Workplace bullying: A phenomenological study of its human and organizational productivity effects among military personnel

Workplace bullying is a global phenomenon that can have detrimental long-term effects on victims. This study reviews the literature on workplace bullying and explores the effects of workplace bullying as perceived by those who have been targeted. Participants in this study describe how bullying has negatively impacted their physical health, psychological health, interpersonal relationships, self-confidence, self-esteem, job satisfaction, and careers. Bullying impedes organizational productivity due to loss of employee morale, employee absenteeism, staff turnover and loss of revenue due to hiring and training of new staff. The Critical Incident Technique was used to conduct in-depth telephone interviews with participants who acknowledged being bullied in the workplace. Findings indicate that bullying is a pervasive problem that appears to be embedded in the culture of the workplace, which can result in a variety of physical and psychological problems that can hinder work performance and impact relationships. If and when victims finally decide to confront the problem, they are unlikely to feel.;supported by management, who may be knowingly or unknowingly protecting the organizational culture and the perpetrator in order to maintain productivity and the reputation of the company. Moreover, many victims are reluctant to expose the problem because it could jeopardize their job security, well-being, and possibly even exacerbate the problem. The findings presented herein reinforce the need for businesses in both the private and public sector (including the military) to eliminate bullying at all levels of the organization by disseminating and enforcing an unambiguous anti-bullying policy, as well as enhancing communication throughout its various units and divisions that bullying will not be tolerated.