Abstract
This paper examines various aspects of workplace bullying in modern Australian organizations. There are several aspects of this phenomenon, namely: 1) lack of institutional safeguards; 2) failure to empower employees; 3) under-reporting of aggressive behavior in the workplace. The problem of bullying can be effectively addressed provided that HR managers and legislators. They should devise a set of police in order to uphold the rights of workers. They shouted ld focus on empowerment of workers and their ability to voice their discontent.
Introduction and methodology
Workplace bullying can take many forms; for example, one can mention verbal aggression, false accusations, or humiliation of a person. However, in every case, such behavior produces a devastating impact on people who are victimized. Moreover, organizations where bullying is widespread, do not perform as well as they can.
This paper is aimed at examining various aspects of this problem, especially its underlying causes. Special attention will be paid to Australian companies. It should be noted that approximately 70 percent of Australian employees report having bullied at least once (Gaetano 2010, p. 52). Thus, one can say that this issue can be relevant to many people and companies in the country. The key task is to identify the ways in the problem can be resolved. The main theoretical approach that will be used is pluralism.
This theory implies that power in organizations belongs to several stakeholders like managers, owners, or employees and each of these groups greatly contributes to the sustainability of an organization. The research method that will be used is the literature review. In particular, this paper will include the discussion of the research articles, reports and case studies that describe the causes of workplace bullying and the strategies used by companies in an effort to overcome it.
The major limitation of this approach is that the findings of different researchers cannot be applied to a particular organization or business. It is possible to say that bullying is not an endemic part of workplace culture because this behavior can be eliminated if companies, trade unions, and the government work together. Moreover, it is possible to say that HR managers can play an instrumental role in overcoming this problem because these professionals regulate interpersonal relations in the workplace. They can empower the victims and deprive bullies of the opportunity to intimidate others.
The main stakeholders affected by the problem of workplace bullying
Overall, there are various definitions of workplace bullying. For instance, in his article, Mim Gaetano (2010) describes it as systemic and repeated aggression, humiliation, and victimization of an individual (p. 52). Apart from that bully can act in many other ways; for example, these people can accuse their co-worker of mistakes that this person did not make (The Australian Government Business Resource 2010, unpaged). Additionally, some people can diminish the performance of their subordinates and threaten with dismissal.
In some cases, managers can set almost impossible deadlines for their subordinates, and later these subordinates can be accused of poor performance. Thus, bullying can have many forms. This aggressive behavior affects many stakeholders, and one should first speak about the victim. The researchers believe that bullying can impair the mental health of a worker who is bullied (Botha, Herbst, & Buys 2011, p. 1182). In particular, Öcel and Aydın (2012) point out that such a person is likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and so forth (p. 249).
Such an individual becomes dissatisfied with one’s work experiences (Öcel & Aydın 2012, p. 249). As a rule, he/she may try to find a different job or move to a different department. Such people may also have conflicts with their close relatives, even a beloved one. Very often the effects of bullying can be disastrous, especially when the victim attempts to commit suicide. These are the effects of such threats on a person who can suffer from great emotional distress.
However, one should not forget that bullying can also produce very destructive effects on organizations and their performance. First, it should be noted that the victims of bullying are less likely to feel loyalty to the company (Öcel & Aydın 2012, p. 249). Moreover, these people have not committed the goals that this organization sets. They are indifferent about the company’s successes or failures. As a rule, such companies may not be able to retain talented candidates.
Furthermore, researchers believe that bullying usually leads to an increase of absenteeism in companies (Öcel & Aydın 2012, p. 249). The thing is that the victims of bullying believe that the company is either unwilling or unable to protect them. They may believe that management does not value them or their contribution to the company. Thus, organizations can also be interested in prevention of this behavior in the workplace, if they want to achieve growth and retain the most skilled workers.
Additionally, one should not forget that workplace bullying can result in legal problems for a company. For example, one can mention that such a company as 3BA Radio Ballarat was fined $ 50,000 for failing to protect its workers from bullying (Radioinfo 2004, unpaged). Thus, people should not assume that bullying has no consequences for companies. In some cases, they can sustain financial losses.
Furthermore, trade unions are also very concerned about this issue since these organizations are supposed to represent and defend the rights of employees. It should be taken into account that after 1996 the role of these agencies decreased (Ng 2010, p. 218). The thing is that the Howard government encouraged workers and employers to sign individual contracts and resolve disputes without the assistance of trade unions (Ng 2010, p. 218). This is one of the reasons why many workers often feel disempowered.
Moreover, businesses resist unionization and workers cannot refer to them. Therefore, trade unions have to develop methods of helping the victims of bullying. Moreover, they have to find ways of influencing the policies of modern Australian companies. Finally, one should not forget about another stakeholder that cannot be indifferent to this problem. In particular, one should speak about the state. This institution has to develop a set of legislative acts that can defend the rights of workers.
So, these cases show that companies, employees, are trade unions interesting in preventing bullying and helping the victims. So, one should understand how this problem can be resolved. These cases indicate that HR professionals have to develop a set of policies in order to support the victims of bullies and restore their rights. Their knowledge of organizational or individual behavior can assist many companies.
Understanding the problem of workplace bullying
Researchers, who examine the nature of workplace bullying, pay attention such an issue as an uneven distribution of power. The thing is that in most cases, the victims occupy a lower position in the workplace hierarchy, in comparison with their bullies (Gaetano 2010, p. 53). People, who are intimidated, often strongly depend on the managers, in part because managers appraise their performance. Moreover, in many cases, the victim believes that there is no other alternative for him/her but to tolerate the requirements of a person who uses threats or coercion.
In contrast, the bully is convinced that nothing threatens him/her. Managers should bear in mind that in most cases, women are more likely to be the victims of harassment and humiliation in the workplace (Hutchinson & Eveline 2010, p. 47). As a rule, the victims are not supported by the management. This situation results in a vicious cycle that it is very difficult to break.
This is one of the aspects that should be overlooked. Therefore, HR managers should develop strategies of empowering employees who may be afraid of voicing their opinions about their policies of a company. For instance, this professional should pay attention to people who appear to be depressed. In some cases, bullying can be the underlying cause of their depression or absenteeism.
Secondly, Australian researchers believe that in many organizations the cases of bullying are under-reported (Williams 2010, p. 20). In other words, the victims can believe that their complaints will not lead to any improvement (Williams 2010, p. 20). More likely, these people can think that the bully will remain unpunished and the future he/she can revenge upon them.
As a rule, they are simply afraid of speaking about this problem with colleagues. Again, such a situation occurs in those organizations where employees are disempowered by the management. The task of HR managers is to make sure that these workers can openly speak about their problems without being threatened by the bully. HR managers should act as counselors for these employees and help them resolve their workplace conflicts (Australian Government 2009, p. 5). Yet, this is only one of the steps that they should take.
Apart from, one can refer to various ideologies and theoretical perspectives of employment relations. These theories can help managers understand the nature of workplace bullying. Special attention should be paid to pluralism which is also known as neo-institutionalism. This model can help companies cope with the problem of bullying. There are several principles of this theory. First of all, one can speak about the idea that every organization depends on many stakeholders such as employees, trade unions or governments (Hills 1995, p. 46).
According to this model, employees can strongly influence the long-term development of every company and their needs cannot be disregarded. So, managers should protect the interests of these people and defend their rights, especially if they are victimized by someone. People, who are bullied, can also be important stakeholders of a company, since the organization may depend on their skills, experience, and motivation. In their turn, employers have the responsibility to safeguard them against threats or harassment.
A pluralistic approach to labor relations can help managers understand how an organization interacts with the external environment and how it can achieve its goals. Currently, many managers underestimate the role of employees’ commitment and their contribution to the successes of every company. Provided that every organization understands the role of employee loyalty, they will implement safeguards that protect a person from workplace bullying.
Furthermore, it should be mentioned that pluralism emphasizes the role of the state. According to this ideology, the state should act as a guardian and promotes the welfare of the community (Hills 1995, p. 46). More importantly, the state should empower those people to have fewer opportunities to uphold their rights (Hills 1995, p. 46).
In other words, this institution has to support those who are weaker in terms of their legal or political influence. Thus, the state should be concerned with the rights of workers, rather than employers. Additionally, pluralism emphasizes the idea that conflict is inevitable within and between organizations. Therefore, companies should find ways of resolving such conflict.
By applying the ideas of pluralism, managers can gain very important insights about workplace bullying. One can distinguish several characteristics of workplace bullying: 1) lack of institutional safeguards protecting the victims; 2) insufficient empowerment of employees; 3) under-reporting of workplace bullying; 4) the inability of many trade unions to represent the rights of workers. These are the main obstacles that should be overcome by governments and companies. Finally, HR managers can eliminate some of the barriers that prevent many employees from upholding their rights in the workplace.
Current strategies to combat workplace bullying in Australia
At this point, it is necessary to discuss how modern Australian organizations try to address this issue. Overall, modern businesses attempt to use a set of methods in an effort to eliminate aggressive behavior or intimidation in the workplace. It is to mention the strategies used in an Australian teaching hospital (Stevens 2002, unpaged). This organization attempted to decrease the turnover of nurses and one of their goals was to eliminate bullying or intimidation of healthcare workers (Stevens 2002, unpaged).
The HR managers of this institution stressed the following points: 1) open-communication with senior nurses who must be accessible to their subordinates; 2) adoption of anti-bullying policies; and 3) ensuring that every manager can detect bullying behavior of an individual (Stevens 2002, unpaged). According to the data, provided by this organization, the combination of these approaches proved to be successful (Stevens 2002, unpaged). Moreover, nurses were more satisfied with their working experiences (Stevens 2002, unpaged). Nevertheless, one should note that this policy does not include trade unions that can also protect the rights of medical workers.
Overall, Australian organizations can provide adequate training for every employee regarding such issues as harassment or bullying (Gaetano 2010, p. 56). To some degree, such a strategy can be justified because this training can raise people’s awareness about emotional intelligence and the dangerous impact of bullying on a person.
Moreover, HR professionals should be trained to identify both bullies and their victims. This skill is of great importance to every business administrator. The thing is such cases often go undetected and unreported; this is why people should not underestimate the importance of training (Gaetano 2010, p. 56). However, such programs will not make the bully stop intimidation or humiliation of others, especially if he/she occupies an important place in the workplace hierarchy.
Additionally, many Australian businesses employ a counselor who is supposed to help employees resolve conflicts (Women’s and Children’s Health Network 2012, unpaged). Such a professional can help workers who are the victims of bullies. Such a strategy is quite justified because people must be able to tell someone about the aggressive behavior of others or possible threats (Women’s and Children’s Health Network 2012, unpaged).
Still, one should bear in mind mere reporting is not sufficient if the rules of companies are not properly reinforced through legislation or the rules of the company. Bullies must know that aggressive behavior and threats can be punished by companies or legislators. Under such circumstances, they will be reluctant to use their coercive power and humiliate others. This is the main issues that managers and policy-makers should consider.
The main limitation of these practices is that they are not fully supported by the government or trade unions. They do not empower the victims of bullying and they do not prompt a bully to change his/her behavior. This person can still think that his/her aggression or threat will remain unpunished. Moreover, there is no stimulus for companies to change their policies regarding bullying. Nevertheless, these cases suggest that HR managers can greatly improve the experiences of employees in the workplace by enabling them to discuss various problems that they face. This is one of their major tasks.
Recommendations
These examples suggest that the problem of workplace bullies requires a complex set of measures. Government, companies and trade unions should join their efforts in order to eliminate this behavior in organizations. Moreover, HR managers can give these organizations in-depth insight into the nature of aggressive behavior or bullying. The knowledge and skills can be of great use to businesses and public agencies that operate in Australia. The analysis of the literature indicates that the following strategies can be useful:
- First of all, companies should adopt a cope with practices that clearly prohibits every form of workplace bullying, for instance, threats, unjustified criticism, humiliation, and so forth. Moreover, every worker should know about this code and the punishment that can be imposed on a bully. A person is not likely to intimidate one’s co-worker if he/she knows that such behavior can result in dismissal or termination of the employment contract. Companies may also choose to fine workers whose bullying behavior has been proven. Yet, researchers believe that companies should first clearly define bullying and every element of this phenomenon (Namie, 2007, p. 49). It seems that HR managers should be responsible for this task since they know how employees interact with an organization.
- Secondly, companies should provide employees with the opportunity to voice their complaints about the bullying behavior of their colleague (Women’s and Children’s Health Network 2012, unpaged). This is why large companies may employ a counselor who talks to workers and discusses workplace conflicts with them. In some cases, the role of a counselor can be played by an HR professional who should have excellent communication skills. In this way, they can assist many people who suffer from intimidation.
- The government can impose more severe penalties on those companies that tolerate or accept bullying in the workplace. In the previous section, the case of Radio Ballarat has been mentioned, since this company failed to protect workers from bullying (Radioinfo 2004, unpaged). If this precaution is taken, organizations will be more willing to eliminate every form of aggression, humiliation, or intimidation. Thus, legislators have to reinforce anti-bullying policies within companies.
- Scholars argue that organizations should implement performance-appraisal systems that leave little room for subjectivity (Gaetano 2010, p. 52). One should take into account that bullying cannot be reduced only to intimidation or aggression. By introducing such systems, organizations will deprive bullies of their coercive power. They will no longer be able to deprive other workers of professional growth.
- Additionally, the government and companies should provide more opportunities to trade unions. In many cases, these organizations have been almost excluded from labor relations. The government should introduce a legislative act that allows trade unions that can represent the right of workers and voice their discontent. Trade unions must be able to work with the senior executives of companies and discuss the policies of these organizations.
Overall, these recommendations are aimed at addressing the following aspects of workplace bullying: 1) the absence of organizational support; 2) the coercive power of managers; 3) absence of rules and legislative acts that explicitly prohibit acting. Hopefully, the set of these strategies can resolve the problem of bullying. These recommendations are based on the premise that HR managers and legislators can cooperate in order to improve the experiences of employees. In this way, they can improve the welfare of the individual as well as the performance of many companies or public organizations.
Conclusion
Even though workplace bullying does not attach much attention to mass media, it continues to be an important problem for business administrators, managers, companies, trade unions, and the government. It affects the emotional life of a person and impairs organizational performance. The task of HR managers and policy-makers is to ensure that people participate in workplace activities without being victimized by others.
Companies should remember that this malpractice can undermine their performance and tarnish their reputation. There are several aspects of this problem. First of all, companies and legislators should adopt rules and acts that prohibit every form of intimidation. Secondly, employees should be able to voice their dissatisfaction with the behavior of their managers or peers.
References
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