price, C., Munden, K., Mandl, H & Solley, C. (1962): Men, Management and Mental Health. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press.

McCarthy, P. (1996). The content and development of mobbing at work. European Journal of Work and Organisational Psychology, 5, 165-184.

McGuckin, C., Lewis, C.A. & Shevlin, M. (2001). The impact of workplace bullying on the self-esteem of nurses. Paper presented at 10th European Congress on Work and Organizational Psychology, Praga, May 16-19.

Mikkelsen, E. G., & Einarsen, S. (2001). Bullying in Danish work-life: Prevalence and health correlates. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 10, 393-413.

Morrison, E.W. & Robinson, S. (1997). When employees feel betrayed: a model of how psychological contract violation develops. Academy of Management Review, 22, 226-256.

Neuman, J.H. & Baron, R.A. (1998). Workplace violence and workplace aggression: Evidence concerning specific forms, potential causes, and preferred targets. Journal of Management, 24, 391-419.

Niedl, K. (1996). Mobbing and well-being: Economic and personnel development implications. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5, 239-249.

Nuutinen, I., Kauppinen, K. & Kandolin, I. (1999). Equality in police force. Helsinki: Tyoterveyslaitos, Sisaasianministerio.

O’Leary-Kelly, A.M., Griffin, R.W.& Glew, D.J. (1996). Organization motivated aggression: A research framework. The Academy of Management Review, 21, 225-253.

O’Moore, M (2000). A national Survey on Bullying in the Workplace. Dublin: The Anti-Bullying Centre: Trinity College.

Ostrov, J.M., Crick, N.R. & Keating, C.F. (2005). Gender-biased perceptions of preschoolers behaviour: How much is aggression and pro-social behaviour in the eye of beholder? Sex Roles, 52, 393-398.

Paoli, P. & Merllie, D. (2001). Third European Survey on Working Conditions in the European Union (2000). European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Luxemburg: Office for the Official Publications of the European Communities.

Piirainen, H. Elo, A-L., Hirvonen, M., Kauppinen, K., Ketola, R., Laitinen, H., Lindstrom, K., Reijula, K., Riala, R., Viluksela, M. & Virtanen, S. (2000). Work and Health- an interviw study. Helsinki: Tyoterveyslaitos.

Quine, L. (1999). Workplace bullying in NHS community trust: Staff questionnaire survey. British Medical Journal, 318, 228-232.

Quine, L. (2002). Workplace bullying in junior doctors: questionnaire survey. British Medical Journal, 324, 878-879.

Quine, L. (2003). Workplace bullying, psychological distress, and job satisfaction in junior doctors. Cambridge Quarterly oh Healthcare Ethics, 12, 91-101.

Randall, P. (1997). Adult Bullying: Perpetrators and victims, New York: Routledge.

Rayner, C. 1997. The Incidence of Workplace Bullying. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 7, 199-208.

Rayner, C. (2000). Building a business case for tackling bullying in the workplace: beyond a basic costbenefit approach. In Sheehan, M., Ramsay, S. & Patrick, J. (Eds.) Transceding Boundaries: Integrating People, Processes and Systems. Proceedings of the 2000 Conference, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Brisbane: Griffith University.

Robinson, S. & Rousseaun, D. (1994). Violating the psychological contract: not the exception but the norm. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 15, 245-259.

Salin, D. (2003). Ways of explaining workplace bullying: A review of enabling, motivating, and precipitating structures and processes in the work environment. Human Relations, 56, 112-132, Sage Publications, London, Thousand Oaks CA, New Delphi. 214

Salin, D. (2005). Workplace bullying among business professionals: Prevalence, gender differences and the role of organizational politics. (Harcelement au travail chez les professionnels du milieu des affaires.Prevalence, differences selon le genre et role de la culture organisationnelle). Perspectives Interdisciplinaires sur le Travail et la Sante (PISTES), 7, Retrieved July 20, 2009, form http://www.pistes.uqam.ca/v7n3/articles/v7n3a2en.htm.

Sheehan, M. (1996). Case studies in organisational restructuring. In P. McCarthy, M. Sheehan & W. Wilkie (Eds.), Bullying: From Backyard to Boardroom (pp. 67-82). Alexandria: Millennium Books.

Sheehan, M., McCarthy, P., Barker, M. & Henderson, M. (2001). A model for Assessing the Impacts and Costs of Workplace Bullying. Paper presented at 19th Standing Conference on Organizational Symbolism, Dublin, Ireland.

Sutela, H. & Lehto, A-M. (1998). Henkinen väkivalta on koko työyhteisön ongelma. (Bullying is a problem of the whole work unit). Hyvinvointikatsaus, 3, 18–24.Thylefors, I. (1999). A survey in care of prisoners 1998. Goteberg, Sweden: Goteborgs Universitet.

Tepper, B. (2000). Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 43, 178-190.

Turnley, W. & Feldman, D. (1999). The impact of psychological contract violations on exist, voice, loyalty and neglect. Human Relations, 52, 895-922.

UNISON (1997). UNISON Members’ Experience of Bullying at Work. London: UNISON.

Vaez, M., Ekberg, K & Laflamme, L. (2004). Abusive events at work among young working adults: Magnitude of the problem and its effect on self-rated health. Relations Industrielles, 59, 569-583.

Vartia, M. (2001). Consequences of workplace bullying with respect to well-being of its targets and the observers of bullying. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Enviroment & Health, 27, 63-69.

Vartia, M. (2003). Workplace-bullying- A study on the work environment, well-being and health. Academic dissertation. Finish Institute of Occupational Health.

Zapf, D., Dormann, C. & Frese, M. (1996a). Longitudinal studies in organizational stress research: A review of the literature with reference to methodological issues. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 1, 145-169.

Zapf, D., Knorz, C., & Kulla, M. (1996b). On the relationship between mobbing factors, and job content, the social work environment and health outcomes. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5, 215-237.

Zapf, D. & Einarsen, S. (2003). Individual antecedents of bullying: victims and perpetrators. In S. Einarsen, H. Hoel, D. Zapf, & C.L. Cooper (Eds.). Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International Perspectives in research and practice (1st ed., pp.165-184). Suffolk: Taylor & Francis

Downloads

Published

2019-10-21

How to Cite

Maidaniuc-Chirilă, T. (2019). Study on workplace bullying exposure among Romanian employees. Gender differences. Psihologia Resurselor Umane, 12(2), 147–158. Retrieved from https://www.hrp-journal.com.new-skills.eu/index.php/pru/article/view/158